Riri

M y whole body throbs at the way Jacques stares at me with a violent mixture of anger...and desire.

He wants me!

It was only three months ago that Jacques, having just been given the reins to his family's art foundation, started attending auditions and rehearsals.

And in all those three months, whenever I have the chance to sing for him, I can't help but feel that the attraction between us isn't one-sided.

I'm his, and he's mine!

But the moment he walks away, and I'm alone with my thoughts, doubts immediately creep in, and I start feeling scared and uncertain.

I would start questioning what I remember.

And wonder if maybe I'm only seeing what I want to see.

Because when I really think about it...

The idea of us simply doesn't make sense.

Jacques is a gorgeous billionaire who could have any woman he wants. He's THE Bachelor in the real world, and he has absolutely no reason to even notice someone like me, a nineteen-year-old girl with small-town California roots who's only studying at a New York university on scholarship.

Everyone says I have a lovely voice, but so do millions of others.

My dreams, my talents, or my passion - none of it counts until I make a name for myself.

I'm nothing.

He's everything .

And yet---

I know what I'm seeing.

It's there in his eyes.

And in the way he's making me feel all hot, faint, and absolutely bothered with how his gaze devours every inch of my wet and barely covered flesh as it travels over my form from head to toe.

He wants me!

The realization feels surreal, and when I see Jacques suddenly shove his hands deep into his pockets---

Oh!

It's my turn to suck my breath, and he hears this.

"What is it?"

His voice is low and rough, and my whole body trembles at the sound of it.

I can't even imagine how sexy it would sound if he were to use that same tone to say my name.

He wants me.

Me!

He wants me!

I feel heady just thinking about it, and when I notice how his hands are still shoved deep into the pockets of his trousers, it's then I hear myself say, "Why are you doing that?"

"What do you mean?"

There's this tiniest part of my brain that's still capable of functioning properly, and it's warning me to tread carefully.

But because the rest of me is already lost and completely consumed by the scorching heat of his presence---

"I see you clench your fists sometimes when we talk," I whisper. "And I realize it's because you want to push me away."

His jaw clenches, and my breath catches.

Because I know.

He might as well have said yes by doing so.

And if I were right about that, then---

"I also notice you cracking your knuckles at times," I hear myself say. "And it always made me wonder if that was something you did...every time you have the urge to push me down---"

"Watch your words!"

"---and have your way with me?"

Jacques just stares at me this time, but oh, what I see in his eyes---

It's true, I think dazedly. It's actually also true!

And the moment I realize I have all of those things right---

"There's one thing I haven't figured out..."

The air between us suddenly feels it's about to explode with sexual tension.

"What you're doing now..."

And I can't wait, oh I can't wait for it to happen.

"What do you really want to do when you have your hands deep in--- oh!"

My words end in a gasp because Jacques suddenly has me backed up against the wall.

"This."

And now he's gripping my hair in his fist.

"I want to do this."

He's already ripped the towel off my body before he's even done speaking, and all I can do is gasp and tremble when I realize I'm suddenly naked in front of him.

"And this is just the start."

The way he stares at me as he growls the words out makes me tremble even harder.

It's so, so obvious that he wants to scare me.

And he does.

This is all new to me, and he's the first and only man I've ever felt attracted to.

So yes, this scares me.

But that's not the only thing he makes me feel, and that's why--

"Afterwards, I'd like to fuck you in every way there is."

When I hear him say such words, I can only think of one thing to say back.

"Then why don't you?"

Because as much as he terrifies me right now, I also believe with all my heart and soul that he can't ever hurt me.

And he proves this to be true when I hear him swear just before abruptly moving back like I'm suddenly poison to him.

"Damn you."

He bends down, and I have a hard time stifling my smile again as he wraps the towel around my body.

"I thought you wanted to f---"

"Shut up."

Oh my, how adorable.

I think he doesn't want to hear me drop the F-bomb.

"Cover yourself before you make yourself sick."

I give him an obedient smile. "Yes, Jacques."

He glares at me. "It's Mr. Carpentier, dammit."

"I'll only call you that when I'm Mrs.---"

"This is not a fucking game, damn you."

My smile fades. "I know it isn't---"

"Then stop acting like something can happen between us," he growls.

His words catch me off guard, and a flash of pain grips my chest.

"The only reason I came here is because Joyce wanted me around while she tells you all the good news."

There are so many things I want to say, but I've completely lost the courage to speak.

"Good day, Ms. Padilla."

Just as it's my first time to lose my heart to a man, it's also my first time to have a man break it, and so all I can do is watch him walk away.

And when the door closes behind Jacques, that's when the tears start to fall.