Page 67 of Caught in the Axe
The feel of her body against mine, the way her arms wrapped around me, was intoxicating. I’d never felt stronger or more masculine. That, combined with the whiskey, was sending my caveman urges into overdrive.
Once we were inside my condo, I crouched and supported her as she slid to her feet. The instant our connection was broken, the Neanderthal buzz wore off. What was I thinking? That she’d tear off that sexy dress and beg me to make her mine?
She was glowing, she’d had fun, and she’d been drinking. So I’d do the right thing. No matter how much it would kill me.
I shoved my hands into my pockets, suddenly feeling the weight of all my expectations come crashing down on me. “Can I get you anything? Water? Tea?”
She blinked up at me for a beat before her face fell.
Shit.I’d done the wrong thing.
She shook her head. “I just need to get out of this dress and take off my makeup.”
“Okay,” I choked out, feeling awkward as fuck and unable to formulate any sort of plan. I wanted to know what she was thinking. Or, more importantly, what she was feeling.
Because I was feeling all the things.
Chapter 22
Lila
My face burned with humiliation. After the night we’d had, I was sure he would make a move. I’d flirted with him and danced with him, throwing out all the signals. Did I need to wear a flashing sign that saidtear my clothes off, please?
Grumbling to myself, I unzipped the dress and laid it on the bed. I had no idea how I’d pay for it. The dresses had just appeared, and the doorman had taken the ones I didn’t want before we left. But there was no returning this one now. It hadn’t been marked with a price tag, but I wasn’t dumb, and I wasn’t interested in charity.
But that was tomorrow’s problem.
Tonight, I was frustrated.
Sexually frustrated.
Anger coursed through me as I undressed and threw on an old T-shirt, then stomped to the en-suite bathroom.
Whywas this so hard?
I cared about him so much, and I wanted more. But I couldn’t get out of my own damn way.
I was tired of playing it safe all the time. Being a good girl.
Worrying about what other people wanted and thought.
Ignoring my gut.
My gut that was, at the moment, telling me to take the leap.
And I swore Willa and Magnolia were perched on my shoulders, like an angel and a devil—only neither was being very angelic—urging me to take what I wanted.
So I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and formulated a plan.
Once I was fresh-faced, I marched out the door and across the living room to Owen’s bedroom. I didn’t stop, afraid that if I did, I’d talk myself out of it. So I pushed the door open without knocking. The moment my feet sank into the plush carpet of his room, I came to an abrupt halt.
He was standing near his bed wearing a pair of boxer briefs and nothing else.
“Lila?” he said, his eyes wide. “You all right?”
I didn’t respond. I was too busy processing the sight of him almost naked in front of me. The broad, strong chest. The thick thighs. The heat that ignited in his eyes as they roved over me.
Overwhelmed, I strode straight for him, and once we were toe to toe, I threw my arms around his shoulders, popped up on my toes, and kissed him.
