Grant reached her. His fingers bit into her upper arms and his face lowered inches from her own. “Who are you to talk?” he shot out. “I never wanted this. Every frikkin' day I had to put my hands on you, knowing you wanted me. I was up front from the beginning and you signed on for the rules of this affair. Hell. You never asked me for more.” The truth stung. Arianna got in his face like a boxer taunting his opponent. “Maybe I was waiting for you to give me an indication we were more. Why bother telling Missy the truth in the first place? Go on. Run after Missy and her sidekick and tell her you were wrong, that we’re over. Then you can have your nice little life back.”
“I don’t want my old life back,” he shot back. “I’m sick of hiding behind a code of ethics I don’t believe in anymore.”
“Ethics?” she taunted. “What ethics? You toss around this code like it means something.
It’s a convenient excuse not to get involved with anyone who interests you and deal with the consequences.”
“Enough.”
“I’m done here. We’re done, as you’ve made abundantly clear. Go after your students, Grant.”
“I said enough.”
He stamped his mouth over hers in a testosterone temper. His tongue thrust between her lips in punishment, threatening to pull her over into the raw sexual energy that thrummed between them. Her core dampened and pulsed in readiness. Her breasts tingled for his fingers and mouth and teeth, but she fought back the drugging feeling and pushed him away.
“No, damnit, no sex until we settle this. Why are you so angry at me? What do you really want?”
“This.”
He thrust his hand under her yoga pants, under her panties, and sunk in to her wet heat. A moan escaped as his fingers dove deep, immediately bringing her to the edge. She pushed against his shoulders but he was like a rock, holding her against the door while he punished her, half in excitement, half in anger.
“Grant, no.”
“Grant, yes.”
His mouth took hers again and she fell under his spell, reaching for his erection, wanting to feel him inside of her, completing her. She bit his lower lip in rebellion, and he caught her tongue and pulled her in, his musky scent of lemon and soap and male hunger swamping her senses.
He ripped down his pants and allowed her one moment to breathe. She clung to the moment with the fierceness of survival and pushed him back hard.
Grant stumbled. His brows lowered in a warning frown. “Don’t.”
“No, you don’t! “
“What’s going on here? This is what you want, right? I’m willing to take the hit with my students because of my feelings for you. I don’t want to hide, I don’t want to make excuses anymore, and I want to be with you. Why are we stopping?”
“You’re angry with me.”
He muttered something under his breath. “No, I’m frustrated and I want you. Come here.”
“No, you’re angry with me, Grant. Goddamnit. Why are you angry with me?”
“Because you’re leaving!”
Silence descended.
His breath came out slightly ragged. His announcement rang with finality between them.
Her eyes widened as she watched the truth suddenly evident in his face. He loved her. He may not have said the words, but he wanted her to stay. The road forked before her. She knew what path to take. The only path available. Move to Chicago and one day she’d find someone else. Someone who was a forgery for the man who’d complete her soul.
This was the last step in her master plan for her future. She must take the promotion. If she turned away this career opportunity, she turned her back on everything she always wanted and believed in. Everything that defined her and everything she fought so hard to have, even at her parent’s expense.
The conversation with Tim flashed in her mind. She opened her mouth and said the words. “Ask me to stay.”
Shock gleamed in dark eyes as he stared at her. Arianna suddenly knew the truth. She wanted to stay. She wanted to take a chance with him and build a life together. All she needed was a sign. A sign he would try. Arianna realized in that moment she was not making a sacrifice for Grant Madison. She would never wonder what could be, because this was her moment, and her decision. She wanted to make a choice for herself.
“Arianna.” Her name was a broken whisper in the quiet of the room. She closed the distance between them and reached for him. Dragged his head downward, her mouth on his, giving herself in sweet abandon without any apology. She let him take it all, the open vulnerability and the evident feelings she had.