Page 24 of Fourth Wheel
I groan my frustration, the magic of the moment dissipating into the warm night air as I force myself to pull back and put a stop to this.
“This can’t happen,” I lament as I drag in a breath and try to slow my breathing. I pull back from her as best I can in the tight space, then gently unhook her leg from around my thigh. I lower it to the ground in slow motion, taking a knee and bowing my head in shame for how far I let things go tonight.
She brushes a hand against my forehead and smooths her thumb over my brows, but she says nothing, and I don’t dare look up. Instead, I lean forward, caress down her pant leg in the dark, and place a kiss on her thigh through one of the holes in her jeans.
I rise to my feet, regret rolling off me in waves. There’s none of the anger or hostility of last week coursing between us now. It’s as if she finally gets it.
This isn’t rejection. It’s acceptance.
“I’m sorry,” I whisper as I look over her head and tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. I can’t bear to look her in the eye.
She closes her eyes and huffs out a breath, the warm air tickling my neck and tempting me all over again.
“It’s because of them, isn’t it?”
Her question catches me off guard, but I quickly school my expression at the reminder of them—ofhim.
“I don’t even know what happened, you know. No one ever told me. If it matters, I’m nothing like either of them.”
She may be nothing like them. But I’m exactly like him.
“It doesn’t matter what happened. All you need to know is that things went too far—and I’ll be damned if I let history repeat itself,” I declare as I find the small of her back and encourage her forward.
“I don’t want to hurt you,” she whispers, her voice soft and unsure in a way that doesn’t sound like the girl I chased into this alley minutes ago.
“Then walk away right now.”
I guide her until we reach the end of the alley, then I watch as she crosses the parking lot to her car.
She turns to me before unlocking her white Lexus, and we stare at each other through the darkness for what feels like forever. If she doesn’t get in that damn car, I don’t know if I have it in me to make her leave.
I brace my arms on either side of the alley, pushing against the bricks in frustration and desperately trying to anchor myself in place.
“Go,” I whisper under my breath, urging her to get out of here so I can force myself to walk away.
Eventually, she does. She climbs into her car and starts the engine. The night is quiet enough that I hear the click of a lock before she buckles her seatbelt. Once I’m sure she’s safe, I turn and start back down the alley to the front of the building where I parked.
I continue without another glance. I can’t stand the thought of watching her drive away.
Chapter 13
Maddie
Adrawn-outyawnescapesme as I reach over and splash water on my legs. I’ve got music playing through the outdoor speakers, and I made a huge batch of spiked lemonade, yet nothing feels good or right today.
I’ve practically become a hermit over the last three days: leaving my phone in the house all day while I lounge in the pool, going for long runs, and essentially blocking out all rational thoughts that don’t involvehim.
I’m a woman obsessed. And I don’t even care.
It’s been three days since Dempsey Haas almost fucked me in an alley. Three long, torturous days in which my every waking moment has been spent replaying Wednesday night in my mind.
How he felt. How he made me feel.
And then the moment that breaks me every time I recall it: how he pulled back, mentally warred with himself, and lost. He stopped what I started. Pumped the brakes when I was ready to fall over the edge, consequences be damned.
I’ve never, in my life, experienced anything like the chemistry between us. There was no denying what we both wanted. And yet, he pulled back.
He chose restraint over happiness, control over cravings. It was infuriating. And so damn sexy.
