All the Pretty Lies (Pretty #1)(29)
Author: M. Leighton

No, I’d never admit that to anyone. Not even to myself.

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE – Sloane

At first, I refused to do as Hemi had requested. I told myself that I was not coming to the shop tonight. Period. I’m not required to be at his beck and call. Besides that, I was humiliated just thinking of facing him again after what happened. But then I realized it would look much worse if I didn’t come. So here I am, waiting for everyone else to clear out of the shop so that there are no witnesses to whatever embarrassing conversation I’m about to have.

Sasha is the last one out. Of course. I see the front door open and she emerges. Alone. Hemi is nowhere in sight. That gives me comfort and satisfaction for some reason. He didn’t walk her to the door. That must mean he wasn’t hanging on her every word and look. At least that’s what I tell myself it means.

I watch her get into her bright red little convertible and pull away from the curb. I resist the urge to throw up in my mouth. Ack! I don’t even like that woman’s car!

I watch until her tail lights disappear over the crest of the hill and only then do I get out of my own car. I stand and straighten my skirt, taking a deep breath as I cross the street. It’s as I’m nearing the curb that I see Hemi come to the door. I guess he’s locking up for the night.

I stop when he looks up, my eyes meeting his through the smoked glass door. His hand pauses in midair, hovering over the lock. He doesn’t move for a few seconds. It makes me wonder if he’s debating whether to talk to me or just ignore me. When he moves his hand away from the lock, I know what he’s decided. Leaning forward, he pushes open the door and waits for me to enter. So I do. Neither of us says a word as he closes and locks it behind me.

Not knowing what kind of confrontation lies ahead, I stand, chin up and chest out, and wait for him to say whatever it is he needs to say. But he doesn’t speak. Instead, he walks around the counter and through the doorway that leads into the back room.

I wait a few seconds before I follow, finding him standing at the chair he uses to tattoo. It’s extended and flattened into a table, no doubt for him to clean it.

Hemi is leaning forward, his fingers curled into tight fists and planted on the padded, vinyl surface. Although his head is down, I don’t need to see his face to know that he’s mad about something. I can see it in every rigid line of his body.

I approach slowly, the heels of my sandals making a delicate tap on the tile floor. The air is cool on my bare arms and legs, and I shiver as I stop a few feet away. “What did you want to talk to me about, Hemi?”

He doesn’t move or speak. I can see the veins standing out along his forearms, and his triceps are bunched. I’d had reservations about coming at all. Now, I’m thinking I should’ve listened to my gut.

“If you’re not going to speak to me then I’ll just go.”

I start to move backward when he looks up at me, pinning me with his angry stare. “Don’t you dare,” he growls. He pushes himself upright and takes two long strides that bring him to me. Right to me, his chest within an inch of mine. “You’re gonna tell me what the hell you were thinking with that stunt?”

“What stunt?” I ask, taken aback.

“Taking your clothes off and lying naked, on a table, in front of a bunch of slobbering idiots.”

“That wasn’t a stunt. I did that for school. I got—”

“The hell you did! You did that to get back at me.” His teeth are clenched so tight I can almost hear them grinding.

“Get back at you? For what? That’s ridiculous.”

“You wanted to show me what I can’t have, what I’m missing out on? Well, you showed me all right.”

“Hemi, that makes no sense. What are you talking about?”

“I’ve done everything within my power to stay away from you. To keep it professional. To keep my hands off you. And then you go and do this.”

I see red. “You are an egotistical ass**le! This had nothing to do with you. It had everything to do with me. I didn’t get naked and show my body to everyone in that room to show you anything. I did it to prove to myself that I could. That I would.”

“And did you like it? Knowing that all those eyes were on you? That everyone in that room, male and female, would slit a man’s throat for one little taste of you?”

“That’s insane! No one in that room was looking at me that way.”

“Oh, that’s where you’re wrong,” he spits furiously. “You have no idea what you looked like up there. With your hair put up and a few curls dangling down on your shoulder.” Reaching out, Hemi fingers the strands that still rest there. “Your lips so red and kissable.” His eyes rise to my mouth. I have the sudden urge to moisten my lips. “And your br**sts, so round and firm. Oh, God!” he groans, “I’ve never wanted to touch somebody so bad in all my life. Not one person. Ever. My tongue tingled just thinking about sucking one of those pink little ni**les into my mouth. And when you looked up at me, I could see it in your eyes. You were wishing the same thing. You were wishing I was touching you.” His voice is low and thick, hypnotic. It oozes over my skin like molasses. “Tell me you were wishing I was touching you.”

He’s weaving a web of desire around me, his words like strands of the strongest silk, holding me captive. I’m trapped by them, ensnared by him until he either lets me go or makes me his.

Before I can think better of it, I give him honesty. “I was. I could barely breathe when you were looking at me,” I admit breathlessly.

“I know I’ll hate myself for this tomorrow, but I have to have a taste of you, Sloane. I can’t deny myself for one more minute. Let me show you what I was thinking when I saw you lying up there. Let me show you what it feels like when a man stops fighting.” His words drift away as his face draws closer to mine. I feel his breath, warm and moist, on my lips. “Let me show you what it feels like when your wish comes true.”

And then his lips touch mine. From the first touch, I get the feeling he wants to devour me. They’re firm and insistent. His tongue is demanding when it licks across my mouth, determined to slip inside. I welcome it. I welcome him.

It tangles wetly with mine, and I wonder at the flavor of him. It’s even better than I thought it would be.

He pulls my bottom lip into his mouth and sucks gently on it as his fingers find the straps of my sundress and slide underneath. He trails his hands down my arms, dragging the straps with them, peeling the dress from my body. I feel the cool air hit my stomach when the material falls to the ground.