Total pages in book: 88
Estimated words: 88305 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88305 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 442(@200wpm)___ 353(@250wpm)___ 294(@300wpm)
Sebastian is downright beautiful in everyday clothes, but he looks like a god in his football uniform with those two streaks of black underneath his eyes.
He winks and it’s like I’ve been hit with a thunderbolt. I immediately cut off eye contact and hurry to the cheer squad.
Now he must think I’m into him or something.
Way to go, Nao.
I’m restless during the entire practice, waiting for it to end with bated breath so that I can retreat and rebuild my walls.
I barely manage to keep from looking at him, even though I feel his attention on me the entire time.
When Reina calls it a day, I practically flee from the field.
I spend more time than needed in the shower until almost everyone leaves.
When I come out, Reina and Prescott are talking to the coach in the office adjacent to the locker room. Their voices are clear, but not their words.
Hopefully, they’ll leave before I’m done. I’m not in the mood for jabs today. Or any type of talk, actually.
My sense of self has taken a jab and I need to carefully nurture that part of me back to life.
I’m sliding my panties up my legs when the door opens.
Letting the towel fall, I speak without turning around. “Give me a minute. I’ll be right out, Luce.”
The voice that answers me is completely different from my friend’s.
My spine jerks upright when it echoes around me. “Take all the minutes you need. I’ll be right here.”
13
Naomi
There are a few possible reactions I could have to seeing Sebastian in the locker room.
The most logical should be anger.
If not that, then maybe embarrassment.
Confusion, even.
But the thing that beats loudly in my chest is so similar to…relief.
What is that supposed to mean? Is there any logical explanation under the circumstances?
Sebastian’s gaze darkens as he runs it over the length of me, his tongue darting out to lick his upper lip. “I knew those tits were beautiful.”
That’s when I realize I’m standing in front of him in nothing but my panties. I jerk backward, grabbing the towel and holding it against my naked chest.
He steps closer, the tenor of his voice low and chill-inducing. “I’ll see you naked sooner or later, baby. Hiding won’t serve any purpose.”
“What makes you think I want you to see me?”
“Oh, you do.” He jerks his chin in my direction. “You’re trembling with excitement.”
“Maybe I’m trembling with anger.”
“Not with your pupils dilated and your cheeks blushing.” He reaches a hand to my face and I flinch at the last second, so he only grabs air.
I have no clue how I’ll react if he touches me and I’d rather not find out.
If it were up to me, I’d be running away from here, even in my half-naked state. But still, my legs won’t move.
My heart won’t stop thumping, grinding in remembrance of the last time I was trapped alone with him.
In the darkness.
On my knees.
I shoo those thoughts away as I keep out of his reach. But if I thought that would save me from his clutches, I thought wrong.
His hand shoots out in my direction and before I can think of what he’s doing, he wraps it around my throat. His fingers press against my pulse point until my breath is nearly cut off.
“Stop fighting it, Naomi.”
“Fighting what? You?” I try to hold on to my venom, even if his hold around my throat blasts a strange sensation through my limbs.
“No, you.”
“Me?”
“It’s not me you’re fighting right now, Tsundere. You’re going up against yourself, trying to erase the part that let go in the forest. You dislike succumbing to your carnal desires, even if a part of you is trembling for it right now. Even if your eyes are screaming at me to fuck you from behind like a dirty little slut while your coach is next door. And guess what? That part is the truest thing I’ve ever seen of you.”
Something dark and sinister drops to the bottom of my stomach along with his words, but the last thing I want is to get lost in them or the meaning behind my reaction, so I blurt, “I don’t want you to fuck me.”
“The fact that you focused on that part proves that you do. You just find it hard to let go. As it happens, I like that about you and I intend to bring you out and have you own that sexuality, baby.”
“I’m not your baby.”
“You are now. So how about you release that towel and let me see you?”
“No. And if you force me, I’ll fight.”
“I do like your fight, your squirming, and how you make me fucking hard, but it’s not your reluctance I’m after. When I do see you, it’ll be under both our terms.” He strokes my pulse point, a hum ripping from his chest. “Do you hear your heartbeat? The excitement in it? That’s what happened in the forest, you know. The chase and the wrestling made you hot and bothered, and being on your knees added fuel to your fire. Tell me, did you touch yourself as soon as you got home?”