Part 60 (2/2)
I pull my mouth away and suck in a breath, dizzied by the sudden intensity, and Shaun immediately switches to my neck, one hand sliding along my leg.
”You're beautiful,” he whispers and pushes me against the arm of the sofa. His other hand moves from my waist, upwards, and he closes his fingers around one of my b.r.e.a.s.t.s.
Whoa.
I don't know which hand to catch first: the one squeezing my breast or the one sneaking higher up my thigh. My inner thigh.
”Shaun,” I say, annoyed that my breathlessness could be misinterpreted. ”Slow down.”
His breath comes hot and heavy against my ear as he presses me harder against the sofa, his solid body heavy against mine. ”You're beautiful, Fleur. I want you and I think you want me.”
I freeze at the cliche lines, and the teasing kisses along my collarbone no longer arouse me. ”Shaun!”
His mouth crashes on mine again and he doesn't understand that the noise I make means stop. His hot and hungry kiss continues and he slides a hand to my a.s.s, pulling me against his obvious arousal. I grab Shaun's head and pull his face away.
”Stop. I don't want this!”
Shaun stills his hand and stares down at me, dark eyes filled with l.u.s.t, and I'm unable to move. Not only because of his weight, but because I don't know what to do. I'm coiled, ready to fight back in case the situation takes a dangerous turn.
Please let him stop. He wouldn't push this. He can't.
A muscle in his cheek twitches and Shaun sits back.
Relieved, I wriggle away and adjust where the top of my dress has slipped.
”Why not?” he asks, stroking a strand of hair from my face.
”This isn't me. I don't... do this.”
He cups my cheek in his hand. ”Did I come on too strong? I'm sorry.” The soft look is back in Shaun's eyes. ”I've fought to keep my hands off you all night. The way you flirted, how you looked at me.” He strokes my cheek. ”I thought you wanted the same.”
When his mouth brushes mine again, I pull my head back. ”I am attracted to you, but I don't jump into things like this. Not on a first date.”
”Not even with me?” Shaun whispers, sliding a hand around my back to pull me close. ”I promise you'll enjoy yourself.”
I place a hand on his chest, no longer interested in discovering what lies beneath his s.h.i.+rt. ”I think we have mismatched ideas about s.e.x.”
Shaun drags a hand through his short curls and sits back. ”You're saying no?”
”I am.”
”Right.” The lamp on the table next to us casts a soft glow across the room and his eyes s.h.i.+ne in the dim. ”Girls don't usually say no.”
My scalp p.r.i.c.kles at his comment. I need to leave because I have no idea what he's capable of. What if Shaun is one of those guys who don't understand no means no? Thinks I'm playing hard to get? I stand and brush my dress down with trembling hands. ”Thanks for this evening. Maybe we'd better leave things there.”
Shaun's demeanour s.h.i.+fts from easygoing to a look of disgust. ”I'm not about to force myself on you, Fleur, but I am surprised.”
”Why surprised?”
Running his tongue along his teeth, Shaun sweeps a gaze along the length of my body. ”I don't think you should p.i.s.s me off.”
”Why?”
”Because I have influence in the history department.”
His words confuse for a moment until they sharpen into startling clarity. ”What? Are you blackmailing me into changing my mind? You can't influence anything to do with my studies.”
”If you say so. I guess you'll find out.”
My thumping heart speeds again and I'm disgusted at how my body yielded to him. Good thing common sense prevailed over the l.u.s.t. ”Wow. I totally misjudged you.”
”And I misjudged you.” He stands. ”Girls like you p.i.s.s me off.”
”Excuse me?”
”You expect a guy to pay for everything, do the whole romance c.r.a.p, then not repay him,” he says in a low voice.
I blink. Not only is his language sometimes archaic, but his values are too. ”I'm not going to dignify that with a response.”
I step back as he approaches and when he touches my face again, I recoil. My dream guy is a nightmare. ”A definite no, then?”
Fighting down the fear, I grab my handbag with shaking hands and head towards his door. I can't speak and let him hear how panicked I am. Shaun doesn't follow me through and I don't look back. I trip down the dimly lit stairs two at a time and burst through the building's heavy front door into the cool air.
WILL.
A figure appears from the house two doors down and I squint through the darkness. The orange streetlight catches the girl's blonde hair as she hurries along the path in my direction.
Fleur.
I've no idea how long I've waited to see her leave his place. An hour at least, judging by the number of empty beer bottles lined up beside me on the low wall. The chick from earlier disappeared inside a while ago, complaining she was cold, but alcohol and a leather jacket keep me warm as I wait. Music and voices carry from inside. Nate is in the midst of the crowd somewhere. I'm alone, unusual situation for me at a party. I struggled with whether to go back inside and forget about her, but I have to know Fleur is okay.
Fleur's halfway to running as she approaches and I stiffen. Has something happened? The bus stop is a few hundred metres from the house and her sights are fixed on there.
”Hey, Fleur,” I call out and she stops, twisting her head in my direction. ”You okay?”
She pauses and steps closer. ”Nate? Are you?” she asks.
”Am I what?”
”Which twin are you?”
”Which one do you want me to be?” I reply, echoing the words, which annoy her.
”Nate.”
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