Page 32 of Temptress

I’d only managed a few feet when I heard, “Sloane, wait.” But I didn’t stop. Instead, I picked up the pace just a bit, hoping Silas would take the hint and leave me alone.

It seemed that was where my luck stalled out, because I could feel him behind me, closing the distance with his long, muscular legs.

I made it out of the cafeteria, and in my desperation to escape, turned in the wrong direction and started down an unfamiliar and empty hallway.

“Damn it, Sassy,” Silas clipped angrily. “Will you stop for one second so I can talk to you?”

I chanced a brief look over my shoulder, knowing it was a mistake when the sight of his drawn, chiseled features hit me like a punch to the stomach. “We have nothing to say to each other. I came here as a favor to your daughter. Now I’m leaving.”

Unfortunately, that was the very moment my flip-flop hit a slick spot on the floor, and my foot slid right out from under me. I started going down, my very first thought being that maybe Alma had a point about flip-flops after all.

I put my arms out, bracing for impact, sure it was going to hurt, only it never happened. Because before I could crash against the hard floor, Silas’s arms banded around my waist and he yanked me back into his equally hard body.

Those dark eyes flashed, a fire burning deep in the navy depths when I looked up and caught him looking—or more accurately,scowling—at me.

“Jesus Christ, woman. You’re going to fucking kill yourself.”

I pressed against his chest, trying to break the hold he had on me, but he was a hell of a lot stronger than I was.

I looked anywhere but at him. “As you can see, I’m fine. Thank you for keeping me from face-planting on the floor. You can let me go now.”

“Not a chance, Sass. Not until you hear me out.” I pushed harder but that only made his arms lock tighter. “Damn it. Will you quit struggling?”

My eyes narrowed and I could only hope my glare looked as vicious as it felt. “No. Let me go.”

A deep growl vibrated through his chest and into my own, causing a pool of arousal to instantly soak my panties through, but before I had a chance to think about my traitorous body’s reaction, Silas was on the move, dragging me with him.

“Fuck this,” he clipped. A second later I was being flung into a dark, empty classroom, and the instant the door snicked closed behind me, I knew I was inbigtrouble.

16

SILAS

Icouldn’t remember a time in my life when I’d been frustrated but still felt the insane urge to laugh at the same time. But goddamn, Sloane went from hot to cute as hell when she scowled just like she had. The way her nose scrunched up and her lips pursed, the way that crease between her brow puckered deeper, all of that was so adorable I wanted to scoop her up and press my lips against each of those spots.

But I couldn’t do that. I’d lost that right when I made the wrong call and pulled away when she’d asked me to kiss her. I’d blown my chance, and with each passing day the gnawing pit in my stomach was getting worse.

I’d fucked up.

Twice.

I couldn’t shake the need to make things right between us. Only I was starting to worry that was impossible. If she saw me at work, she acted like I didn’t exist, and when we were at home, I was lucky if I got the smallest glimpse. Over the past week she’d stopped working in her yard—at least while I was home to see her, and if she was home at the same time I was, she was locked up tightly inside.

I’d discovered not long ago that my bedroom looked in on hers, and I knew it made me creepy as fuck, but I was spending more and more time standing at that goddamn window, looking into her room, hoping for just a glimpse. Just one small look, so I could see whether or not she was okay.

Christ, I was losing my mind.

Things between us had gone from strained to downright icy, and I had no one to blame but myself. I’d seen the hurt in her beautiful eyes when I told her nothing would ever happen between us. I’d seen the pain when she hit me with the truth in her friend’s backyard. We weren’t friends, as much as I hated to admit that, and like everything else that had gone down between us, that too was my own damn fault.

Then I’d gone and made it worse.

Because I was a fucking asshole. No two ways about it. I was a grumpy, miserable bastard, and I didn’t deserve even a moment of this woman’s time. But I’d reached a breaking point when she showed up tonight. I couldn’t stand back and pretend I didn’t want her. Not anymore. I was done lying.

Her eyes went wide, the whites glowing in the darkness of the room. I hadn’t been thinking when I pulled her in here. I’d simply found the first unlocked door and dragged her in so she couldn’t get away from me.

“Have you—I can’t—” she sputtered, her mouth opening and closing like a goldfish before she finally managed to find her words. “Have you lost your mind?” she squeaked. “I can’t believe you just did that! You can’t drag me around like a freaking caveman—”

“I’m sorry,” I blurted, needed desperately to get those words out, or they were going to eat me alive.