House Rules(43)

Mr. Flirt must have seen something on Miller’s face. Quickly he began amending his story. “Man, she was flirting with me. I thought she was single.”

“Charlie, get him outta here.” He pushed Mr. Flirt forward. “I’ll take care of Tess.” Charlie nodded and proceeded to escort Mr. Flirt from the premises, his friends following quickly behind him with no encouragement needed. It seemed they’d had no idea whose bar they’d walked into.

Miller grabbed my arm, practically dragging me down the hall toward his office, his pace too fast for me to get my arm free.

Once I heard the door slam behind us, I rounded on him and jerked from his grasp.

“What in the hell do you think you are doing?”

“Me? What am I doing? Jesus fucking Christ, Tess, you’re acting like a goddamn whore out there. Plan to give everyone at the bar a go at your pussy?”

“You’re an asshole.” I spun on my heel, determined to get as far away from Miller Hawes as possible. Nothing was worth staying here.

Once again, I was pulled to a stop when his hand clasped my arm, spinning me around. My back was pushed up against the wall and his hand ran across my breast, teasing the nipple through the fabric. Electric sparks shot down my chest and straight between my legs, but I refused to give him the satisfaction of the moan that almost slipped past my lips.

“I am an asshole, and you are mine.”

His words snapped me out of the haze that was slowly descending over my body as if a cold bucket of ice water had been dumped on my head. I put my hands on his chest and shoved. He stumbled back, likely because he didn’t expect me to stop him.

“I belong to no one. I’m no one’s toy. No one’s fuck buddy. No one’s one-night stand.”

Even as I said the words I noticed his dick, hard beneath his pants. My body responded in kind: a tingle in my clit, my nipples rock hard.

“You are. You just don’t know it yet.”

He stalked me step for step—his forward, mine back. I ran into the door but had nowhere left to go. Feeling around the wall, I tried to find the handle to get myself out of that room because there was a glint to Miller’s eye that told me he didn’t plan on letting me leave this room until I admitted I was his. He’d be able to do it.

I may have been pissed at him, but at night I dreamed of Miller; of his fingers caressing my skin. Of the way he’d brought me to the brink of pleasure, sending me over the edge effortlessly. If the man touched me, my body would betray me. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to hold onto the anger. Maybe that made me weak, but every girl had needs. Explosive orgasms topped that list. Except, I was selfish. I wanted the relationship, too. Something Miller wasn’t willing to offer.

My hand came into contact with the metal but it was too late. Miller caught up and stood toe to toe with me. His hand covered mine and pulled, pinning it up against his chest.

“Get the hell off me.” I was proud that my voice sounded hard, since my body was melting inside under Miller’s heat.

“Not until you admit it.”

He kept hold of my wrists and brought me into the middle of the room, only letting go of me to unbutton his shirt. I looked to the door, wondering if I could make it past him and out of it before he caught me. I was still running through my exit plan when the broad expanse of his tanned chest came into view. He was sexier than I remembered him being that first night. Not that the wine had helped much with that situation. I thought the alcohol had given me rose-tinted glasses. Not the case.

“You’re not going to touch me.”

The final button came undone and he pulled his shirt off and dropped it to the floor. “I’m going to do way more than touch you. First I’m going to taste you, then I’m going to fuck you over my desk.”

My heart beat so hard I was surprised he didn’t see it on the outside of my body. It wasn’t out of fear, but a desire for him to do exactly as he said.

I shook my head. “You lost that opportunity when you suggested scheduled screwing, like I was some call girl.”

He stopped and looked from his dick, straining against his pants, back to me. A smirk rose at the corner of his mouth and he stalked forward again, the back of my legs slamming into his desk. What was with my luck of being caged in by office furniture? He reached me, his eyes searching. I waited for him for him to kiss me, but it never came.

One second I was trapped by fire in his eyes, the next Miller grabbed my shoulders and spun me to face the desk. He pushed me over until I was bent at the waist, my ass cheeks no doubt hanging out. I struggled to get away but the attempt was feeble; superficial at best. A part of me wanted him, and that same part thought I’d be strong enough to walk away afterward.