Page 83 of Manhattan Secret

It’s as though in those few minutes I forget all about how arrogant and stubborn he is, how forceful he is with his overpowering presence when he wants something.

And there’s little to doubt in how much he wants me.

“Take off your clothes.” He orders.

“W-what?” Has he misheard me? We are over.

“You obviously wanna pick a fight so we can hate-fuck. Fine, you’ve pissed me off. We’ll hate-fuck.”

“Lachlan, I’m serious here. We need to break up.”

“Even though you love my dick.”

“Yes.”

He stalks me slowly across the kitchen floor. One sleek step after another, his head hanging low, like he’s about to attack. “Even though you love me.”

My head almost went exorcist, it pings off my neck and I stare wide-eyed at him, breathing like I’ve run from those crazy clowns. Ugh, I hate clowns.

“Even though you love me,” he says, more forceful to his tone. “Laney…” my name is an appeal and I can’t bear to deny him anything but how can I take this next step? This big step, this new and untaken step with him when so many obstacles stand in our way.

I’m ridiculously poor at jumping. I hated Phys-Ed at school. I can’t do all these hurdles and expect to be breathing by the end.

“You’re young.”

“I’m man enough for you.”

“You’ll meet someone in college. A lot of new someone’s in college.”

“Is that what this new snit is about?”

“Fuck you, I don’t do snits!”

“She says in a snit.” He pulls out a dining chair, scraping it across the floor and he sits, man-spreading himself. “Get the fuck over here, Delaney.” I don’t move. It’s not that I don’t want to. I’m literally dying to climb all over him. I can’t. I’m scared and terrified and weak. Weak for Lachlan. He makes me so weak to give in. “Swear to god…”

“Oh, fine. God. Why do you constantly have to bully me?” I perch stiffly on his lap as his arm snakes around me and shuffles me closer to his groin, then he takes my chin in his hand, forcing me to look his way. “You think I’m gonna cheat with college chicks?”

“No, I don’t think you’d cheat. I think you’ll stop yourself having experiences because of me.” I press a finger over his lips when he starts to talk. “It’s college life, you shouldn’t stop having stupid, reckless fun because you have some old woman back home.”

That’s when he laughs. A great big belly roar and I look at him, part snitty and part confused.

He’s not following the damn script.

“I thought you were serious until you called yourself old.” His mouth, that sinful body part, roams over my face, causing me to shiver as he tucks a hand down the front of my shorts and palms me between the legs. “Let’s go to bed, I’m beat, but not too tired I can’t do you fast and nasty.”

“Why won’t you listen to me?” I huff, frustrated, happy, sad, muddled.

“Because you’re talking through scared lips, little mouse. We’re gonna be just fine when I go to college. We’ve talked about this.” He’s talked about it. “Why don’t you just move there with me?”

“What?” I swear my heart jumps directly into my throat. “Now you’re crazy.” He stops me from climbing down from his lap. “Laney, tell me what the fuck has brought this on. I’m busting my balls trying to spend time with the people I love,” that doesn’t go unnoticed and my eyeballs started to sting, “all hours of the day because you’re too chickenshit to come to my parents. I’m tired, I wanna go to bed with my girl, fuck her a little bit and then do it all again tomorrow.” His crude mouth does things to me. Sweet and lovely and caring things and I rest my forehead to his.

Soaking in his Lachlanness.

It’s time for the truth.

“Wait here.”

Coming back with my phone, I hand it over to him, open on the first email.

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