My eyes flew open as his lips followed a path down my chest, while his fingers slipped beneath my underwear. Two thick fingers suddenly pushed inside me, and I whimpered and arched my back into his touch. His grip on my hip turned bruising, and I heard him murmur hoarsely, “So tight.”
Rhys’s head came up, and I caught a flash of undiluted desire in his eyes before he crushed his mouth down over mine again. He drank in my moans as his fingers played and pushed me toward climax. I’d never felt anything like it. Such desperate need.
“Oh, Jesus Christ, sorry!”
We froze at the unexpected voice, and Rhys lifted his head to meet my devastated gaze.
No!
I was so close!
The muscle in his jaw flexed as he turned his head toward the doorway. I reluctantly followed suit and saw my sister standing there, lips trembling with laughter, eyes averted.
Oh my God, someone kill me now.
“Uh, your boss and Fairchild are looking for you. I’ll tell them”—laughter bubbled in her words—“you’ll be out in a few minutes.”
The door closed behind her and with it a cold, hard splash of reality.
I saw it on Rhys’s face.
“Shit.” He pulled away from me in every way, and my body protested at the deeply empty, unfulfilled feeling. “Oh fuck.”
Hurt by the raw regret on his face as he got off me, I scrambled to push the hem of my dress down. I lowered my gaze as I swung my legs off the sofa, unable to meet his eyes.
“That shouldn’t have happened. I’m sorry. I was pissed at Fairchild and you were acting—”
He cut off when I scowled up at him. “Acting like what?” I said.
Rhys glowered. “Don’t pretend like you don’t know how you were acting.”
“I don’t know how I was acting. Enlighten me.” I stood and crossed my arms over my chest, feeling the burn of unsatisfied lust heat my temper.
“You know how you were acting.” He dragged his gaze down my body and back up again in a way I did not like. “But you certainly forget all about that when I put my hands on you. Fuck, sweetheart, you light up so hot, I was just along for the ride. You like that for your society boys, or does slumming it get you off?”
Pain flared in my chest, an ache so deep I stumbled back from him, ignoring his flinch.
“Parker—”
I held up a trembling hand, glaring at him so hard, it was a wonder his head didn’t explode from the power of my angry, angry mind. In fact, I was so furious and so hurt, I couldn’t speak. I strode past him, sliding my hands down my dress to smooth it, before turning my attention to combing my hair into some semblance of order.
“Tinker Bell—”
I whirled around just before I got to the door, not caring at the remorse I saw written all over his face. “Go fuck yourself, Rhys.”
Instead of the surprise I thought I’d see on his face, I saw something else. A glitter of light in his eyes as he moved toward the steps that would lead him up to me. “I think we both know I’d rather fuck you.”
Ignoring the thrill that shot through me, I held onto what he’d said, to the derision in his voice just a few seconds ago. “So you can add me to all the notches on your belt? I’m not a challenge. I’m not an opponent. And I—” Stupid tears burned my eyes that I determinedly tried to blink back.
“Tink …” Rhys made to move toward me.
“Don’t.” I lowered my gaze so he couldn’t see how much he’d hurt me. “This is done. I’ll pay you for the month, but this is done.” Tears successfully pushed back, I lifted my chin, my expression flat. “No job is worth someone making you feel this badly about yourself.”
He scowled. “Yeah, you’re right, it isn’t. Pot meet fucking kettle.”
Confusion momentarily subdued my anger. “What—”
“But we have a deal, and you’re not getting out of that deal.” He strode toward me, and I braced. Thankfully, he reached past me to pull open the door. “Let’s go talk to your bosses, and try not to act like you’re dying of embarrassment to have me at your side.”
What on earth?
“Rhys—”
Footsteps sounded in the hall outside, and my sister appeared. “Uh, seriously, if you don’t hurry up, Fairchild is going to come looking.”
Sighing in frustration, feeling like I was missing something with Rhys, I hurried after