Page 65 of Shallow

Only allnight.

“Just a little.” I lose my footing and stumble into themolding.

“Ugh, go home, Cary.” Rolling her eyes, she steps back to shut meout.

I wedge my foot against the frame and wince as she smashes the door into it. “Not until you talk tome.”

It’s probably stupid to keep provoking her like this. Shiloh could have me in the back of a squad car before I made it back down the steps. However, I’ve come this far, and I’m not leaving until we get some shitstraight.

“What the hell do you want from me?” she screams, flinging the door back open and fisting her hands by her side. “You want to humiliate me some more? Didn’t get enoughearlier?”

“That’s not what that wasabout.”

Her gray eyes flicker. “No? Then what was it about? Power? Revenge?Sex?”

The whiskey rushing through my veins is telling me to shove my way inside. Instead, I roll my lips over my teeth and take a deep breath. “Look, if you’ll just let me come in andexplain—”

She tries to swing the door closed again. “Go tohell.”

Static fills my head as I slam my hand against it and push it open. Shiloh staggers backward with her palms pressed out in front ofher.

Like that will stopme.

She stumbles around expensive furniture, her tiny athletic shorts riding up her legs with every twist of her hips. The more she backs up, the faster I stalk her, eventually pressing her against the foyer wall. There’s always been a magnetic force between us, and this is noexception.

I can’t take itanymore.

Her closeness, her scent, and the vulnerability I wish to hell she’d never let me see force my mouth on hers before I can think better of it. At first, she denies me, but I’m too far gone to care. Gripping her chin, I groan her name against her lips, and she immediately opens. There’s no gentleness to our kisses. They’re hard, deep, and filled with an urgent need I’ve never known with anyoneelse.

Shiloh doesn’t stop me, taking as much from me as I do from her. Kissing her like this calms the noises in my head, creating a moment between chaos and riot where I can finallythink.

Breaking away, Shiloh gasps and presses her fingers over her lips. That gasp spurs me on, and I cup her chin, forcing her eyes onme.

“You want me to go to hell? Too fucking late, because I’m already init.”

She swallows. “Why? I’m the one sentenced to be yourslave.”

“No, it’s the other wayaround.”

Ducking her head, she moves across the room to a small sitting area. I watch her, the alcohol diluting from my system. She straddles the armrest of a leather loveseat and leans forward on both hands, glancing at me over hershoulder.

“Why did you kissme?”

“Why did you stopme?”

She sighs. “You knowwhy.”

“Enlightenme.”

Shiloh bows her head, waves of blonde hair shielding her face from my view. “You don’t know what you want, Cary. Taking me ice skating was one of nicest things anyone has ever done for me. You actually listened to what I had to say.” She settles a pained stare on me. “People look at me; they don’t listen. They don’t think what I have to say is as important as what Iwear.”

“I’ve alwaysthought—”

“Let me finish,” she interrupts, holding up her hand. “I haven’t felt that good about myself in a long time, and then you had to go and ruin it. I understand you were upset at Romeo. What he did was stupid and irresponsible. I even get that it brought up unresolved issues with me. I don’t begrudge you your anger, Cary. I can take it because you’re entitled to it.” She sits up straight and pushes her shoulders back. “What you’re not entitled to is treating me like awhore.”

Her words hit hard. “You’reright.”

“I’m sorry,what?”