Girl in Love(68)
“You,” she began, her tone dead even despite the fact that her lower lip trembled. “You have no idea what goes on in my personal life. And I plan to keep it that way. You don’t see me giving you hell about Gretchen. And that’s because I’m an adult and can behave like an adult.”
He wasn’t entirely sure why she kept bringing up Gretchen. He thought she of all people knew better than to believe any of that tabloid bullshit. He huffed out a breath. “Adult my ass. It’s because you’ve turned into a fucking zombie who shuts her feelings off like a damn water spout.”
“If anyone’s an ass, it’s you.” She looked at him as if she didn’t even recognize him. “I don’t know how I ever saw you as anything else.”
She wanted an ass? Well then, he’d give her one.
“Oh yeah? Well, let’s see. When I was buried deep inside you and making you scream my name, you seemed to like what you saw just fine.”
She reached a hand up to slap him and he caught her wrist.
“Easy, Kylie Lou,” he said low, his tone a warning. “Play nice.”
“Stop calling me that,” she practically growled at him through clenched teeth.
He pressed her up against the bus, letting his body rest against hers. “Stop calling you what, Kylie Lou?”
“That. Just...just stop.”
“And why would I do that?”
She huffed out a breath and glared at him. “Because I hate it.”
At that, his face broke into a knowing grin. “No you don't.”
She tightened her jaw and her fists. “Yes. I do.”
He released her wrist and braced both his hands on either side of her head. His voice was quiet, raw, and full with the promise of something dark and dangerous when he spoke.
“See, here’s the thing. Maybe you’ve forgotten, but I’ve looked into those beautiful blues when you were coming hard and begging for more. So I know what they look like when you're enjoying something.”
She sucked in a shocked breath, but he wasn’t done.
“And it’s the damnedest thing, but you get that exact same look every time I call you Kylie Lou. So you should know from previous experience that I won’t be stopping anytime soon.”
He saw sheer panic battling with ravenous need in her eyes when she responded. “I want you to leave. Now.”
“Oh, I am,” he told her, pausing to let his eyes trail appreciatively down her body. “I’m going home…to my house…to take a long, hot shower. You’ve spent some time in my shower, haven’t you?”
He almost winced at the pain that flashed in her eyes. But he couldn’t stop. He needed to push her until she broke. Until she admitted that she remembered, that she still cared. He couldn’t let go of the belief that his girl was still in there somewhere.
“And tomorrow morning I just might clean out the barn before I come back to the bus. You remember the barn, right?”
“Go to hell,” she said, practically hissing at him. Her entire body seemed to vibrate in his arms. Her sweet, savory scent surrounded him and he was pissed off and turned on all at once.
He’d tried the nice guy route. He really had. But he wasn’t that guy, and apparently that flowers and serenading shit wasn’t going to work on her anyway. He’d crashed and burned repeatedly using that method. It was time to change tactics. He’d always preferred a more direct approach anyhow.
“I’m already there, sweetheart. And I will be there until you stop playing whatever fucking game you’re playing and admit that there’s still something going on here.”
Her chest pressed against his in time with his own pounding heart as she struggled to breathe.
“Oh, there’s definitely something going on here. You’re being as ass. Why can’t you just let me be? What the hell do you want from me? I already gave you everything once and you walked away.”
Her words hit him straight in the heart. They were enough to back him up a step. “I know. I know I did. And I’m sorry for that, Kylie Lou. Truly I am. But I don’t regret it. It was for the best. It was what was best for you, for both of us, and if I had to, I’d do it again.”
Tears began to fall down her face, and he wanted nothing more than to wipe them away. He reached his hand up to do just that, but she smacked it away.
“You don’t get to decide anymore what’s best for me.”
“Please just talk to me. Be angry, hit me. Yell at me. Whatever you need to do. Just don’t shut me out. I can’t do this with you anymore. This isn’t you.”
“Has it occurred to you that maybe you don’t actually know me anymore, Trace Corbin? Stop acting like you’re some freaking expert. I was young and stupid and—”