He shrugs. “Not where you’re concerned.”
He walks to the door and turns back, that dangerous curve to his sexy lips again.
“Come downstairs soon, princess. Don’t make me chase you!”
“Aren’t you worried that I’ll run away?”
And just like that, his eyes harden to coal fire. “Don’t try it, princess. I will follow you and find you.”
He opens and closes the door, leaving me gasping for breath, confused as hell.
But I rifle through the clothes in the closet, finding a cute t-shirt and pair of jeans. I slip them on and then dither in the middle of the room. Should I go downstairs? Logically I know I shouldn’t. Should just let things lie and hope that Judas gets tired of whatever game he’s playing.
But I want to feel it again. That insane urge to climb him like a tree. That fire in my veins burning out of control.
And I don’t want to hide up here in this room. I’ve never seen his home and curiosity is killing me.
I draw in a deep breath and step out the door. What waits for me I don’t know. But I can’t stay away from Judas, no matter how much I should.
I’ll deal with the hurt if he leaves. I can handle it. I’ve done it many times before.
SIX
judas
I holdmy breath until she appears in the hallway. I halfway thought she’d try and run.
“Why are you waiting here? I thought you were going to meet me in the theater?” she asks, her eyes narrowed and a pissy look on her face.
“I was. But then I remembered you don’t know the way down there. So I stayed to guide you. I’ll even take you on a little tour.”
I hold my hand out in front of me, inviting her to move ahead of me. Her eyes follow my hand and then she shrugs and moves ahead of me. “If you think I actually believe that bullshit, you’re out of your damn mind.”
“Sue me. I wanted to make sure you came downstairs.”
“I’m not going to run.”
At least not now. I can still see the unease on her face and it makes me want to punch someone. I don’t know why she’s so leery to get too close to people. I know she has girlfriends. I know she tries to keep them at arm’s length as well.
Someone hurt her and I’m fighting their battle to win that trust back. I’ve got patience though. And she’s worth every bit of pain and hurt I have to fight to crack that damn hard shell of hers.
I touch her elbow when we hit the bottom of the staircase, leading her behind it to the hidden door.
“What...?” Her mouth drops open when I open another hidden panel. Glee dances in her eyes and she pops up to the door and dashes through.
“Wait! Dammit, woman! Slow down!”
I follow her, smiling at her giggles drifting back to me. “Slow down, crazy woman! I haven’t even turned on the light! You’re going to get hurt.”
“You’d never let me get hurt.” The certainty in her voice almost brings me to my knees.
I never would but I wasn’t sure she knew that.
“No, I wouldn’t.” I follow her voice into the dark theater room. There’s a huge screen along one wall. I hit the lights and then start the screen. The catalog pops up on the screen and she eyes it eagerly, a delighted smile on her face.
“These are all my favorite movies!” she screams excitedly.
“Of course they are.”