Page 53 of The CEO

Something shifts in her expression . . . understanding, perhaps, or recognition that the power dynamic between us is not as one-sided as it might appear. She reaches up, her fingers tracing the line of my jaw with a gentleness that feels more intimate than the kiss we just shared.

“Good,” she whispers, and for once, I find myself without a strategic response, without a calculated next move.

I simply draw her back to me, claiming her mouth again with a hunger I’ve denied for too long. Her arms wind around my neck, her body melting against mine as she surrenders to the connection neither of us expected, yet can’t deny.

When she pulls back this time, there’s a new clarity in her eyes, as if the shock of the night’s events has been temporarily displaced by this more immediate, visceral reality between us.

“What happens now?” she asks, echoing her earlier question, but with new weight behind it.

“That depends on what you want to happen.”

“Even if what I want is dangerous?” She reaches for my wrists as she speaks, gripping one in each hand as she pushes them against the back of the couch, pinning me in place.

“Tell me what you want.”

In a second, her hands are in my hair, her tongue sliding past my lips. Her kiss is hungry, frenzied. My hands slide up her legs, cupping her ass as she begins to rock her hips slowly down and back against my cock.

“Fuuuuck,” I moan into her mouth, my fingers gripping the flesh of her ass as I push her down harder against me, my hips rising to meet her.

“I want more,” she whispers against my ear just before sucking my tongue between her lips.

My body is possessed by her—my urge to tear her clothes from her body and pin her beneath me, taking out eight agonizing years of desire on her . . . simmering so close to the surface I scare even myself.

“Eve.” Her name comes out strangled as she slides her hand down between us, undoing my belt buckle. I dig my fingers into her flesh harder, my hands trembling from holding myself back from her. I need her—all of her—in a way that will scare her.

But not like this—not when she’s feeling broken and lost.

“Eve,” I say louder this time before lifting and pushing her off of me and onto the couch. She falls backward, confusion on her face when I stand up and walk away from her.

“Did I do something wrong?”

I run my hands through my hair, willing myself not to turn back around and violently take her. That’s what I need: her, completely at my mercy, to use how I see fit for the next few hours.

“No,” I say finally, reaching down to redo my belt before turning back to face her. “You didn’t do anything wrong, Eve, but I can’t be that man right now.”

“I’m a big girl. You can just tell me you don’t?—”

“Don’t,”I interrupt her, anger evident in my voice. “That’s not the issue and you know it.”

“Then whatisthe issue? Because I’m struggling to keep up.”

I sit down in the chair across from her, and maintain a safe distance as I think through how to say it.

“What Iwantand what Ineedin this moment are two very different things.” She stares, waiting for me to elaborate. “Seeing you in danger tonight did something to me. If I could bring that man back to life so I could kill him again—only this time with my bare hands—I would. Slowly and methodically until every last fucking drop of blood is spilled from his body.”

“Is that what you need? To kill?”

“No. But I know that what you need tonight isn’t for me to use you to make myself feel better.”

She swallows nervously. “So you do you want to use me?”

“Yes and no. It’s not all I want. But right now, with the lack of control I’m feeling . . .” I lean forward. “It’s taking everything in me right now not to lunge across this room and take out every last bit of rage I have left in me on you.”

“You—you want to hurt me?” She curls her arms around her legs, her eyes growing wide in fear.

“No, I don’twantto hurt you. I want to protect you, to make you feel safe. I want you to sleep tonight knowing there is nothing that could get beyond these walls that I wouldn’t destroy before it got to you.”

She shakes her head. “You confuse me.”

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