“I’m…there’s nothing…”
“Cut the shit. I saw. I fucking saw how upset you were down there, and it’s not just because your brother snapped at you. You’re tougher than that.”
Adam thought she was tough?
He ate up the distance between them in two long strides, stopping a mere foot in front of her. “Talk to me, Luce.” His blue gaze searched hers. “What’s going on with you?”
Who the hell was this? This Adam was starting to resemble the old Adam, the guy he used to be, the one she’d fallen for when she was a kid. That was the last thing she needed. Her head was already a mess. She didn’t need him confusing her, messing with her feelings like this. A siren started wailing in her head. Stop signs, red flashing lights, flickered like a strobe in her mind. He had no clue what this could do to her. Showing her this side of himself again.
“There’s nothing to tell.”
His nostrils flared, eyes sharpening. “Bullshit.”
He didn’t budge, didn’t break eye contact, waiting for her to explain the tears he’d seen in her eyes, the reason for her hasty exit from school. She couldn’t tell him any of those things. The need to get away thrummed through her and she shoved at him, trying to get past. He closed in even more, crowding her, towering over her. His hard, lean body pressed against her softer one.
He dipped his head. “I saw your tears.” He slid his fingers under her chin, tilting her head back, and looked deep into her eyes. “Who hurt you, baby? Just say the word and I’ll make them pay for it. I promise you that.”
Lucy drew in a sharp breath, heart racing, banging against the back of her ribs. God, the fierceness in his expression, the heat. He meant it, every word. That’s when she became aware of the way her breasts were pressed against his chest, and the way her nipples had grown impossibly hard. How the heat of his body warmed hers. The denim of his jeans rubbed against her bare legs.
The way the skin of his fingers felt rough against her throat, and hot. Moving in that moment, hell, breathing was an impossibility. Then he swiped his thumb down her jaw, from her ear to her chin. The intensity in his gaze changed, shifted into something else, and she could barely believe what she was seeing.
Heat.
No, fire.
So hot she felt scorched from it.
He made a harsh sound and moved closer, just a fraction.
His cock pressed against the softness of her belly.
Oh God. He’s hard.
“Adam?” She whimpered, unable to cage the needy sound another moment.
He froze, nostrils flaring, then barked out a curse, low and harsh, jolting her.
Shoving a hand through his hair, he took a sudden step back. “Look, if you won’t talk to me, would you at least talk to Hugh or Joe?”
Right, so they were going to pretend he hadn’t just pressed her against the door and got hard while doing it? Like it never happened?
This was insane. What the hell was going on? Home was supposed to be predictable. These people were supposed to be predictable. Hugh should have gotten over her leaving college after a small amount of grumbling. Joe usually took her side not Hugh’s. And Adam, he was the asshole. She relied on him being an asshole…or ignoring her.
He was not supposed to care. And he sure as hell wasn’t supposed to get hard when he pressed up against her.
She crossed her arms over her chest, trying to cover her straining nipples. This wasn’t awkward at all. Nope. “I told you, there’s nothing to tell. I’m fine.”
He stood there like the man of steel himself, body rigid, shoulders wider than she’d ever seen them, muscles taut, hands slightly out from his sides like he didn’t know what to do with them.
Her gaze dropped against her will.
And he was still hard as hell.
“You gonna stick to that story?” he said, voice gritty.
“It’s not a story.” Her phone vibrated in her pocket again and her stomach sank to her feet.
“Goddamn it, you’re stubborn.”
She opened her mouth to fire a reply, but he shut her down with a shake of his head.
Then he just stood there, staring at her, completely unreadable. The awkwardness skyrocketed to all new levels and she felt her face flush hot.
He walked toward her, and she held her breath.
Stopping in front of her, he stared into her eyes. “You’re in front of the door.”
“Oh…right.” Her face flamed hotter. She quickly moved to the side to let him past, but he went the same way, then they did it again…and again, until he grabbed her shoulders and bodily moved her to the left, opened the door, and walked out.
Lucy stood there, staring after him.
She hadn’t imagined that, had she?