69. Reese

We stand there, staring at each other for a few heartbeats. He drags a hand over his face, visibly collecting himself. “Look… Reese. I don’t want to fight with you.”

“I don’t want to fight with you either.”

My tone betrays me, sounding hard and defensive.

“Right.”

He raises a dark eyebrow. I watch him gather his words. “I hate the idea of you getting hurt.”

My shoulders tense. “Who said I got hurt?”

His dark eyes bore into mine, threatening to lay me bare. “You didn’t?”

I’m fine. Just this aching heart. This burning throat. “I’m good.”

“Your poker face sucks.”

“What face would you like me to make?”

I start walking towards the resort and he’s forced to follow.

“Make whatever face you want to make. I just want you to be honest with me.”

I glance at him. “About what?”

We step into the lobby of the resort, and both fall silent until we’re on the elevator. “Start with why you’re so mad at me.”

“I think I’ve made that pretty clear.”

“Because you think I’m dating Terry? I’m not.”

He adjusts his glasses. “But even if I was, wasn’t that the point of our whole arrangement? Get me into date-worthy shape?”

I can see his reflection in the elevator doors, feel the heat of his body standing just inches away. How can he be so close and feel so far away?

I need him to admit that he was caught up, just like I was. I need to know that I didn’t imagine it. “Do you regret it?”

He meets my gaze and responds without missing a beat. “Yes.”

My throat gets thick, and my eyes start to burn. I refuse to let him see me break down. Not while he stands there looking steely-eyed and collected.

The doors slide open, and I bolt for it.

“Reese.”

He grabs my arm and I jerk it free.

“Leave me alone.”

My voice is betraying me, breaking in the wrong places.

“I can’t.”

He grits out, pulling me hard against his chest. “I want to, but I can’t.”

He tucks my head under his jaw and wraps his arms around me. His voice is a low rumble, laced with anger and frustration. “I regret starting this with you because I can’t have you and God help me, you’re the only one I want. Everyone pales beside you. I thought it wouldn’t matter, but it does.”

He presses his face into my hair, breathing deeply. “I regret it because I can’t stop thinking about you. Wondering what you’re doing. Wishing I could touch you.”

My heart squeezes at his words. “You’re laying the blame at my feet.”

“Yes.”

“You’re the only one standing in your way.”

He laces his fingers through my hair, pulling slightly so that my head tilts back. “You don’t think I know that?”

His gaze moves to my mouth. Keeping his fingers twisted in my hair, he leans down and presses his lips to mine. It’s a kiss that I feel in my spine. A kiss that smolders all the way down to my toes. My fingers clutch at his hoodie, and he groans into my mouth.

Somehow, we’ve made it to the door. He breaks the kiss to rumble in my ear. “The lock.”

Right. I fumble to press the code into the keypad and the door swings open. His hands are already under my sweater before we even cross the threshold. We tumble inside, letting the door slam behind us. The coats and snow pants come off in a flurry. He puts his hands on my ass and hoists me up onto his hips. Slanting his lips over mine, he carries us towards the hall.

“That one.”

I point to my bedroom, and he steps into it, kicking the door shut behind us. With one hand holding me on his hips, he locks the door behind us and carries me to the bed. Setting me on the edge, he braces his hands on either side of my thighs. Leaning down, he looks down at me with dilated eyes. “Do you want it?”

I’m a fly caught in his web. “Want what?”

He brushes the tip of his nose across my cheekbone, stopping with his lips by my ear. “Do you want me like I want you?”

He takes my hand and when I don’t pull away, puts it on the bulge in his jeans. My hand naturally curves around it, squeezing. He grunts at my touch. “I don’t think I can go easy.”

I start to lift his shirt. “I don’t want you to.”