ETHAN
When she returned from the bathroom, her mood had shifted back to what it usually was—guarded and distant.
“Everything okay?”
“Of course,” she replied curtly.
“It doesn’t seem like it. Did I upset you with what I said?”
“No. And it doesn’t matter. I just want this to be over as quickly as possible.”
“What happened to the Miss Brown who was talking with me just a few minutes ago?” She rolled her eyes and sighed.
“She just remembered who you are. So, let’s get this over with,” she said, turning her attention back to her food.
Great. Back to square one. Maybe she was just crazy. Even so, I still wanted her and wasn’t ready to give up easily. Not until I found out if being with her was as good as I imagined.
Miss Brown sulked through the rest of the dinner, rejecting any attempt I made to resume our conversation. When we finally stood to leave, I was furious, and she was still clearly irritated. It felt like we were on the brink of exploding, and maybe that’s exactly what we needed.
When I placed my hand on her back intentionally, to guide her to the exit, I felt her entire body tense up. She shot me a murderous look but kept walking.
“If you don’t remove your hand, I’ll cut it off,” she said through gritted teeth, forcing a smile when we stopped to get her coat.
I let my hand slide a little lower, stopping just above her ass. When the blonde returned her coat, she stepped forward to take it, using the moment to free herself from my touch. After a curt thank you, she stormed out of the restaurant. I followed her.
She stopped on the sidewalk, her coat draped over one arm, and her arms crossed over her chest. We had to wait for the valet to bring the car around.
“I don’t understand why you’re suddenly all pissy,” I teased, stopping beside her.
“Oh, go fuck yourself!”
“I don’t think that’s vocabulary becoming of a scientist.”
“Leave me alone,” she said, digging through her purse for her phone.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m calling a cab and going home alone. Our dinner is over. You gave me your word that you’d leave me alone, so do it.”
“No. The date isn’t over. I brought you, so I’ll take you home.”
“I don’t need you to, and I don’t want you to.”
“I don’t care. Those are the rules.”
“What rules? The ones you made up? Stop trying to drag this out,” she snapped, her eyes blazing with so much anger that I thought she might lunge at me at any moment. I was actually hoping she would. I just needed an opportunity to take her in my arms.
“I think you really need to get laid, Miss Brown. All this tension is going to drive you even crazier.” I waited for a slap, but it didn’t come. She just closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.
At that moment, the valet pulled the car up beside us.
The tension in the car became almost unbearable during the drive to her apartment. I had to use every ounce of self-control not to stop the car and put my hands on her. I was furious, aroused, and frustrated all at once, and I knew she must have felt the same. What a stubborn woman!
Before we reached her building, I locked the car doors to keep her from bolting. That’s exactly what she tried to do after unbuckling her seatbelt. Her shoulders slumped when she realized she couldn’t get out. She leaned back against the seat, taking a deep breath.
“Can you unlock the damn door?” she asked, staring at the ceiling as her chest rose and fell.
“Not until you tell me what’s going on.”
“Nothing’s going on!”
“We were doing fine until you started sulking and became unbearable again.”
“Shit! I did what you wanted, didn’t I? I agreed to this nonsense, so just let me go.”
“You’re being completely irrational.”
“What do you want?” she sighed deeply. “Do you want me to say that maybe you’re not as much of a jerk as I thought? Maybe that’s true. But it doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter to me.”
“Who’s being a jerk now?” I said before unlocking the doors, losing my patience. She turned to get out but hesitated.
“I’m sorry, okay? I just have a lot to deal with right now. And this is too much,” she said, staring at the empty street ahead of us. For a moment, I thought she might start crying in front of me. “Good night!” she said, turning to leave. I didn’t want to leave her alone, not now.
“Can I walk you to your door?” I asked, making her pause. She turned back to me, shaking her head with a weak smile.
“You never give up, do you?”
“I meant just to your door.”
“You’re unbelievable. Fine. But after that, you’ll admit you’ve lost,” she said, smiling. I agreed.
We got out of the car, and I followed her up the stairs and through the lobby of the building until we reached the elevator. Fifteen seconds alone with her in the elevator were enough to bring the tension back and remind me of what she was wearing under that dress, her perfume nearly making me lose control and push her against the wall. The pale skin of her neck and chest seemed to beg for my tongue. She avoided my gaze the entire time, and when the doors opened, I wondered why I hadn’t acted on my impulses.
“Have you lived here long?” I asked as we stepped out, glancing around. She must earn enough to afford a place like this. My eyes couldn’t help but focus on her ass as she walked ahead of me. If this went on much longer, I wouldn’t be able to hide what she was doing to me. Maybe I’d get lucky, and she’d invite me in. No, more likely, she’d kick me out.
“A little over a year.”
I followed her until she stopped in front of a door at the end of the hall.
“This is it,” she said, turning to face me. “So? Do you have anything to say, Mr. Morgan?” she asked with a triumphant smile, capturing all my attention on her lips. I was battling my primal instincts, wanting to pin her against the door and kiss her while rubbing myself against her.
Something caught her eye over my shoulder. I turned my head just enough to see an open door and a guy standing in the hallway before I felt her breasts press against my chest and her hands wrap around my neck, turning my face back to hers.
Then, her soft, full lips touched mine, unleashing everything I had been trying to control and sending all the blood rushing straight to my cock.