It’s a battle — our mouths are opposite fronts, fighting for ground, warring for control.
I shove his chest.
He bites my lip.
I nip his tongue.
He tugs my hair.
The kiss goes wild as my other arm winds around him, clutching the back of his shirt, my nails raking against the fabric. His hands release me, but only for a second, as they drop and haul me roughly up against him. Two strides and he’s got me pinned against the elevator wall.
I don’t even think about it — my legs go around him, my dress bunches up around my thighs, and my arms circle his neck. I forget that I’m angry, that I’m pretty sure he’s irreparably messed up my life, that five seconds ago, I hated him…
And I kiss him back with everything I have.
Chapter Sixteen
Titan
A voice — scratchy with static and filled with concern — bursts from the intercom box on the button panel, startling us apart.
“This is Jim, from Maintenance. Is anyone in there? Everything okay?”
My lips pull away from Chase’s and I stare into his face, my breaths coming too fast and my heart pounding so hard against my ribs, I’m worried the bones might break under the pressure. He’s looking back at me, his face a study in halves — a lazy half-smile tugging at his lips; half-lidded eyes, filled with desire.
“Is anyone in there?” Jim from Maintenance asks again, his voice tinny and distant. “Folks, if you can hear me, use the intercom button.”
“Fuck,” Chase curses quietly, his amused smile widening. “I haven’t been caught making out since I was sixteen.”
“Um,” I breathe, blinking rapidly, not knowing how to respond to that. “Can you put me down, now?”
He doesn’t.
In fact, at my words, he just chuckles and leans closer, so I’m pressed even more firmly against the elevator wall.
“Tell me again how there’s nothing between us,” he whispers, his mouth dropping to my neck, his lips pressing a soft kiss against the sensitive skin there.
“Chase,” I say, my voice weakly protesting even as my body betrays me, arching to get closer to him.
He ignores me, as usual.
“Seriously.” I try to pull back, but there’s nowhere to go. “I have to get back to work and then go home, take a shower, and forget this ever happened.”
Atthat, he stiffens and his head lifts slowly from my neck until his narrowed eyes trap mine. He leans even closer — which I didn’t think was possible, but somehow he manages — and I watch as the smile falls right off his face, his features contorting into a scowl in mere seconds.
An angry sound rattles at the back of his throat.
I swallow hard, suddenly regretting my thoughtless words. Sure, I meant them — but I didn’t have tosaythem and get myself in trouble. Again.
He leans in, his voice low. “Sorry, for a second there, it sounded like you said you were gonna go home and forget this ever happened,” he grumbles, his eyes flashing.
I jerk my chin higher. “Your hearing is just fine. It’s yourlisteningthat seems to be the problem.”
Shit.
I did it again. Apparently, I missed the lesson on thinking-before-speaking in kindergarten.
“Gemma,” he says menacingly.