“What do you want, Liz?” I should ask her to leave, but the frustrations of the past few days, no weeks, have messed with my common sense. “You’re bored with Kyle? Looking for someone else to play with?” I don’t give her a chance to reply. I’m done acting like I’m not desperate to take everything she’s offered me before.
With one step, I have her in my arms, then my mouth is on hers, tasting and taking. Instantly, she takes over my senses. All I feel is her. With my body, I press her against the desk as I cup the back of her slender neck with one hand while the other curves around her waist. She melts against me with a soft moan that drives me slightly insane. My head fills with her scent, taste, touch. All I want is to bury myself inside her and drown in exquisite pleasure.
I release her lips and my eyes drink in every feature on her perfect face, her wide eyes, flushed cheeks, her red swollen mouth. She makes a soft sound, then reaches her face up to mine, begging for another kiss.
I oblige, lifting her off her feet and setting her on the very edge of the desk. I’m standing between her thighs, with her slim legs wrapped around me. I grip her pert behind and pull her forward, letting her feel just how much I want her. She moans and moves against me, driving me crazy.
“Every time I saw you these past weeks, every damn time you laughed and flirted and acted as if what happened between us was nothing, this is what I wanted to do.”
She arrests me with her deep green eyes. I don’t miss the challenge in their depths. “Then why don’t you?”
“Fuck, Liz.” There’s so much inexperience and trust in those eyes.
I know that I love you.
Guilt floods me. I can’t. No matter how much I want to. If not for any other reason, for the fact that she deserves more than the wreck I am inside. I step away from the desk and run a hand through my hair. I’m aching with need and seeing her still perched on the edge of my desk isn’t helping the situation in my pants. “I have a lot on my mind. You should go home.”
“No.”
I try for humor. “That’s an order from your director.”
“Right now, I don’t give a fuck about my director. Stop treating me as if I don’t know what I want, or like I’ll break into pieces if you touch
me. I want this just as much as you do.”
Breathe, Aidan. “I know your daddy gave you every single thing you ever asked for, Liz, but you’ll have to learn that you can’t have everything you want. Go home,” I add in a dismissive tone. “Get some sleep.”
“First of all, I haven’t always gotten everything I wanted. Second,” She slides off the desk. “You haven’t given me a good reason why this is a bad idea. You can’t kiss me like that one moment and send me home the next.”
“Can’t I?” I laugh softly, watching as she comes to stand right in front of me. Temptation spikes and I take a deep breath to steady myself. “Liz, what do you want?” I lean my face close to hers. “You want me to strip off your tights and fuck you on my desk? You want me to bury myself inside you, make you come until you’re too weak to stand?”
Her cheeks flush. “Why not?”
“For God’s sake!” I lift her off her feet and head for the door, pulling it open and dumping her just outside. “Go get your beauty sleep, Liz. Tomorrow is a big day for you.”
I close the door in her face.
“You’re an asshole,” I hear her mutter through the thin wood panel separating us.
“I know.” I am an asshole, but hopefully, for the next few weeks, I’ll try my best not to be the asshole that takes what she’s offering, because I know more than anyone that I don’t deserve it.
She’s spectacular.
From the moment Liz steps on the stage, she takes over, glowing with a luminous intensity that captivates me, as well as the preview audience. I can’t take my eyes off her. It pains me to force my attention to the other parts of the play—the other actors, the scenery, the audience reactions, the lines I know by heart—when all I want to do is drown myself in her presence.
After the final applause, I don’t dare go backstage. I’m buzzing with so much electricity from watching her, I know that one look from her eyes, and I will fall down to worship at her feet.
There’s nothing she could ask of me tonight that I wouldn’t give her. If she asked for my soul, I’d probably pull it out and hand it to her.
I meet Landon at the main reception. He’s with Rachel, who’s about my age, with a lovely, expressive face, unassuming expression, and eye-catching waves of red-gold hair.
No wonder Landon turned the city upside down to find her.
Her eyes widen when she sees my face up close. My resemblance to Landon usually has that effect. I like that she has none of the hard-edged sophistication of Landon’s usual dates. It’s refreshing.
“You must be Rachel,” I offer before Landon can introduce us. “I’m Aidan.”
Her smile is sweet and unpretentious. “It’s great to meet you, and your play was very enjoyable.”