you get in here?”
“Same way I get anywhere. I walked through the door.”
“Sorry. Addie’s already gone for the day.”
“Why would you think I came to see Addie? You witnessed our last encounter.”
I open my mouth, but nothing emerges. I shut it quickly. What am I supposed to say?
“I came to see you, Skye.”
I cross my arms. “You could have called.”
“Why? And miss that look of adorable perplexity on your pretty face? Besides, you never gave me your cell phone number.”
“You know where I work.”
“Maybe I didn’t want to put you in the awkward position of taking a phone call at work.”
“So you showed up at my work instead?”
“I figured it’s nearly quitting time.”
“What if Addie had been here?”
“Then Addie would have been here.”
“But you… She…”
He takes a step toward me. “Do you really think I give a damn if Addison Ames crosses my path? She doesn’t scare me, Skye. In fact, she’s probably first on the list of everything that doesn’t scare me.”
“Oh?” I say. “What does scare you, Braden?”
He regards me, his eyes dark and dangerous. “Nothing.”
Chapter Fourteen
I inhale, trying to ease my jittering nerves. Already my body reacts to his presence. I want to walk toward him, grab his strong hand, cup his stubbly cheek with the other.
Just touch him.
All I need is to touch him.
That small thing would satisfy me in this moment.
And that’s first on the list of things that scares the hell out of me.
“Why are you here to see me, then? Can I help you with something?” My voice is so soft it’s almost a whisper.
He closes the distance between us. “You can come back to my bed.”
I move backward, stumbling slightly. Braden steadies me with his hand, and his touch burns through me like his hands are hot coals.
God, yes. Just a touch.
I knew it would be like this.
I ease away from him until the backs of my thighs hit my desk.
“You going to answer me?”
“With all due respect, you didn’t exactly ask a question,” I say, forcing myself not to stammer.
“True. You did. You asked if you could help me with anything, and I answered. Still, I think my response is worthy of a reply.”
I inhale deeply, willing my pulse to chill. I’m not successful, but I can act as though I am. “You’re not even offering me dinner this time?”
“We didn’t exactly get to dinner the last time.”
My cheeks are so warm, they must be crimson. I clear my throat. “A girl still has to eat.”
“Then dinner it is. What’s your pleasure?”
I stare at him. Really? He’s going to buy me dinner so I’ll sleep with him? Exactly what does that make me? I know the answer, and I don’t like it.
“You told me I was something your money couldn’t buy, but now you think dinner will buy me?”
He grabs both my shoulders. He gazes into my eyes, his own burning hot. “I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you, Skye. I want you in my bed. What’s it going to take?”
“I—I can’t be bought.” Though I’m thinking, at this moment, maybe I can be. And that scares the hell out of me.
“I’m not trying to buy you. I am trying to bed you.”
I resist the urge to bite my lower lip. “You just want sex, then? Not a date?”
He gives a half-hearted shrug. “We can go out on dates if you want. If that’s what it takes for you to feel comfortable coming back to my bed. But it will be simply dating. I can’t give you any more than that.”
“Why not?” I ask boldly, not at all sure that I’m ready for an answer.
“Because I can’t.”
I narrow my eyes. “Nice try. But I’m looking for a reason, Braden. I’m twenty-four years old. I’m young, and maybe a purely sexual relationship would be fun. A day will come, though, when it won’t be enough for me.”
“If that day isn’t here yet, why not come back to my bed?”
“I have my reasons.”
“Care to enlighten me?”
Because you fucked me and then kicked me out of your bed like the douchebag you are. The words catch in my throat. Why should it matter that he kicked me out? Maybe I’d do the same if we were at my place.
Except I wouldn’t. That’s not me. I’m not cruel.
I wet my lips. “I’m not interested in being your fuck buddy.”
Not the real reason, and part of me—that aching part between my legs—is very interested in being his fuck buddy. Another part of me—that intelligent