I rushed out of the coffee house, my pace as fast as the heeled boots allowed. Thomas waited under the smoking shelter, but before I reached him, Chase’s voice stopped me mid-step.
“Nadia! Wait up.” He jogged over, out of breath. “You forgot this.” He handed me the gift I received from James.
“Thank you. I’ll lose my head one day.”
Warm hand draped across my stomach. Thomas spun me around, planting his lips on mine for a short, hot kiss, and then, as if he didn’t just showcase his possessiveness, he turned to Chase.
“Amelia’s been looking for you.”
“Right,” Chase muttered, glancing between us. “I guess she wants to do a sound check. I’ll see you later, Nadia.”
Thomas stepped in front of me, his eyes roaming over my face, stance tense. “Can younotspend time alone with other guys?”
My mind drew a blank. I opened my mouth, but no words came out. Thomas ceased the opportunity to seal my lips with another lustful kiss.
“Don’t overthink this,” he said. “I trustyou, baby doll, but I don’t trust him enough to be okay with you two being alone.”
“We’re friends. Please don’t start dictating who I can and can’t be friends with. You’re the one I want. Chase is in love with someone else.”
He took my hand, leading me toward his car.
“Try to turn the situation around.” He opened the passenger side door and waited until I buckled up. “Would you be okay if I went out for coffee with, I don’t know… Alex, for example? Or Chrissy?”
“That’s different,” I said when he took the driver’s seat. “They both want an invitation to your bed.”
We drove out of the parking lot only to stop at the first set of traffic lights. At that pace, we weren’t going to make next year’s Christmas party.
“My bed is taken.” He squeezed my things. “I don’t mind you being friends with Chase. I know you need your freedom. I’m trying not to act like a jealous asshole, but you’re the kind of girl most guys imagine naked the moment they look at you, so please… work with me here.”
After Karen cheated on Dad, I considered myself paranoid. During the first months of my relationship with Adrian I was constantly watching the way he looked at other girls. I never showcased jealousy, keeping it within, poisoning my thoughts and crushing my self-esteem. Adrian was the same. He was jealous from day one to the point of paranoia, and his worries overrode mine. Knowing he was so protective and possessive gave me peace of mind.
He wouldn’t act jealous if he didn’t love me, right?
Too bad he loved me too much.
“Fine,” I said. “Just try to keep jealousy under control, okay?”
He cringed, possibly recalling the main reason why Adrian took his rage out on me.
“Once I see he doesn’t want to get you naked, I won’t mind you meeting him for coffee every now and then.”
Moments later, we arrived at my apartment. Instead of waiting while I took a quick shower and got dressed, Thomas went home to get ready. I packed a change of clothes and a green Santa’s Helper outfit for the party at Nick’s and Mel’s later in the evening. Thomas came back around two o’clock, with some lovely-smelling take-away in hand.
“I thought you might…” he fell silent when I bent down to adjust the straps on my heels.
The long-sleeved, red mini dress I wore was nothing special in my eyes, but the look on Thomas’s face said something else.
“Did I ever tell you that you’re gorgeous?” He pushed his hand under the dress, his fingers embracing my skin.
I stood straight, turning to face him. “Not that I remember.”
He inhaled, caught onto my face, and crashed his lips to mine, backing me against the wall. I loved it when he was so demanding and restless. I loved the way he held my arms locked in his, limiting my ability to move so he could control the situation.
The thirst in his eyes made me white-hot with lust.
“I don’t think we’ve got time for that,” I whispered in his ear, biting on it gently.
“We’ll have to make the time.” He carried me into the living room and sat me on the couch. “What we don’t have time for is much foreplay, baby. And I’m only making you come once.”