Taming the Storm

I feel territorial over her. Even though I have no right, I feel like she’s mine. And I don’t want anyone but me touching her.

“Lyla, got a minute?” I grind out. I don’t mean to sound so pissy, but there’s nothing I can do about it now.

Her head jerks, and her gaze hits mine. I don’t even bother to look at Cale.

I just relish in watching her stand, forcing his hand to fall away from her. I enjoy watching her walk toward me.

My eyes never leave her once, not even to blink.

She’s not looking at me though. Her eyes are lowered.

Fuck.

She’s been avoiding me since last night, and I took it in stride, giving her space to come around to things…to us.

Before, when she asked my opinion on something important to her, I thought we were taking a step forward.

But now, it appears we’ve gone two steps back.

And when I tell her about the video—well, I have a feeling that’s going to take us back even further.

As she nears, I step back, letting her pass by me and into the bedroom. The smell of her perfume has my head spinning and my cock hardening. She goes over and stands by the desk, putting the bed between us.

I raise an eyebrow and close the door. The click of the latch is loud in our silence. I turn back to her, wondering how to start.

Then, she blurts out, “I’m sorry!” She covers her face with her hands.

The sight of her upset feels like I’ve just been punched in the chest.

Striding around the bed, I cover the distance between us quickly. I slide my hands into her hair, forcing her face up to mine. She slowly drops her hands from her face. I don’t like what I see staring back at me from her eyes.

She looks sad and worried. It makes the punch in the chest feel like child’s play, compared to the bulldozer I just took, seeing her like this.

I’m guessing she knows about the video.

Well, I’m hoping she knows, so that her apology isn’t over something else. Something I don’t even want to think about. Cale.

“You’ve seen the video.”

Shaking her head, she blinks up at me. “I haven’t watched it, but I saw the headlines.” Her eyes lower. “I’m so, so sorry, Tom. I should have thought about it before I pulled my stunt last night. I know how famous you are, and believe it or not, even with who my parents are, I’m just not used to the fame. I was shielded from it, especially after my mom died. I sometimes forget—”

“Shh…it’s okay.” I press a soft kiss to her forehead.

“No, it’s not.” She moves her head gently from side to side. “I’ve embarrassed you.”

I let out a soft laugh.

That’s what she’s worried about. Not herself. But me.

“Trust me, you haven’t embarrassed me. Nothing embarrasses me. And even if I could be embarrassed, you”—I draw a line down her cheek with my finger, and I really like the shudder I feel in her from my touch—“could never embarrass me.”

She blinks those blues up at me. A feeling flashes through my chest.

“Is Jake angry?” she asks.

I notice she’s not moving away from me, so I take advantage and move closer, cupping her cheek in my hand.

“No, he’s not angry. He’s doing damage control now.”

“For you?”

“No, Ly, for you. He’s making sure that your connection to me won’t have the press digging things up on you.”

Her eyes lower again. She bites her lip.

I feel my cock jerk at the sight.

“I never thought of that,” she whispers.

“Don’t worry. I made mistakes, colossal fucking mistakes, in the beginning when TMS started getting recognition. Jake did as well. We know what it’s like. But it gets easier with time. It becomes the norm.”

She nods, eyes still lowered.

I don’t like it. I don’t like it when she’s not looking at me.

“Hey.” I tap her chin with my finger.

She brings her eyes to mine.

“It’s not a big deal. No one will care tomorrow. Okay?”

“Okay,” she breathes, a gorgeous smile edging those kissable full lips of hers.

Her eyes move over my face before settling on my mouth.

She wants me to kiss her.

“Ly…I’m gonna kiss you again.”

Her head moves infinitesimally. I take that as a yes. I don’t want to waste a second and give her a chance to change her mind. Moving in quickly, I capture her lips with mine. I slowly run my tongue along her lower lip, and then I seal my mouth over hers.

I kiss her with as much force as I can without hurting her. I want her to know how much I want her.

Her body goes limp in my hands.

I wrap my arms around her, encasing her. I lick the sweet-tasting inside of her mouth. She moans the sexiest fucking sound, and then she swirls her tongue around mine. Her hands go around my back, clutching me, and she digs her nails in. I can feel the pressure on my skin through my shirt.

I’m as hard as stone, and my cock is pressed up against her toned stomach.

The stomach that I’m going to get down on my knees and lick while I unbutton her jeans. Then, I’m gonna take her in my mouth and finally get to taste that sweet pussy of hers.

“I want you,” I breathe into her mouth.

“Oh God,” she whispers, her body trembling. She opens her eyes, staring straight into mine.

Her gaze is hazy and lust-filled, and in this moment, I really believe that I have her, that I’m going to get what I’ve been desperate for from the instant I laid eyes on her.