Out of the Storm(14)

He laughs. "Asshole. Jules, you can just take your pick on any obscene word when I'm talking about him. I don't like him. In fact, I hate him so much, I pretty much can't say his name. He's bad fucking news."

"What do you know about him?"

He shakes his head. "No. We're not doing this right here. Answer my question."

"You answer mine, and I'll answer yours."

Theo steps closer, which I didn't know was possible. "Not. Here. Answer my question." He clenches his eyes closed. "I want to touch you so fucking bad, and I need to know where you stand on your relationship. I'm not saying to end things with him. I need you to act like everything is normal between you two until I get this all sorted out." 

"I don't know how I will ever be able to trust him again. And I can't be with someone I don't trust."

His eyes flash open. "Do you trust me, agapemèni?"

I nod. "I'm not sure why or how, but so far, yes."

He breathes a sigh of relief. "Good. Because I am counting on you being with me at some point."

I push his chest. "You're terrible."

"Not in bed." He shakes his head vehemently. "Definitely not terrible in bed."

My mouth starts to water, my cheeks redden, and I feel my nipples straining against the fabric of my bra. "So cocky."

He does this half laugh. "Yeah. So, I said I need you to be as normal as possible with him. But … " His face crumples. "I don't think I can stomach the idea of you sleeping with him. Or both of us at the same time. I just … " He rubs his chin. "I like monogamy."

"Says the son of a bitch who can't keep his hands to himself all night?"

"Touché. But that's different."

"I'm engaged to him. He has needs and expectations." I look down at my ugly ass shoes. They weren't that appalling before tonight, but the rain and a little perspective has changed my mind about them. "I don't know how to act normal and abstain."

"Tell him you had a change of heart about sex before marriage." He shrugs and gives me a smug look. "That you want to wait until you're married before you have sex again. Except you and I know there won't be a wedding to him, so it's a moot issue."

"What if he wants to do other things?"

Theo swallows. Hard. "I don't know. FYI, we're almost there. The next stop is right across the street from my place."

"Okay. And the other things?"

"I don't know. Whatever you need to do, Jules, to keep him happy, I guess. You know nothing about the stuff I mentioned at dinner?"

That makes me cringe. I don't want to make someone who's trying to hurt me happy. "Do you not trust me?"

"I want to trust you so fucking bad, but how do I know you're not involved in some of it, but not all of it?"

"All I know is I've had my own suspicions that something wasn't right, but couldn't believe he would do anything wrong. Until tonight." I lift my chin and our mouths are mere millimeters apart. "Until you."

He leans into my ear. "He wants you to take the fall for it. And he's trying to scare you so he can play your hero. But I want to be your hero." He backs away from me and stares at me. "If you'll let me."

"You already have been. You've saved me how many times tonight?"

He smirks. "I'm not the type of guy who keeps score. You help me, and I'll help you."

We're both staring into each other's eyes when the train comes to a screeching halt. I'm thrown back into his arms. He quickly grabs one of the pulls to steady us. Wrapping his arm around my waist, he inhales. "Me or him, Jules?"

The doors open, and I push off his chest, then exit. When we're outside of that confined space, it's like the world is buzzing around us, but everything is blurred. People pass by us, rushing to catch the train before it leaves. My head is fuzzy. This is too much. "I've been with him since the eighth grade."

"All the more reasons to let him go. You have no fucking idea what else is out there, who else. What you're missing, Jules, and how much better it can be."

"He bought me my own firm. You're not just asking me to ditch my fiancé. You're asking me to walk away from my career."



       
         
       
        

He takes my hand and starts to walk.

"Theo. Stop."

He glances back at me. "We're not discussing this in a subway around all these people. Not when my apartment is so close."

The thought of being alone with him in his apartment has my body humming with need. I wish I could slap some sense into it. I. Am. With. Charlie.

I am with Charlie.

I am with Charlie.

No matter how many times I say it, it doesn't feel right anymore. I heard Charlie with my own ears give the command for some stranger to, at minimum, scare the crap out of me. But just because he told them not to hurt me doesn't mean they'll listen. He's putting me in the middle of some kind of shady shit. What if Theo is right? What if Charlie wants me to take the fall for whatever he's done? The only accounts that are suspicious belong to me. But I know I haven't done anything to them. I just can't prove or figure out how the numbers are growing so quickly, or where the money is coming from. If Charlie is doing this, he's doing it really well. And he's making sure I'm the only one who looks guilty. Son. Of. A. Bitch.

The crosswalk lights up with a white person in stride, and I'm thankful we don't have to stop in the cold and wait for it to change. "We're almost there," he says.

"You."

"Excuse me?" A single eyebrow arches.

"I choose you."

"Fuck." He picks up his already brisk pace, and I'm practically running to keep up with him. "Are you sure?"

"What was the fuck for?"

"My cock. It's about to explode. Are you sure, Jules? Because when we get on the other side of that door, I'm … " He bites his plump bottom lip. "I'm going to have my way with you. The way I've wanted to since the moment I saw your face."

My heart races with anticipation. "Even if you weren't here, even if you hadn't made me feel the things you did today, I'm done with Charlie. He's trying to destroy my life, Theo."

He nods. "I know. I won't let him."





"You can't tell him about me. Not yet. But just know that I'm going to do everything in my power to protect you." I press the button for the elevator.

She nods. "What floor do you live on?"

I tilt my head a little and give her an expectant look, as if she needs to even ask. "What floor do you think I live on?"

She smiles. "The top?"

The doors open and I hold them as she enters. Our elevators have mirrors on all the walls. The lighting bounces off them, and there's this golden glow to her. Her skin is dewy from the rain, and my eyes wander down her chest to the mounds of her breasts. I step in behind her, punch the button for the penthouse, and take a step toward her as the doors close. "Jules..." 

Her breath hitches as she backs up into one of the mirrors. "Theo," she whispers.

"Watch what I'm about to do."

She swallows. Redness starts to spread over her entire body, her nipples harden, and my cock strains against my pants. Using just my fingers, I delicately push my jacket off her shoulders, dipping my lips down to her neck.

"I said you smelled like roses, but I was wrong. You smell like roses and me."

She drags in a breath as my tongue starts to trace its way to her collarbone all the way down to the top of that red fabric. I plant soft kisses over her chest, blow lightly, then the jacket falls to the floor as I trace my way back up to her neck. Goosebumps erupt over her soft skin, and I want to kiss every last one of them. She threads her fingers through my hair.

"Theo..."

"Hmm?" I glance up at her, but don't stop my assault on her body.

"The door's open," she says, breathy.

Closing my eyes, I kick my foot out behind me to keep it from closing because I can't imagine having to wait another fucking minute to get her behind my door. Grabbing the jacket, I look up into her brown eyes. "I think this is my favorite jacket now. And I hate suits."

She gives me a little smile. "Stand up, Theo."

I do as she says. What is this all about? I don't take orders from her. She pushes me out of the elevator. The doors close, and we're alone in the hall. She keeps pushing me until I slam into one. She tilts her head, narrows her eyes, then takes my head between her hands and kisses me. It takes my breath away. Holy. Fuck. All the blood rushes south. I don't like her having me pinned down, though, so I grab her shoulders and slam her into the opposite wall. She tangles her hands in my hair. Our tongues are thrashing against each other, eager, yearning, searching for something. Anything. What, I have no clue, but I just know I can't get enough of her taste. And it's no longer tomatoes, thank goodness.

"I'm not going to fuck you in the hall."

"Why not? Are there other people up here?"

My lips travel to her lobe, then her neck, down to her collarbone. My fingers trail up her legs ever so softly. She squirms in my grip. When I reach the hem of her skirt, I pull my head back and watch her, begging with her eyes. "Cameras."