Part 28 (2/2)
Since she was still fussing with the hem of the s.h.i.+rt, he took her hands in his and tried to sound reasonable instead of turned on. ”What's on your mind, honey?”
In a sudden rush, she blurted, ”I hope you believe me. I mean, you made it seem so easy that now I'm kind of embarra.s.sed for making such a big deal of it.” She breathed faster, her hands squeezing his. ”But I swear, until last night, I couldn't... I hadn't...”
”We're good together,” he told her with satisfaction. And he knew, even if she didn't, that once he got inside her it would be nothing short of mind-blowing.
”No.” She shook her head. ”It was you.”
”It was us.”
”But I didn't do anything!” And with accusation, ”You wouldn't let me.”
He absolutely could not think about her reciprocating right now, not if he wanted to maintain any semblance of control. ”I helped you along, true. It's called foreplay, and I loved it. But there was never anything wrong with you.”
Pulling away, she hugged her arms around herself. ”But don't you see, there was. Is. I...I don't know.” She pivoted back to him. ”I don't want you to think I exaggerated.”
Now he was really lost. ”What?”
”Don't think that I was somehow using my-” she searched for a word ”-my issues, to use you. That I was only telling you things to get pity or to coerce you.”
She thought he'd accuse her of making it up? ”Yvette-”
”It's not a secret that I always wanted you,” she continued in a rush. ”Back then, back before-” she swallowed ”-before what happened, I'd have done a lot to get your attention.”
He reached for her, but she sidestepped him. ”I wouldn't use the sympathy card, though, I swear. I would never make up something so pathetic or-”
”Stop it.” Pushed too far, Cannon caught her shoulders and brought her around. ”You think I'd accuse you of that?”
Her eyebrows lifted at his anger. ”I don't know.”
”Well, I wouldn't. Jesus, Yvette, I'm not an idiot.”
”I never said-”
He kissed her, but only for a second because, d.a.m.n it, he had a lot to say. ”And you're not that manipulative.”
Breath left her in a sigh and she touched his bare chest. ”You can't know that, Cannon, because you don't really know me. You never did, but now, after so long, well, I've barely been home a week, so how could you?”
She was wrong. On some elemental level, he'd always known her. ”I know women.” Kissing her again, he backed her up to the wall, leaned into her and continued kissing her until her hands were clutching his shoulders and her mouth was moving under his, just as hungry.
He wedged one thigh between her legs, then lifted his head to suck in air because he'd just verified it.
No panties.
Slowly, dragging out the suspense, he slid his hands down to her hips, holding her still while he wedged in closer to her.
All but straddling his thigh, she stared up at him, her gaze smoky, her lips parted.
He fought it...and lost. Keeping her pinned to the wall, he reached beneath the loose s.h.i.+rt to find warm flesh. Bringing his hands up her body, he raised the s.h.i.+rt so that his hard abs were against her smooth belly, and, G.o.d, that was sweet.
”I know women,” he repeated against her throat. ”Groupies who come after all the fighters. Women who just want a good time. Women who hope to tie me down.”
”I don't want to hear about them,” she whispered, moving subtly, already aroused.
Knotting his hands in either side of the s.h.i.+rt, he pulled it up more until her b.r.e.a.s.t.s were bared.
”I know how to read women. I know how to read you. You're different from all the rest.” He breathed hard, then bent to draw on one nipple.
Yvette reacted immediately, arching her back, sinking her hands into his hair. Going on basic carnal instinct more than good common sense, he hooked an arm under her a.s.s and lifted her up.
She wrapped her legs around him.
This was no slow tease. He sucked at her breast, relis.h.i.+ng her broken groans, how she twisted against him.
Bracing one hand on the wall by her head, he ground against her.
”Oh, G.o.d, oh, G.o.d, oh...” Her voice rose. ”Cannon.”
He was about to tear off his shorts and to h.e.l.l with consequences when Yvette's phone rang.
The sound didn't entirely cut through the l.u.s.t, but it did slow him down.
”No,” she said, her tone pleading. ”Cannon, please.”
The phone stopped ringing.
He'd just about convinced himself to seal the deal when it started again.
Then again.
She groaned loudly.
”It must be important,” he reasoned. ”You blocked Heath, right?”
She looked near tears. ”Yes.”
Torn over what to do, he stepped away from the wall, still holding her, and went to the couch. He sat with her on his lap, facing him, and snagged the phone with one hand.
Using his thumb, he answered. ”h.e.l.lo?”
Silence, before an outraged woman demanded with a touch of panic, ”Where's Yvette? Is she all right? Who is this?”
”She's right here,” Cannon soothed. ”She's fine.” Very fine. ”Who's calling?”
”I asked first.”
So he had to play? ”Cannon Colter.”
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