“Oh, I thought you were here to play Mommy,” I explained, looking her up and down. “I love it when Corbin plays my daddy, and he spanks me so hard.”
Her jaw dropped—no smile to be found. Meanwhile, mine turned real before I faced Corbin with an overdone pout.
“I’ve been such a bad girl, Daddy. Are you and Mommy going to punish me together?”
“That’s enough,” Corbin snapped, only making me smile harder.
“I love it when you’re mad, Daddy.”
The muscle along his strong jaw ticked, and I waited to hear his tooth crack along the sound of the crickets.
“You need to go to bed,” he managed to bite out.
I gave him another overdone pout any porn star would be proud of. “Okay, Daddy. I’ll wait for you and Mommy to come tuck me in.”
With one last smile and exaggerated wink, I traipsed past, making sure to brush against Corbin’s shoulder. I didn’t bother to grab a towel before walking in, trailing wetness with every step up to my room. Once there, the high of the game faded, leaving me drawn out from the swinging pendulum of emotions and intense swim.
I stripped out of my wet clothes and tossed on a new pair of panties and a shirt before plopping onto the edge of the bed.
I’d hoped the revenge against Corbin would make the ache from the last two days fade and leave behind an inch of happiness from winning. But it didn’t. Instead, I felt drained. Empty. Just as alone as before I got here.
My revenge might have filled me with success in the moment, but all it’d done was push him away further. The same way I did everyone else. Only this time, I cared. In the past few weeks, Corbin had become the one person since my father died that I actually wanted to let in—someone I didn’t want to be left by.
Wallowing in my mistakes, I got up to pull the covers back. Just as I was about to climb in, my door flung open, banging against the wall and bouncing back toward a hulking Corbin.
I slapped a hand against my racing heart. “A knock would be nice.”
He didn’t respond. Just stood there, staring so hard I worried I’d burn to ash. His muscles bunched from his barely exposed chest under the few undone buttons, down his arms to his clenching fists.
I gave him a questioning look when he still didn’t say anything. His nostrils flared, making him look like a bull ready to charge. The silent treatment and intimidating stare started lighting my emotional hamster wheel all over again. “What? Did she leave?” I guessed. When he grunted, I knew I was right. It still didn’t give him the right to barge in and glare at me. “Could she not take a joke? Jesus,” I scoffed, fluffing my pillow.
“I swear to God, Rose,” he growled, unmoving.
Done with the he-hulk shit, I tossed my pillow down, letting my mouth go. “Listen, I’m sorry to cockblock you, but you can leave now. Go fuck your fist or something. Either way, I’d like you out.”
I expected him to turn and storm off all pouty that I ruined his southern pussy for the night, but I couldn’t have been further from the truth because the next steps he took were into my room just enough to slam the door behind him.
Chapter Seven
CORBIN
I’d like you out.
That was my cue to leave.
To turn around and lock the door on my way out so I couldn’t get in.
To leave and soothe the fire bubbling against my skin anywhere other than somewhere with her.
I didn’t.
I’d barely thought about my next move when I heard the door slam from inside.
Her jaw dropped for a fraction of a second before clamping shut with stubborn defiance building behind it. I was done hearing her smart taunts and bullshit lies.
“Tough shit, Rose.”
The luminous silvery eyes that taunted me day in and day out narrowed to slits. “Excuse me?”
“I said, tough. Fucking. Shit.”
With each word, I stepped closer, taking my time, enjoying the way she studied and analyzed. I waited for my favorite moment. The one when she discovered my intent. I knew exactly when it happened, not because the set of her jaw changed or her glare softened. No, I saw it in the way her chest rose and fell a little faster. I saw it in the way her slim throat moved over a graceful swallow. I saw it in the way her pert little nipples pebbled under another thin white T-shirt, not unlike the one that clung to her like a second skin out by the pool.
“You strut around here like a fucking tease,” I continued, my words soft and filled with dark promises while I kept closing the gap. “So, I’m going to take what you’re offering.”
“I’m not offering anything.”