Temptation (Club X #1)(32)
Author: K.M. Scott

“Look at me! Stop fiddling around with your goddamned tie! Is this how you are to people you care about? I know you were into me. I know you liked spending time with me. I’m not stupid, Cash. I may be shy, but I know when someone likes me. Why are you acting like this?”

He looked up from his tie and those stunning blue eyes of his stared directly into mine. “You seem to know my name well enough now, Olivia.”

“Don’t do this. If I did something to offend you, I didn’t mean to. That doesn’t mean I deserved to be humiliated upstairs.”

Cash ran his hand through his short hair and took a deep breath, as if he was working to keep himself calm. I didn’t want him calm. I wanted to know how a man who could be so bothered by me not admitting it was him there with me in that fantasy room could be so cold to me now.

“Good night, Olivia.”

Chapter Twelve

Olivia

I wasn’t going to let it drop like that. As he stood there behind his desk, I marched around it to stand right in front of him. I wasn’t sure what to do next, but I wasn’t going to let this go.

“No! I want an answer from you. I know you wanted me like I wanted you, so why are you acting like this?”

He stared down at me with a look that was ice cold and searing hot at the same time. I felt the heat coming off him and knew whatever he was saying wasn’t how he truly felt. Moving closer to him, I lowered my voice. “Cash, I just want to understand what’s going on.”

“I don’t think that’s what you really want, Olivia.” He stepped forward, his chest brushing against my breasts making my nipples squeeze into hardened peaks. Lifting his arm, he pressed his palm against the wall, trapping me, and looked down. “So what do you really want, Olivia?”

“I’m not doing this little show for you. You want me to tell you I want you so you can throw it back in my face because I didn’t let you know I knew it was you there with me.”

My hands shook at my side as he continued to stare down at me so intently. A tiny lick of fear flickered in the back of my brain at the chance that I didn’t know Cassian March as well as I thought I did. I’d always seen him as a calm, almost cool person, not easily ruffled, but maybe that controlled façade was just that—a façade meant to hide something far more violent that lived inside him.

The problem was that even as I shook in fear at what might happen next, part of me had never been more turned on by any other man. I waited for him to react to my refusal to play along like we were still in the fantasy room, unsure what to do but knowing I wanted him more than ever.

“So instead of just going after what you want, you’re going to stand there like a little girl angry that you don’t get what you want. Is that it, Olivia?”

“Fuck you! Fuck you and your games. I should have just trusted my instincts about you.”

He stepped closer, his body pressing full against mine, but never broke his stare into my eyes. Low and deep, he asked, “And what did those instincts tell you?”

My defensiveness kicked into high gear and before I could stop them, the words I knew would hurt him most tumbled out of my mouth. “That the only March who could ever show me a good time is Stefan.”

I turned to look away, but I was too slow. His expression morphed into one so full of anger that I instinctively moved to run. He grabbed my arms and pushed me back against the wall as his leg pressed into my thighs just above my knee. In a voice so low I barely heard it, he said, “Then you should have played your game with him, little girl.”

Every way I turned, I saw his face. It was the face of betrayal, and I’d done that. I didn’t mean to. I’d just lashed out without thinking and before I knew it, those horrible words had come out. Instantly feeling awful, I quietly stammered, “I’m…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…”

“I know what you meant,” he bit out. “And you were wrong.”

He released his hold on my arms and backed away like I disgusted him. All at once, my fear turned to disappointment at myself and the entire situation. I hadn’t wanted this to turn out this way. Suddenly feeling alone even as he stood there in front of me, I reached out and grazed his shirt sleeve with my fingertips, hoping to stop him from leaving.

My touch surprised him, and he looked up at me with eyes so full of intensity I had to believe he cared and there was a chance I could make up for what I’d said. If I didn’t do something now, he’d leave and we might never know if there could have been something between us. So I stepped toward him and before I could chicken out, I kissed him full on the lips. It was crazy and stupid and I’d never felt more vulnerable. If this was never going to be anything real between us, at least I’d be able to say I’d conquered my fears and done everything I could to make this happen.

His lips hardened against mine as he fought kissing me, but gradually they softened and he kissed me with a passion he’d never shown me in our fantasy room. I felt like I was burning up as his mouth devoured mine, like at any moment the two of us would be consumed by our desires if we kept this up.

But I didn’t want to stop, and if the way his tongue slid over mine was any indication, he didn’t want to stop either. My hand clung to the back of his neck, desperate to have him closer. His cologne filled my nose, a powerful male scent that added another layer of need to my desire. He was sensory overload, taking my mind and body to a level I wasn’t sure I knew how to handle.

He pushed his hips forward, thrusting so his cock pressed long and hard against the front of my dress. I wanted to feel him—feel his skin against mine instead of through the barrier of our clothing. I knew it might look eager, but I angled my hips upward like he was fucking me, needy for some release after everything I’d felt that night.

“Olivia…” His voice was thick with passion and the promise of more. I wanted more. I wanted it all.

My core clenched at the thought of actually having more from Cash. Just kissing, he overwhelmed me, nearly taking my breath away. He intimidated me and enthralled me, all at the same time. Outside his office door, the rhythm of the music pounded like the beat of my heart, each moment faster and faster as we shared this moment together.

He directed me toward the conference room behind his office, never once breaking his kiss. As the realization of what was about to happen settled into my brain, I opened my eyes to see the man I was about to sleep with. I needed to see he wasn’t that cold fuck anymore but the sensual man who’d thrilled me every Friday for the past month.