Page 22 of Tempt Me
Insulted, I turn to face her with a gruff expression. “No.”
Taking another bite of the apple, I see her face relax. She honestly thought I was going to tell all. She doesn’t trust me, and that fucking hurts. Not that I can blame her. She doesn’t know me, and I practically forced myself on her earlier.
She smiles in response to my scowl, turning her head from side to side. “Do you like them?”
It isn’t difficult to see what she is talking about. The ruby drop earrings are kind of hard to miss. “Nice.”
Turning around, I slice another piece of apple and bite into it, crunching slowly over her loud huff.
“They were my grandmother’s.”
“What are you doing?” I ask after a beat.
“What do you mean?”
“Why are you trying to draw me into a conversation after what you told me?”
“Because.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“Fuck you then.”
She storms off her balcony and into her room. Half expecting her to come back out and carry on yelling at me, she doesn’t, which surprises me and disappoints me, but I know it’s for the best.
Heaving myself to my feet, I know I have to forget about her. She is forbidden and engaged, even if she doesn’t feel it in her heart. She is.
Rolling my eyes when I see her in the interconnecting doorway, I say, “Goodnight, Rue.”
“My engagement party is on Wednesday.”
“That’s nice.” It’s a stab to the heart.
“I wish I didn’t have to do this.”
“Then don’t.”
Meeting her challenging glare, she gives me a scathing frown. “I have to.”
“Then, goodnight, Rue.”
“God, you’re such an asshole,” she spits. “You don’t give a shit, do you?”
That lights up a fire in my damned soul like nothing else. Stalking over to her, I grab her upper arm and growl, “Excuse me? You don’t know the first thing about me, so don’t presume to know what I do give a shit about and what I don’t.”
Shoving her gently back into her room, away from the door, I let her go and reach for the handle, slamming the door in her face and locking it.
“Hey!” she yells, turning the handle, but it doesn’t budge. “Oh, you’re playing with fire. Daddy said to keep that open.” A thump followed by a muffled curse makes me smile.
“I’m sure if I tell him you’re being a pain in the ass, he’ll understand,” I call out.
“You’re such a dick!”
“Never claimed to be anything else.”
Turning away from the door, I slump to the bed, removing my boots. It’s been a long-ass day, and I feel, for the first time in a really long time, I might sleep with the memory of sinking into Rue’s hot, wet pussy to guide me through my dreams. Blocking out her curses, I close my eyes.
Eventually, she calms down. The house is silent for a few moments, the only sound of the cicadas chirping in the hot night and the occasional crash of a wave to shore that carries on the soft breeze. I lay back on my bed and close my eyes, letting myself drift off in an attempt to finally get some rest.
