I’m so angry, it’s hard to keep it all inside.

I get home after that kiss and throw myself into the bathroom. I get into the shower, thinking that I’m going to wash the taste of him out of my mouth.

Instead, I find my hand slipping between my legs.

I’m so angry, but not at Justin. I’m angry at myself for how much that kiss turned me on. I hate him so much, despise him really, but I can’t deny that he’s attractive.

And he’s still my friend, still that kid I used to spend all my time with. That person is still in there, still inside of him.

I keep thinking about that kiss, his lips against mine, pulling my body close to his. He’s big and strong and I know he could crush me if he wanted to, and that only excites me more. I slide my hand up and down my pussy, rubbing my clit, pressing my fingers inside of myself as moans escape my lips.

I can picture him fucking me in the office, right on the conference room table. I bet everyone would watch while he does whatever he wants with me. I know he’d be rough, pulling my hair, slapping my ass. I want him to make me crawl on all fours toward him, while he strokes his big, thick hard cock.

I’ll swallow it, let him slide it down my throat, make me gag. I want tears in my eyes as he presses his cock deeper in my throat, telling me how disgusting I am, how dirty I am letting everyone watch.

When he’s ready, he’ll push me down, ass in the air, and fuck me rough and deep. Everyone will stare as his cock takes me, plowing into my tight pussy, tearing me wide open. I can already feel the gasps escaping my lips, the moans, the way I’d plead with him to keep going, keep going.

My hands move faster on my clit, pressing harder and rolling in circles. My whole body tightens and tenses as I push back against the cold shower wall and I can feel his cock inside of me, taste his precum on my tongue.

I gasp and come, both in my fantasy and in reality. I come hard and I’m left breathless, back in my shower. I let the water stream down my body and I stare at my fingers, wondering what the hell just happened.

I can’t believe I’m getting myself off while thinking about that asshole. He doesn’t deserve it. He doesn’t deserve anything.

The next week, I do my best to keep things civil. He doesn’t push for dinner again and doesn’t mention our kiss. We work more closely this time, checking in once a day to see what the other came up with. In the end, we synthesize what we’ve both come up with separately, to the point where I don’t think either of us is happy with what we have.

But Blair wants another pitch meeting, and we can’t push it back. She’s not in town for much longer. She wants to get back to Hawaii, and I can’t blame her.

It feels just like the other meeting. Justin goes out to the lobby to meet her and bring her back while I get everything set up. This time, we don’t expect anyone but Blair to show, and that’s exactly what happens. The table is empty except for some water, which she ignores.

The only difference between this meeting and the last is that Justin joins me up front. We run through the presentation, with Justin starting out, and I take over about midway through. We more or less stick to the things we each came up with, or at least the new compromised versions. I talk a lot about big picture branding ideas while Justin goes in-depth into micro social and grass roots advertising.

The presentation is about a half hour. Blair sits through the whole thing quietly, hands folded in her lap, eyes unblinking under her dark mop of bangs. When we’re finished, Justin steps toward her with a smile.

“You got both of us this time,” he says.

“No.”

I blink, surprised. “No?”

She shakes her head once. “No, I didn’t get both of you. I got two people, separated.” She sighs dramatically. “I wanted two people, joined.”

I glance at Justin. “I’m not sure that’s going to happen,” I say.

“We’re trying,” he quickly adds. “We’re hitting some roadblocks.”

“I see.” She leans toward me, keeping eye contact. “This history, it won’t let you go, will it?”

I bite my lip. “No,” I admit, not sure why I’m letting this woman know personal things about me.

“And because of that, you two can’t work as one.”

“We’ve hit some roadblocks,” Justin says softly, watching me.

I can’t look away from Blair. She’s mesmerizing, staring back at me with those eyes of hers. I think if anyone else stared at me the way she does, it would be terrifyingly creepy, but somehow it seems normal from her.

Almost kind, like she really cares.

“I know what to do.” She stands suddenly. “You will both come with me to my compound. There, you will work as one, without distraction.”

I frown a little. “I’m sorry, your compound?”

“In Hawaii,” she specifies.

Justin lets out a nervous laugh. “Blair, I can’t leave for Hawaii. I just took this job.”

She ignores him. “It will be good,” she says softly. “The past can’t follow you there, although it will try.”

I stare at her. “What’s with you?” I ask finally, completely bewildered.

She makes a face, almost horrible in how awkward and misshapen it is. I realize after a second that she’s smiling.

“Just someone who cares,” she says. “Please, you’ll come.”

Justin groans. “We can’t,” he says.

“He’s right. We really can’t.”

Blair looks over at Justin. “You will lose me if you don’t come,” she says, and I can tell that cuts straight through the bullshit.

Justin considers her for a second before sighing. “Okay,” he says. “I’ll come.”

“Wait, hold on.” I stare at him. “You’re joking?”

“Let’s do it,” he says. “Worst case scenario, we have to spend some time in paradise together. Can’t be that bad, right?” He grins at me, and I feel a shiver run down my spine.

Can’t be that bad. Stuck on an island with Justin, the guy I’m supposed to despise but apparently am incredibly attracted to.

He ruined my life. He betrayed me, left me stranded and alone, ignored me for years. I should despise him. He should make me sick.

Instead, all I want whenever I’m around him is that fantasy. I want him to fuck me, rough and mean, slap my ass, grab my throat, pull my hair. I want him to throw me around and take my body, use me however he wants, make me beg.

“I can’t,” I say softly.

Blair turns away. “Then this is over.”

“Wait.” Justin steps toward me. “Remi, you have to do it. Think about how big this can be, for both of us.”

I look at him and he stares back, his handsome eyes locked into mine. I know he needs it, and I think I can see a hint of the desire I’ve been seeing in his expression. It’s the way he looks at me, the way he’s always moving closer to me. I can feel it between us, humming and mute but ready to take hold.

“Fine,” I say finally. “But we better fly first class. Hawaii’s far away.”

Blair claps once, and it startles me. She does that strange smile again.

“Very good,” she says. “You two will stay at my compound and work very hard, and become as one.” She leaves the conference room, flowing out like smoke. I look at Justin and he just shrugs.

“I don’t know what that means, but we’re doing it,” he says softly.

“Yeah,” I respond. “Although it’ll probably be a disaster.”

“Think you can keep from killing me?”

“Probably not.” I grin at him when he laughs.

“All right. Better show her out. Are you sure you want to go?”

“Not at all,” I say.

“Me neither. Let’s try and make it fun.”

“Yeah, okay.”

He turns and leaves, following Blair back out to the lobby, and I’m left wondering what the heck I just got myself into.