Trigger Happy (Girls with Guns, #2) (11 page)

“I am sorry for everything that has been happening between us lately. I am very sorry for making you cry that day in my office. I’m usually not that kind of man to be so insensitive,” he chuckled, “somehow you just bring that out of me.”

“I told you I wasn’t crying because of you.”

He moved closer yet, his voice low, “Would you stop lying to me, Reina? How can we move forward if you keep doing this?” Did he want to move forward with her? He didn’t know what he meant by that but, fuck, he came to apologize and start with a clean slate and if she couldn’t be honest, what good would that do them?

“You have made it pretty clear that you don’t want to move forward with me, don’t you think?”

He ran his hand through his hair, “I don’t know what I want when it comes to you Amber. But I know I don’t want to keep making you cry. Blake told me all about your parents. I’m sorry about them. I’m sorry I said that about the whole dance thing. I really didn’t mean to hurt you because of that.”

“Are you actually sorry you said it or sorry I heard you?”

Gage thought a moment, “Both. This means much more to you than I would have ever known and I didn’t know nor did I think that it carried that much meaning to someone...especially you.”

Gage couldn’t help himself from glancing down at her robe. She had it tied snug on her body but her sweet milky skin peeking out from the folds had him debating if he should untie it right then and there. He’d like to think he remembered exactly what was underneath and in his memory he was certain he did. But on the off-chance he was wrong, he wouldn’t mind seeing her body again. If he went to untie it, would she let him? Or would she hate him even more than she did right then? This was the kind of shit she did to him. Normally a take-charge kind of guy and here he was debating what his next move should be!

“I’m pretty obsessed about it,” her voice came out softer than she would have liked but the way he kept staring at her had her breathless. His eyes held turmoil as if he too, wasn’t sure if he should give into his craving for her or if he should walk out her door without a backward glance. She silently taunted him,
put your hands on my body just once, you won’t regret it.
He would be on his knees if he untied her robe and found her hardened nipples waiting in anticipation. Her breathing accelerated. She could smell his salty skin and she so badly wanted to put her lips on his neck and lick him - taste his saltiness. Being this close, his body heat was making her shiver.

“So is that an apology accepted or do you still hate me?” his husky voice brought her out of her daydream. She licked her lips imagining his taste on her lips.

“Gage, I don’t hate you. Sometimes I don’t like you, but it’s never hate. It’s quite the opposite of that actually. I get super-sensitive about things that I probably shouldn’t and that’s my own fault. That day in your office, I was trying my hardest to make you want me and when you made it clear you didn’t – which I knew; I only hurt myself. This isn’t to mention the things I have going on inside of me having to do with my parents. I am a wreck and truthfully, you are on the right track. It would probably be in your best interest to stay as far away from me as you could get.”

Her beauty was driving him crazy – the pinkness that still stained her cheeks from crying tore at his insides. The way she spoke of herself like she was some colossal fuck-up had him wanting to whisper sweet nothings into her ear, letting her know that she was not a wreck. She was anything but. The way she helped her friends out, her persistence with him and the hard work she put in to get the Classy Cats as far as she had in the finals – she was amazing. Her bright blue eyes were filled with a hint of sadness and maybe desire but to him, she looked like a beauty queen. A lost beauty queen he wouldn’t mind doing naughty things with.

“Reina, you are right about staying far way from you. That is exactly what I have been trying to do since the day I saw you at Agave.”

He watched her eyes as more sadness flooded them. He knew his words hurt but he had to finish what he wanted to say.

“Look at me, Amber,” he tapped her cheek, “But staying away from you is pretty fucking hard to do. Especially when you come in prancing around my office like you do – looking so appealing in your tight jeans. You don’t think I really don’t notice, do you?”

Amber was having a difficult time keeping up. He wanted to stay away...but he liked her jeans? What was he saying?

“Gage, what are you saying exactly?”

“I don’t know Amber. I really don’t know.”

That was enough. There he went again being in-fucking-decisive. He didn’t wait for her response this time. He did what he thought would show her best and leaned into her and gently placed his mouth on hers. He kissed her slow at first, not sure of what her reaction would be. When she didn’t move away from him – or smack him, he kissed her harder. He pried her mouth open with his tongue and swept it into her mouth. Finally, sweet solace! Her mouth was warm and wet and welcoming. Her tongue met his tongue and he stroked it with greed. Her fingertips dug into his arm and pulled at him, beckoning him closer still.

This is what he needed, what he hadn’t wanted to want...or need. He guided her to the back of her sofa and pressed himself into her as he continued his sweet assault on her mouth. He was unbelievably hard and he was sure she could feel what he wanted to do to her. He pressed himself into her body, into the robe that he still desired to know what was underneath. Her arms finally came up around his neck, leaving any questions he had about her wanting this as much as he, answered.

He pulled away, breaking their kiss, “What are we doing, Amber? I’m not sure what I can give you.”

With her arms still around his neck, she rolled her eyes, “That’s your problem, Mr. CEO, you think too much. Just enjoy this moment of peacefulness between us. It doesn’t have to go anywhere. We don’t have to promise each other anything, okay? What’s one kiss between adults?”

Amber leaned in to kiss him again. She kissed him deep. She kissed him like had she dreamt about. She made up her mind right then and there – if given the chance, she was going to kiss this man with eyes made of steel until he begged for more. The way he kept looking at her was enough to make her heart melt. The heavy desire in his eyes was what she had been wanting since the day she walked into his office. No, his arms around her and his intoxicating kisses were what she had been longing for since she had walked into his office. She had a feeling he was questioning what was under her robe and she was going to do everything in her power to make him find out.

She was shocked that he had shown up on her doorstep this late at night. And utterly aroused too. How could the one man she wanted so badly make her hurt just as easily? She had plenty of men in her life and looking back, she didn’t really give a flying fuck what they thought. But somehow Gage Alexander, CEO was different. He was different in the way he wouldn’t bow down to her like other men had. No, he ran in the opposite direction. He made her want him more and more and gave her nothing in the middle. He strolled into her studio demanding her to do this and that – and truthfully, it secretly aroused her. Thinking about it now, aroused her. Him kissing her back with the same intensity as she kissed him, aroused her. The hardness pressed up against her, aroused her. Plain and simple was that this man who had muscles and physical features that she witnessed first-hand today, made women gush – aroused the fuck out of her. No pun intended.

But this is where Gabriella’s snarky voice decided to pop into her head reminding her of all the things she should do to avoid Gage. Especially of how she was worthy of so much more than he was obviously willing to give her. Wasn’t only moments ago she was asking Gage not to think too much? Couldn’t she take her own advice? She tried pushing Gabriella’s voice out of her mind as Gage’s well-manicured hand traveled down her robe to the hemline grazing her mid-thigh. Oh dear God how she wanted him to travel upward beneath her robe. So badly. But the moment she spread her legs a tiny bit apart in anticipation, Gabbie’s voice popped in her head again and she knew she couldn’t ignore it any longer.

She heartbreakingly pulled her mouth away from Gage’s, “We should stop.”

“No we shouldn’t.”

“Yeah, Gage, we should.”

“Why? I apologized and I meant it.”

“I know you did. But apologizing one minute and deciding you want me is a lot different than avoiding me for ten minutes like you have been. Its nothing new that I want you and maybe,” she tilted her head, “you want me but it’s too hard to try and read all these signals. Truthfully, I don’t know what you want. Let’s just try to be friends okay?”

Friends? Gage adjusted his crotch. Was she fucking with him? He looked into her seriously serious bright blue eyes. Her mouth and surrounding skin was pink from his five o’clock shadow and her lips were not showing even the merest hint of a smile indicating that she was fucking with him. No, she was completely serious. Great. Just great. He continued watching her, trying to figure her out when all he really wanted to do was bend her over the couch and have his way with her. What made her change her mind now? When she seemed to be so hot and heavy only moments ago.

“I don't know what I can give you Amber, but I know what I want. I want you. Isn't that enough?”

“Not tonight it isn't. I'm sorry. Normally that would be enough with me but for some strange reason it's not enough tonight.”

Great, tonight of all nights she had to go and have a change of heart? What was it with women? How could they change their mind so fast? One minute she was ready for anything, and now she was suggesting friendship! Especially when he had finally admitted he wanted her and was willing to give in to his temptation.

“Is this some twisted payback?”

“What? No! Do you really think I would do that?”

Did he? “You’ve been trying to get my attention for weeks now and you finally have it and you’re turning me down? Excuse me for asking if this is some sort of game for you.”

“It's not a game Gage! I know you can't possibly understand what I'm thinking-”

“You’re right! I have no fucking clue what you’re thinking. You’re just being a tease.”

A tease? That's what he thought she was doing? Oh, no he did not just say that. Her breathing accelerated and she could feel her temperature rising. “I am not being a tease. How dare you say that! You know what? Just go, Gage. I can't believe I thought for even a second that we could get along. Please go and leave me alone.” She headed toward her front door, yanked it open and ushered him to it with her hand. “Here. Goodbye.”

Gage walked to the door and pointed his finger at her. “This has to end. One way or another. I will have my way, Amber. Wait and see.”

Gage lay in bed, tossing and turning all night and he knew it had to do with HER. She grated on his nerves in a bad way. Bad because she irritated the hell out of him. And bad because no matter how irritated he was with her, there wasn't a single thing he wanted more in his life right now, than her.

L
ast night had been a very long night for Amber. She hardly slept. She was unbelievably excited for the announcement tomorrow about who would win the competition. Oh how badly she wanted it to be them! She was nervous. She was scared that she had too much emotion invested into winning because of her parents and if they didn’t win, she might have a nervous breakdown. Which, she could have at any moment due to that damn Gage Alexander, CEO. He made her feel things she had never felt with another man before. He was so arrogant and take charge, it irritated her. But boy, it made her hot too! Especially when his delicious hands slid along her robe down to her thigh, grazing it with his knuckles – so close and yet so far away. He was killing her. She was killing herself. Why, after all this time in her life did Gabriella’s voice have to pop into her head at such a crucial moment? The real question was why did she listen to it? That was unlike her. Amber always did what she wanted – who she wanted, when she wanted and no one, usually, talked her out of it. What in the hell was she thinking? She wanted him last night so badly it hurt. In the early morning hours, she finally freed herself from his web by giving herself pleasure only to think about him the entire time. He clearly wanted her. Finally. Not finally, he was just suddenly willing to give in to the temptation.

And she shot him down.

God, he was right. She was a tease. A big fat tease. She had never been accused of that in her life. Ugh, the label did not sit well with her. Was she stupid or what? Here was this tall, intriguing man with a slight accent that could most likely have any woman he wanted and he showed up on her doorstep last night. Hers! With eyes the color of a brewing storm, he had pretty much told her he wanted her – then and there. What a fool to not take him up on his offer. What was she going to do about it now? She knew the answer to that question would haunt her all day. That is the last thing she needed.

The winners would be announced after the last performance – around six in the evening. So she had all day to sit around and twiddle her thumbs...and think about that addictive man Gage Alexander, CEO. Enough time to think about his thick eyelashes, his dark hair that showed signs of maturity in all the right places, and to think about the way he cocked his head to the side and looked at her with such a serious expression she had no idea what he was thinking. She grabbed her phone and read her horoscope.

Today you will turn over a new leaf, Gemini. You will finally be able to let go of a rather pressing matter. Guilt comes in many forms and can go unnoticed by many people. You, however, wear it on your sleeve. But be thankful Gemini, as today is the day you will be set free.

Before she could question what the hell that meant, her phone began ringing. Marilyn.

“Hello?”

“Hey, its me. You awake? Tell me what happened between you and Gage last night.”

How did she know he came over? “Nothing. He kissed me and I sent him home. Which, sitting here this morning, I realize was a colossal mistake.”