All or Nothing at All(58)

Charlie just laughed and called herself cheap.

When Brady and Charlie finally left, the other workers had gone, leaving the abandoned block in a quiet that hummed with exhausted energy. Sydney gave out a sigh. Her whole body hurt, and there were weeks of the same ambitious schedule unfolding ahead. Still, satisfaction flowed in the way hard work cleansed the soul. She headed toward the kitchen to grab her clipboard. Tristan followed. "I may have to rely on pizza delivery to get through this project. Thank God for chicken fingers and pasta to round things out."

"I think you owe me that dinner tonight."

She glanced over. He was studying her intently, as if he'd easily peeled off the surface and dove deep into her soul. A shudder wracked her. She couldn't keep the truth from him for much longer-not after their night together. She just needed to figure out the best way to present it and decide if her daughter should know first.

Time. She needed some extra time and distance to figure things out.

"Tonight's not good," she said lightly. "I think I should spend some quality time with Becca. Plus we have her birthday celebration this weekend."

"I remember. At our house, right?"

"Yes, I tried to convince her to have it at home but she loves the mansion. Morgan's going to help me come up with a special theme, but it's just family and three of her girlfriends. Trying to keep it simple."

"She turns eight?"

She stiffened. Her voice cracked. "Seven."

"Oops, sorry. Forgot."

His words held nuances of the past. Of pain and regret and words that could never be unsaid. She clutched her clipboard and turned away. "It's fine. We need to go."

"Not yet. Not when you throw up your shield and refuse to let me in. If we're going to move forward, we need to be open to each other, even when it hurts."

Temper came and she gratefully tugged it around her like a familiar blanket. "You've gotten quite demanding about how you see this so-called relationship," she snapped. "We slept together. Once. It doesn't give you the sudden right to define what we are to each other or tell me what I need to do."

"Better. I like you angry rather than cowering like a scared dog."

She pivoted on her heel and got in his face. "You're so arrogant. Just because you decide you want something doesn't mean it's going to happily fall in your lap. I'm not something you can handle or control."

"Never wanted to. The moment you began depending on me to make your decisions, things fell apart."

Her breath caught with rage. Oh, was that his party line for the reasons they'd broken up? It was time to settle some hard truths. "Nice and easy to reframe the past, isn't it? The bottom line is you started acting like I was a chain holding you down. Oh, you gave me some good orgasms, but you kept your heart locked up and uninvolved. Do you know how that made me feel? Like some stupid, foolish girl you used for physical release and then bitched about later. Do you know what it's like to want someone that badly, yet have them betray you?"

"Yes." He grabbed her upper arms and dragged her toward him. "I fucked up. You did, too. I don't care about then. I care about now. And the woman you are right now, right here, is the one I'm falling for all over again." He gave a bitter laugh. "You think I'm arrogant and controlling? That's because I'm terrified you're going to refuse to see me and declare this whole thing over. I know your body is the way to keep your heart in the game, and I'm playing for huge stakes, Syd. I'm playing for you."




 

 

Their gazes locked. Her heart stopped, and all the smart comebacks and good intentions to buy space evaporated and drifted into the cosmos.

This time she pulled him to her, desperate for his mouth and lips and tongue. He didn't make her wait, lifting her up to crush her to him, a low groan rumbling from his chest. He kissed her with full purpose and laser-like intention, his tongue thrusting through the seam of her lips and diving in, sweeping around in a hungry hunt for everything she had.

Desperate for more, she wrapped her arms around his shoulders and kissed him back, arching into his erection without apology, wanting it all. He turned and set her on the cheap countertop so he could step between her legs. Thighs splayed open, she grew wet in an instant, and the crazed need for him took over, pushing away any logical thoughts except to be close.

His teeth bit into her lower lip. She gasped, and he swallowed the sound, his tongue licking away the hurt. "Tristan, what's happening? We can't do this. Not here."

"Yes, we can." He unsnapped her jeans and pulled them down her legs, his hand sliding up her thigh and hitting the edge of her cotton panties, already damp. "No one's coming in."