Page 50 of Sweet Possession

“Maybe.”

For a minute, we both remained silent, the two of us refusing to tearour gaze away from the other.Thatwas the moment I knew for surethatI wasn’t falling for Cora anymore.

I’d fallen.

Hard.

And there wasn’t a time when I’d been happier.

“What about Jessie?”Cora asked before I could find my ballsand tell herjusthow much she meant to me.

My heart leaped into my throat. I wanted to tell her about my sister, Ireallydid. But I didn’t want my bad memories to sour our night. Thankfully, time was on my side.

“I want to tell you, baby girl. I promise I’m not trying to avoid thesubject, but we need to get going or we’ll be late for the next part of our night.”

Her face broke into a brilliantly bright smile.“There’s more?”

I stroked the cherry of her cheek with my thumb.“You bet. And I havea feeling this will be your favorite part of the night.”

Chapter 14

Cora

The morning after the most amazing night of my life, I pretended tobe asleep when Fox leaned over to kiss me before heading to work for the day.

I was a coward. I didn’t want to face him, terrified of being rejected.

Again.

At least that’s what it felt like.

As soon as the door closed, I rolled onto my back and sighed. I musthave done something wrong last night. What though? I didn’t know, but it was the only conclusion I could come to.

After we’d left the Empire State Building, Fox took me to see a showon Broadway. And notjustany show,but The Lion King.He’d remembered me telling him it had been my favorite film when I wasyounger, and would watch it on repeat until my dad got fed up with me singingHakuna Matataaround the house, and snapped the DVD in half.

The show was spectacular, but there was a part of methatcouldn’tconcentrate. I couldn’t stop thinking about what I wanted to happen when we got back to the hotel.

I was ready.

I wanted Fox to take my virginity.

But I didn’t knowhowto tell him I was ready. I didn’t want to soundlike the inexperienced virgin I was by blurting to himthatI wanted to have sex, and the more I worried about how to instigate it, the more my insecurities dominated my thoughts.

By the time we got back to our room, I’d managed to convince myselfthatFox wouldn’t want to have sex with me because I would be completely and utterly rubbish at it. My self-doubt only grew when we got into bed and Fox pulled me into his arms, kissed me on the cheek, and whispered goodnight.

His hand didn’t move between my legs like I’d imagined, nor did hestrip me out of my pajamas and kiss me all over like I’d hoped. I didn’tevenfeel his erection pressed against my back as he held me.

I laid awake for most of the night letting my demons dance in myhead, reminding methatI was useless and no one would ever want me. When Fox’s alarm went off, Ijustcouldn’t bring myself to look at him out of fearthathe would finally see the pathetic girl I was, and end things before they couldreallybegin.

I let out another sigh, a soul-crushing weight pressing down on mychest as despair seeped into my marrow. Hoping a shower, along with the memory of Fox’s mouth between my legs would help to shake my sour mood, I jumped out of bed and headed for the ensuite.

But the shower didn’t help.

If anything, it only soured my mood further when one of the littledemons still prancing in my head told methatFox didn’t want to have sex with me because I must have tasted disgusting.

The stream of the warm water hid the tears cascading down mycheeks.

Giving up on hopingthatI’d start to feel better, I got out and started todress.Justas I finished putting my top on, a knock at the door echoed through the suite, followed by someone announcing it was room service.