Page 103 of Taste of Blood

This whole push-pull dynamic we have going is driving me crazy. I just want what we had. To be able to count on him being there for me. When I get up in the morning. When I come home at night. When I need someone to talk to.

And that may be the worst part. No one knows me like Cord. He knows my history. My secrets. My desires. He knows what makes me strong and what renders me vulnerable. Because of that, he has power over me. Not that I think he would abuse it. Just as I would never abuse my knowledge of him.

He’s my other half. The part that makes me whole. The ten years we were apart were the longest, loneliest, darkest years of my existence. I never want to go back to that again. And I don’t know how many ways I can tell him that. I can manipulate any businessman into doing my bidding, but I don’t know how to make Cord trust me again. It’s frustrating as hell.

Speaking of frustrating, I stare down at my raging hard on, knowing I’m not going to be able to function today without taking care of it. I head for the shower and a date with my right hand, still feeling Cord’s lips closing around my cock.

♦ ♦ ♦

Elaine jumps me as soon as I get off the elevator. “You’re late. Is there a good reason for that?”

I try to ignore her and walk to my office, dropping my briefcase on my desk, but she’s like an annoying fly buzzing around me.

“Do you have something to tell me?” I ask.

“Do you?”

I take a deep breath and rein in my impatience, thinking how much better my mood would be if what transpired this morning hadn’t been a dream.

“Elaine…”

“Sorry.” She shoves a piece of paper in my hand. “The guest list.”

“Thank you,” I murmur as I scan the names. Two jump out at me.

Dante Fantini.

Howard Thalium.

I didn’t consider that Dante would be there, but as the leader of the Crimson Guild, he has managed to squirm his way to the top of the food chain in this town. Hopefully that won’t be a problem for Cord.

Knowing Thalium will be there ignites a spark of excitement in me. Finally we’ll be able to put a face to the name, that grainy photo aside. And maybe between the two of us, we’ll get some worthwhile intel out of him.

“So did he agree?” she asks.

“Huh?” I look up at her. “Who?”

“Cord. You were going to ask him if he’d be your plus one.”

“Oh. Yeah, he said he’d go if Thalium was going to be there.”

“All right! Sounds like a date.”

I smirk at her enthusiasm. “You’d think you were the one going.”

“I’d just love to get a picture of you two in your tuxes. You’ll only be the hottest looking couple at the event.”

I don’t even know how to respond to that so I just let it go.

“I had high hopes when you didn’t show up first thing this morning.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you,” I say.

“But you did see him, right?”

“He came by last night. We talked.” That’s not all we did, but she doesn’t need to know that, not that it will stop her from asking.

“Please tell me you did more than talk.”