I thank Destinee, telling her I loved it and would definitely be back, and then I’m busting through the glass double doors, practically running toward the staircase and feeling like a predator is behind me as Neil’s long stride keeps him on my heels at a more leisurely pace. I snatch up a white hand towel from the stacks at the head of the stairs, wiping my face and chest as I grip the handrail and hurry down the flight of steps.
My legs are shaky and weak, and I know it’s not just because of the hundreds of squats I just did in the barre class. I walk to the desk where Johnna is smiling as we approach, hurrying through the conversation about how much I loved the class, and I ask if they mind if I take the hand towel home, promising to bring it back on my next visit. She tells me that’s fine after giving me a funny look, and then Neil adds that he’ll put me on his membership account online when he gets home. With a quick goodbye, I’m out the doors and heading to his big SUV we came in, yanking on the handle when I get there, but it’s locked.
I give him a little frown as he approaches, hearing the locks disengage once his big hand is on the shiny silver handle. He pulls the door open for me, watching as I spread the towel on my seat, my face flaming with embarrassment, as I step up on the running board to lift myself into the seat. He closes the door as I’m putting my seat belt on, and soon he takes the place behind the wheel and turns on the truck. My skin feels like it’s crawling, being trapped inside the enclosed space with him, but not in the uncomfortable, creepy way. In a “he’s so close and all I want to do is jump across the center console and straddle his face” kind of way.
But I can’t. I’ve got too much work to do on myself before I can confuse my emotions by giving in to my desire. Our desire for each other.
I jump at the sound of his deep, low voice. “There a reason you needed to steal that towel, goddess?” he asks.
He knows damn well why I needed to take it with me. He saw the evidence up close and in technicolor not fifteen minutes ago. “I didn’t steal it. You saw I asked permission before borrowing it. And I just didn’t want to get your fancy leather seats sweaty,” I snap, and I swear it takes everything in me not wipe that sexy knowing look right of his face… with my pussy.
We reach the house in minutes, and I jump out before he can even turn the truck off, sprinting to the door and typing in the code, my heart racing as I push the door open and enter the house before he has a chance to keep up. Scout greets me excitedly, but I only spare him a quick pat on the head as I make it to the stairs before I hear Doc close the door behind him with a chuckle.
A fucking chuckle.
He’s laughing at me as I take the stairs two at a time, my legs trembling after getting their first real workout in nine years. I hurry to my room and slam the door closed, twisting the lock and falling backward against the cool wood, finally breathing out a huge lungful of air in relief. Locked inside. Locked inside for a moment to get my freaking bearings. And as I take stock of all my emotions, all the feelings coursing through me, the one that stands out above all is the ache I feel deep in my core. God, how I want that man, how I need that frustrating, sinful, delicious, protective, and soul-soothing man deep inside me, using his body to erase everything that came before him.
I need relief. I’m too wound up, feeling those sweet, sweet endorphins Neil had told me about before the class rushing through my veins. I push off the door and stumble over to my bed, feeling high or drunk or intoxicated—it doesn’t matter. I just know if I don’t get some kind of release, I’ll do something I’ll regret. I’ll do something to ruin all the progress I’ve made in the past two days.
I open my bedside table drawer and lift out the makeup bag I have