Breakfast on Tuesday

15. Skilled girl

I stared at him defiantly. The red tinge on his left cheek stood out against his fair skin like a laser in the dark. I shouldn't have done that, slap him like that, but I panicked and reacted out of fear and self preservation.

"Did you just threaten to kill me?" I demanded.

"Only if you turn out to be someone else." His voice was low and emotionless. "Let me see your neck."

Swallowing, I turned my head and allowed him to inspect my neck. His fingers glided gently from my jawline to my collarbone.

"You are the closest I've been to a woman in months. I stopped feeling a long time ago, but when I saw you outside on the wet floor, something akin to desire curled itself around my heart, and I knew I couldn't let you walk away. Don't make me regret that decision."

I bent my head back and turned my chin a little until I met his eyes straight on. "You couldn't let me walk away so you could what, use me? Accuse me of being a spy? Choke me and threaten to kill me? You have a fucked up way of expressing desire for a woman."

"I'm sorry, Carla."

"You can take your apology and stick it where the sun doesn't shine. Now get off me."

His eyes narrowed. "I have to protect Anna, even if that means protecting her from you."

"I am not the enemy," I gritted. "And you don't get to treat me like shit based on no evidence."

He looked at me for a long time, a series of conflicting emotions flitting over his hard features. "Again, I'm sorry. I believe you. I believe you are who you say you are."

"Too late now. Please, get off me."

He sighed and got off me. I remained on the bed for a bit longer, staring at the ceiling, waiting for my heartbeat to calm the fuck down. I hadn't noticed it was racing until now.

"Carla promise me you're going to stay out of this. If the streets taught you things, you should know never to ask too many questions. Shit like that will get you killed where I come from."

He has a point. And I told you he was dangerous. Why don't you ever listen to logic?

"I've learned my lesson, and now it's time for me to go." I sat up and started putting on the rest of my clothes. Across the room, Dante had a towel wrapped around his waist and it looked like he was about to get into the shower. I couldn't help but notice the deep V at his front and the bulge in his towel. Dammit, this man was too sexy for his own good.

He followed my gaze and then slowly looked back up at me, his eyes darkening. "When will I see you again?"

I paused midway through tying my shoe. Confused, I didn't know what to say.
"It's time for me to leave. I don't want to overstay my welcome."

"I want to see you again," he stated.

"Do you think that's smart after everything that happened?"

"Nothing happened. We had incredible sex and then there was a misunderstanding. But we're all good now. Aren't we?" Those cold eyes of his regarded me coolly.

"I don't know if I want to see you again. I can't sit here and let you play with my feelings. I may have been a virgin but I'm not dumb. I'm going to catch feelings for you if we keep doing this."

All of a sudden he was right in front of me. He tipped my chin upward, his thumb grazing my lower lip."You shouldn't leave in this weather, Carla. Stay here until this is over. Stay the night."

As usual, I started drowning in the desert storm of his eyes, eyes that were now fixated on my lips. We both shifted forward at the same time. Our lips met and collided. My heart hammered in my chest. I stopped breathing. Butterflies scattered in my belly and I was impelled to inhale, to take him in. The scent of his vigorous cologne acted like a love potion and sent my body spiraling.