Yielded Yearning
With a puff of the wind, his scent left a scar
She yearned, and she earned a glimpse from afar
A touch she craved, and a gaze she got
Her pining was what won him the spot
Vienna
I walked into the elevator, looking forward to lunch with Mel. She’d messaged me this morning, hoping we could meet up, and I’d agreed, wanting a diversion. With every floor I passed, I pushed aside a new worry, fighting for my hard-earned willpower and clarity. The easier thoughts dissipated quickly, leaving behind one of the most prominent issues: Kingston.
I was falling for him. The realization hadn’t come as a shock but more like a lingering acceptance. It was an unwelcome emotion, making me feel vulnerable. Kingston had too much power over me. He stripped me bare, unraveling me, forcing me to accept a part of myself I didn’t know existed. I needed to stay away from if I ever wished to get my life back together again.
I couldn’t afford him as a distraction—not that he was interested anyway.
The elevator door pinged as it reached the main lobby. I walked toward the exit to meet Mel, who would be waiting outside.
There was a single black Tesla waiting by the entrance. Unsure, I made my way toward it. A warm hand touched the small of my back, making me jump, my breath catching in my throat as my entire body exploded with fire.
My blood chanted his name.
The world stilled as I absorbed Kingston’s touch, fighting to regain some control over myself, struggling to decide what I should do, how I should react.
“Get in the car. I’m taking you for lunch,” Kingston’s voice teased my ears as he leaned down slightly to whisper in my ear.
“I can’t. I’m going to lunch with Mel,” I finally managed to say as he unlocked the passenger door of the black car.
“I stole her lunch date. Now you’re going out with me.”
“But…” I stood there, completely taken aback by the turn of events. Just a moment ago I’d decided to stay away from him, and now here I was, being pushed by fate into the arms of the very man I wanted to avoid.
“Get in, Ms. Roy,” Kingston repeated, standing by the driver’s side.
In his dark sunglasses, he looked murderously good, his chocolate brown suit with a brown polka dot tie and a cream shirt making him look dapper and fresh. His hair was shorter than the last time I’d seen him at his place, making me wonder what else he’d been up to over the weekend. Had he had sleepless nights like me, or was he unaffected and unbothered by it all, the way he portrayed himself to be? The thought of him not caring, not feeling the way I felt, instantly soured my mood, making me take a step back.
I turned away, my resolve to stay away from Kingston getting stronger with every step I retracted.
“Don’t you dare,” he growled.
My confidence faltered, but I didn’t stop, even as I heard his footsteps closing in.
I gasped as he grabbed my elbow. “You’re not running anymore, Vienna.” His glasses were off, and his fiery eyes enticed me, drowning me, making it impossible for me to save myself from surrendering to him.
Nothing mattered but him and me in this moment, lost in each other, seeking and sharing all that we desired and craved.
Silence becoming the anthem to our connection.
I wanted to fall into his arms and let go. I was tired of fighting this attraction. I wanted to end this and accept what I was feeling and act on it.
I wanted to kiss him without a worry in the world.
I wanted to moan with reckless abandon when his lips touched mine, and his tongue pushed through my barriers and claimed mine.
I wanted to wrap my arms around his neck and run my fingers through his lush brown hair, pulling him closer to turn our kiss feral.
I wanted to love him, and I wanted it right back.
But instead, I just stood there, lost and in love with a man who was turning my world upside down.
“Stop running, Vienna, and for once, follow my lead. I’m taking you for lunch.”
Kingston walked me to his car, opening the door and ushering me in. In the next moment, he was beside me, fastening his seatbelt. Seeing that I hadn’t moved, he leaned in, his lips dangerously close to mine, buckling me in. Without another word, he started his car and drove off.
Silence surrounded us, his presence overwhelming, kidnapping my sanity and my voice.
“What will it take for you to snap out of this? It’s starting to get on my nerves. I didn’t bring you along so that you could zip your lips.”
He was still driving, and I wasn’t sure where he was taking me, but at this point, that was the least of my concerns.
“I’m waiting.” He glared from behind his glasses, making a turn into the parking lot.
“Why are you taking me out for lunch?” I finally managed to ask.
“Because I need to talk to you.”
“About what?”
He didn’t answer. He switched off the ignition and got out of the car, opening my door for me.
I straightened my skirt as I stood in front of a Thai restaurant.
“Let’s grab something to eat, and I’ll tell you why I brought you here.”
Within the next few minutes, we were seated with our food orders on their way. Kingston had taken off his jacket before sitting, a simple gesture that fueled my desire.
“So, what did you want to talk about?” I asked, no longer able to hide my curiosity.
Kingston laughed and took a sip of water. “Always impatient.”
“I just want to get this over with and head back to work.”
He took another sip of his water and stared at me with a contemplative expression. “What do you want, Vienna?” he finally asked. He looked into my soul, and I knew with utmost surety what he was asking.
I stayed quiet, having a hard time finding the right answer. How could I tell him what I wanted when I didn’t know? “I don’t know.”
“Try again,” Kington pressed, his gaze holding me captive.
“I honestly don’t know! I don’t know why I can’t stop thinking about you. I don’t know why I can’t sleep at night. I don’t know why I dream about you, why I wake up in the middle of the night craving your touch, why, despite your crass behavior, I still only find peace when you look at me, giving me a rare glimpse of who you are beneath this dark exterior. I don’t know what my life has become ever since you came into it.” I looked at him, fighting the angry tears, unable to stop the words from pouring out of me. “I don’t want to feel this way, vulnerable and torn, but you do that to me. You rip away any barricades I shield my heart with and take it all, without even seeking my permission, and beyond my control and better judgment, I give in. I surrender myself to you. If you can give this a name.” I glared, my meekness transforming into rage with every word I spoke.
Our gazes locked, my anger meeting his fire, waiting to see who cracked first.
The rawness of his gaze unsettled me. It was too intense, his silence too loud. I needed to get away from him, save myself from getting burned. I couldn’t afford to.
Old pain resurfaced, and I snapped.
“I need to go,” was all I managed to say before I bolted. I ran, just like I had a few months ago with Jason.
But this time I didn’t get far.
Kingston caught me the moment I pushed past the entrance.
I cried out as he grabbed me by the elbow and guided us forward at a quick pace.
“Let me go!” My resolve broke, my strength shattered. I had to get away from him. “I need to get back to work.”
He kept walking us along until we reached a secluded area. He let me go then, flipping me around, crushing me between the wall and his hard chest. “You shouldn’t have said those things to me, Ms. Roy.” He glared at me, his hands caging me in, his breath hot on my face. His blue eyes danced with rage and lust, burning my soul.
“It’s the truth,” I whispered. “I’m tired of holding it in.”
“Fuck.” His blunt nails dug into my biceps as he pulled me closer.
“You’re the worst thing that’s happened to me, Ms. Roy,” he growled.
Summoning the last shred of my will, I pushed him away, but to no avail. He just pulled me in tighter, his action painful but not compared to his words.
“Fucking let me speak,” he spat, his mouth too close for comfort. “I’m done with you running.”
He crushed me into his body, tugging at my hair. His roughness didn’t bother me; he had nothing more to break. I was already shattered.
“It’s fucking killing me, fighting all you’ve brought upon my life, and all I’m trying to keep myself away from.” His breath on my lips ran shivers down my spine. “I see you, Vienna. I see what you’re doing to me. I see you know it in your amber eyes, and because of this very reason, I hate you. I hate you for what you do to me. I hate that you’ve made a fool of my self-control and ruined my life, but it fucking doesn’t matter anymore.”
I fought my tears. “Then let me go if I don’t matter.” I pushed him, but instead of freedom, he trapped me, erasing the final distance between our bodies, his lips crashing against mine, leaving no room for escape.
He took me with self-assured precision, his lips knowing exactly how to move to undo me, to enslave my body. I gripped his pristine shirt and ruined it the way his lips were ruining me. The world receded, the pain warped into passion, and crushed into his body, I found everything I needed, everything I was looking for.
I surrendered and found my freedom.