Page 64 of Brutal Sin

She wanted to nod and confirm that, yes, this was about feelings neither one of them could ignore. This was about something more than friendship or sex or the Vault. This was about sparks and connection and heart-clenching emotion.

“This is about needing a demonstration assistant,” he snarled. “That’s all this has everbeen.”

Her nose tingled, throat pinched. “I know that.” But she hadn’t. Not really. She’d tried to forget. She’d ignored the entire purpose of them being together while becoming overrun with the allure of romance.

Again.

This was Lucas on repeat.

“Good,” he snapped.

“Great,” she mimicked.

He approached, getting in her face. His nostrils flared, his lip curled. “Fuckingperfect.”

She’d never wanted to kiss him more. The thrill of having his beard scratch against her mouth, her neck, her breasts. Her heart thundered. Her throat pinched tighter. She whirled on her toes and escaped in the opposite direction, the click, click, click of her heels a panicked staccato.

“God, I wish I knew why you were such a grumpy jerk.” She approached the edge of the building and turned into the darkened parking lot, remaining close to the brickwork in case she needed the support.

“Slow down. You’re going to wind up on yourass.”

“Stop it, okay?” She glared over her shoulder. “Stop the back and forth. The Jekyll and Hyde. The kindness and severity. I’m sick of it.” Her ankle rolled, the sharp twinge of pain shooting up the outside of her leg. She tilted, the threat of falling on her butt replaced with something even more threatening—hishold.

He grabbed her, tugging her against his strong chest and lunging her into the brickwork. She was boxed in, caught between two layers of cold sterility. But that wasn’t what stared back at her. Those blue eyes weren’t barren. She could see everything peering down at her—his affection, his lust, his hopes for the future. Then, in a blink, they disappeared.

“Jesus Christ.” He held her upright, keeping her caged. “I never should’ve brought youhere.”

Regret took over his expression. Annoyance, too. Her delusional fairytale of what they’d shared became tarnished by the frustration staring down ather.

“I’m sorry.”

His brows pulled tight. “Why?”

“I don’t know.” A breath shuddered from her lungs. “I feel like I need to apologize. I’ve never offended anyone as much as I seem to offend you.” She had to keep talking, if only to make sure he remained nestled against her, his warmth finally sinking in. They’d never been this close. Not emotionally. “I guess I lost sight of this being about your job. I began to think we were friends.”

His body relaxed.

No, it deflated. His shoulders slumped, his face fell. “You don’t offend me, Ella.”

“Then what is it?” she whispered.

He turned his head away, the tension building in his frame until he loomed over her as he focused on the street.

“Bryan?” She reached out, her fingertips tingling the closer she came to his beard-covered cheek. Her palm slid over the coarse hairs, and everything inside her crumpled. She’d never touched him. Not like this. Not with her heart in her throat and her feelings exposed in the brief connection.

She guided his face back to hers and pleaded with her eyes. “What’s this all about?”

The hardness of his jaw became more defined. “It’s about wanting to fuck you. I’ve gone insane for the last five hours, fighting the need to get you under me. And the five days before that.” He stepped forward, squeezing her tighter between the hard wall of the building and the harder wall of his chest. “Even before that, Ella. Since the first night I touched you in the fucking lockerroom.”

Hope took the reins and ran. Everything inside her ignited, emotions and body parts all combusting to cause a mass of burning, tingling flesh.

She had to kiss him. Had to taste those lips and feel them devastating hers. And that was exactly what they’d do—devastate her. Destroy her. Because one passionate kiss would be so much more than she’d had from her husband.

He rocked into her, the solid length of his shaft making itself known against her pubic bone. She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. All she could do was become ensnared as his mouth called her name like a siren’ssong.

She smashed her lips to his and immediately drowned in the intensity of his reciprocation. His hand flew to her hair, sliding over her scalp, holding her close. His arm wrapped around her waist, squeezing life back into her. Every part of him touched her. Every inch of her body remained at his mercy, while his tongue parted her lips and delveddeep.

He took over. Made her hyperventilate. All with onekiss.

---