Page 50 of Face Off
He shoots me a look that’s half amusement, half fondness. “You sound like Mia.”
“Maybe Mia’s right,” I say, sipping my coffee.
“Maybe I just need better distractions,” he fires back, and the way his eyes linger on me sends heat rushing through my veins.
I laugh, but it comes out shaky. God, he’s dangerous.
He doesn’t look away when I laugh, not even when I duck my head to hide how flustered I feel. His gaze stays pinned on me, steady and sure, like he’s not afraid of what he wants me to see.
“Better distractions, huh?” I say, teasing, though my voice comes out softer than I intend.
The corner of his mouth curves, slow and deliberate. “Exactly like that.”
Before I can fire back, he reaches across the counter, fingers brushing mine. Just a light touch, but it’s enough to send my pulse tripping. Then he stands, circling the island with a predator’s patience, every step deliberate. My breath catches as he comes up behind me, caging me between his body and the counter.
His hand slides along my hip, warm through the fabric of my shirt. “You know how hard it is, sitting here, pretending coffee’s enough?”
I turn, caught between his chest and the countertop. My heart is racing, hammering in my ribs. “Maybe coffee’s safer.”
“Since when do we do safe?” His lips brush mine, just once, barely there. The restraint in it makes me ache.
I don’t want restraint. Not now.
So, I grab the front of his hoodie and pull him down to me, kissing him back hard enough to erase the space he left. He groans against my mouth, low and rough, and the sound shoots straight through me. His hands grip my waist, sliding up my spine, anchoring me like he can’t stand the thought of letting go.
The kiss turns frantic fast, teeth grazing, tongues tangling, every movement edged with the urgency we both tried to hold back. He lifts me onto the counter like I weigh nothing, stepping between my thighs. I gasp against his mouth, clinging to his shoulders.
“Chloe,” he mutters, like my name’s the only word he remembers.
I thread my fingers into his damp hair, tugging him closer, drinking him in. The heat between us is electric, dizzying, but there’s a sweetness beneath it too, like neither of us can believe we get to have this.
When his mouth trails down my jaw to my throat, I can’t stop the sound that escapes me. His teeth graze lightly, just enough to make me shiver. I press closer, legs tightening around his hips, greedy for more.
For a moment, the world is just this - his hands, his mouth, the sharp burn of wanting him.
And then, just as quickly, he pulls back, breath ragged, forehead resting against mine. “If I don’t stop now, I won’t.”
The words land heavy between us. My chest rises and falls fast, and I know my cheeks are flushed. I don’t want him to stop, but the honesty in his voice makes me still.
I nod, though my body is screaming otherwise. “Okay.”
His thumb brushes over my bottom lip, swollen from kissing. His eyes are dark, wrecked, but he steps back anyway, giving me space.
The loss of his heat feels unbearable, but there’s something grounding in it too. Like he’s reminding me we’re more than just this fire that keeps flaring between us.
I slide off the counter, adjusting my shirt, heart still racing. He kisses me one more time, softer this time, almost tender. Then he steps back fully, grabbing his mug like we really are just drinking coffee.
But my body knows better.
“I have to go, I wish I didn’t but I’ve got something on I can’t get out of.” He smiles regretfully then turns to place his mug in the sink. Theres a brief kiss to my lips and then he leaves.
After he’s gone, I curl on the sofa and let myself breathe.
This is real. This is happening. And it’s more than physical. I can feel it in the way my chest loosens when he’s near, in the way I actually sleep through the night after hearing his voice.
But it’s also a problem. Because I don’t do relationships. Not since the mess I created with Murphy. And Ollie? He’s notsome faceless fling. He’s in the spotlight. He’s tangled up with teammates who’d never forgive me if they knew.
I close my eyes and press the heel of my hand to my forehead. I can’t let myself ruin this for him. But God help me, I don’t know if I can stay away.
