Page 105 of Red Retaliation

I feel sick at the prospect. What if Red thinks I encouraged that man?

Suddenly, the nightmare of tonight’s events bulldozes into my brain, and I bite my lip. I’m not thinking straight; that’s why I just said what I did.

“Arianna.”

Remaining turned away, I feel Red’s weight on the edge of the bed, but I still can’t look at him. I don’t want to look at him. I can’t bear knowing he doesn’t want me.

“Arianna!” Red’s voice is forceful. “Look at me.”

Despite my misgivings, I turn towards the voice which melts my insides every time I hear it. Meeting his eyes, his piercing gaze sears my heart, and when he reaches for my hand, I want to pull away, but find my fingers drawn to his with that impossible magnetic attraction.

“As I said, I’m happy to stay on the floor while you sleep,” Red murmurs. “I’ll even stand at the door the entire night if you prefer?” He pauses, like he’s weighing up whether he wants to say his next words or not, and I can’t pull my eyes from his. “I’ll do anything you want me to do.” He rakes his free hand through his hair. “When I thought I’d never see you again tonight, it... it almost killed me.”

My breath hitches. “B-But you said...”

“I say a lot of things!” Red shakes his head, his gorgeous hair loose over his bare shoulders. “I mean everything I say, aside from that I don’t want you. Idowant you. I’ve wanted you since the first time I saw you.”

My heart ups its pace. “I...”

“You’re the first woman I’ve had to keep my distance from,” he continues, making my soaring heart plummet as fast as it rose. “I can’t be with a woman I really want when she’ll never want me.”

I’ll never want him? It’s the other way around, isn’t it?

I push myself up from where I’m leaning against the headboard to cautiously move closer. I’ve never been so forward in my life, but if tonight has brought anything positive, it’s shown me I should act on what I want. “Idowant you. I shouldn’t... but I do. And I have done for some time...”

CHAPTER

75

Red

I’M SITTING ON THE BED and Arianna’s eyes are on mine. My face is neutral, but I know my eyes are afire. How can they not be? And if she looks down, she’ll see my cock straining to be freed from under the towel around my hips.

I’m not sure I can bear this. After everything, Arianna tells me she wants me, yet I cannot take her. Not tonight. Not after...

Oh, Jesus. This will take the mother of all control.

I trail my fingers down her beautiful face. “We’ll talk about this tomorrow, okay?”

I shouldn’t be so goddamn close. I shouldn’t be sitting on this bed either. All I want to do is kiss her and claim her as mine.Fully.

“I don’t want to talk about it tomorrow,” Arianna whispers, lifting her chin so I drown in her violet eyes, her lips inches from mine.

My cock throbs so hard, desperate to take her. I want her writhing under me, watching her face as I make her come over and over.

I don’t mean to let the growl escape my throat, but I can’t stop it, the need to possess this woman trampling over logical thought, my body demanding it receives what it’s been clamoring for since the day I laid eyes on this exquisite creature who invades every waking second of my life.

Every dream.

All of it.

Her hand moves to my face, her fingers scorching my jaw.Control, Red, control, for fuck’s sake!

“Arianna.” I make the mistake of focusing on her lips - the ones I want so desperately on mine.

Despite the implications taking this decision will cause, the only thing on my radar right now is what occurred tonight. Does Arianna want me as a rebound from her attack? If that’s the case, then taking her up on her offer and fulfilling my wildest dreams would be taking advantage of a vulnerable situation, and I don’t want to claim her under those circumstances. I want her togenuinelywant me.

As if sensing my inner turmoil, Arianna freezes. “Is it because of tonight? I...”