Page 117 of My Fiancé's Brother
I stood there for the longest of moments, completely still, trying to work up my courage to just walk away. My erratic breath sounded for us to hear.
His big, warm hand lightly pushed hair off my neck.
“Emily.”
The sound of my name on his lips was the tipping point. I spun around, and then he lifted me up into his strong arms. My legs wrapped around his waist and my back simultaneously hit the door. His mouth slanted over mine, kissing me as I've never been kissed before. I clung to his neck and moaned as his tongue did wicked, wonderful, perfect things to my mouth.
A big hand wrapped around my hair, tugging my head back. I cried out as his mouth slid down a delicate nerve in my neck, causing an electric shock to shoot down my back. Another big hand grabbed my butt and yanked me hard against him, grinding me hard against his hips. I felt his arousal pushing against my apex.
“This isn’t why I came here,” I moaned, as I pushed my hands through his thick hair, pulling his mouth closer to my neck.
“Tell me why you're here,” his voice was muffled against my neck.
“I don’t know,” I moaned, my eyes wide open and staring at the high ceiling of the entrance. “I couldn’t stay away.”
He lifted his head, and two green eyes stared into my own. The look he gave me was so honest and real that it made me want to burst into tears. I felt like I had been living a lie for the last couple of weeks and finally, I was able to breathe and be myself.
A large hand came up and pushed the hair off my face. “Are you okay?”
I fought not to cry. I shook my head.
“Want to talk?”
I shook my head again. “I need to go.”
Some emotion I couldn’t decipher flitted across his gaze so fast I wasn’t sure I had seen anything at all. He slowly lowered me down onto my trembling legs.
“I’m sorry,” I said, and this time I did start crying. My entire face crumpled up. God this man must be so tired of my tears.
“Emily talk to me,” his voice was unfeigned. He held my hand and looked at me with such concern, it only made me cry harder. Sobbing, I wrenched my hand out of his before turning and disappearing out the door.
CHAPTER 42
Chloeand I walked home from the river. On her leash, she sniffed the grass. I thought about the disaster my life had become. Why had I shown up last night at the penthouse? I showed up there out of empathy and sadness for Jackson but seeing him had done something to me. I had no control around the man. He felt like oxygen to my starved brain and heart.
I shook my head. I hated myself for going there. I hated myself even more for leaving. Now I avoided Irene and Matt. I ignored half a dozen texts and two phone calls from them, and now I was avoiding the hospital. I needed to face the music at some point, but I felt so tired. I wanted to lie in bed and sleep my problems away.
Problems that wouldn’t go away. Jackson would leave New York in four short weeks to go back to his life. Once I broke things off from Matt, it was safe to say that I would never see either of them again. The past few weeks without Jackson had reminded me of the weeks after my granny had died. Grey and barren. I glimpsed how my future unfolded in front of me. I wasn’t sure if I'd be able to withstand the crush of how lonely it would be.
I didn’t see him. One minute I was wrapped in my thoughts, andthen he stood there. I stopped walking. I took in his appearance. The man looked rough. Angry. He was dressed in dirty jeans and an old black jean jacket. His black hair slicked off his harsh features. His dark eyes were cold as he took me in.
“You out for a walk?” he stepped forward and knelt over Chloe. He held her face too hard as she worked to back away from his touch.
I pulled her leash and tried to step around him.
His grip was like steel on my arm. “Where do you think you're going?”
“My husband is waiting for me,” my voice faltered over my lie. Terrible thoughts ran through my mind as I tried to remember all the steps from my defense class.
He gave a harsh laugh and grabbed me hard. “I don’t think so.”
I dropped Chloe’s leash and used both arms to push against his chest. “What are you doing?”
“You look like a nice piece of tight ass,” his eyes raked over my body. “Not like those whores I'm usually with.”
My eyes darted around, as I tried to find another human being in the area. There was no one. The place was deserted. Chloe was gone. She had taken off at an alarming rate back to the loft. Tears blurred my eyes. I made a move to run but he yanked me back so hard I lost my balance.
“Leave me alone,” I said through clenched teeth.
