Bethany"Everything okay?" Philip glanced up as Bethany took her place beside him."Yeah, I think so." She picked up her menu and forced herself into a place of calm that didn't exist. She'd been through enough shitty situations as a teenager to know how to cover her tracks emotionally. Damon's denial of her concerns over Delilah showed where he was far too clearly.The only question was whether there was hope for a change of heart in either of them. A depression that she couldn't imagine surviving began to stir deep in her chest. As sad and stupid as it seemed, she couldn't shake the desire to have him one more time. The strong emotions they shared when making love were enough to leave her panting and shaken. It was a little like hitting a perfect drug and riding the high as long as she could. He was addictive in ways she'd never imagined possible."You don't look like everything is okay." Philip glanced around and pressed his shoulder to hers. "You and the big guy fighting?""Always
BethanyThe facade she held on to tightly through her friend-date with Philip crumbled into a million pieces when she got back to the room and found Damon's stuff gone. She cried throughout the night at the unfairness of life. She couldn't seem to catch a break no matter what she did, and each one that appeared to be something great turned into ashes in her hands.After a long, hot shower the next morning, she rolled her hair into a tight bun and dressed conservatively for her last day in the Seattle office. She was catching a flight later that night and had called to move it up to the one before their scheduled flight just to make sure she didn't have to sit next to Damon. She wasn't even sure he would be pissed about her actions. He might be happy to have a break too.She twirled her ring around her finger as the cabbie drove her to Zarpeth's corporate office, her thoughts a million miles from the present.The memory of Damon gripping her hand tightly as he told their families that
DamonThree days laterA growl left him as he paced in front of his fireplace, his house quiet and completely void of warmth. Three days. Three fucking days and nothing from her. Not a peep.What would be so hard about them apologizing and getting back together? Didn't people in love do just that? You fucked up; you got back together. What the hell? Why was it so different with them? It couldn't be. Things had to work out, and yet they weren't. Not in the slightest.Delilah had hit on him the entire way back to Dallas, leaving him sick. He didn't want another woman. He wanted his woman. No matter how many sappy-ass stories the pretty blond beside him told, or how hard she worked to remind him how close they'd been as kids, it didn't matter. She wasn't Bethany.He worked on Tuesday to get Beth off the job for Zarpeth, but his dad killed the idea. He'd spoken with Bethany, and they'd worked out the issue. Kent met with Delilah the day after and talked through her management style. All o
DamonA nervousness he hadn't experienced in a long time bubbled up inside his chest as he pulled the door open to the bar a little while later. Kendal stood by the far end of the bar with a warm smile on his face.Beth had her back to him, giving him a few minutes to appreciate how beautiful the swell of her ass filled up her jeans. She had plenty to hold on to, and the thought of some man worshiping her body instead of him left him wanting to stop in place and drop to his knees.One night. He only needed one night with her, and they could be back on track."You told him to shred his test? Why?" Her voice reached him, brushing across his skin and leaving his heart racing.His facade was in place, but he was willing to strip it away the minute he got her alone."Because he cheats, and he's an asshole. He's not going to make it in accounting. Period." Kendal glanced over at him and extended his hand as he approached. "Hey, buddy. Glad you could make it.""Yeah, thanks for the invite."
BethanyHis hands felt so damn good gripping her tightly as she stood pressed to the front of him. Damn Kendal for setting them up. He had no clue what he'd done. She had worked all week at pulling herself from wanting to fall at his feet like a weak, needy bitch and here he was, in her face, forcing her to beckon to his lust. It was consuming, a fire in the middle of a blizzard. Only a fool would deny the sexy bastard another night trapped beneath him."One more night." She lifted up and pressed her lips to his as the liquor warmed her core, adding fuel to the fire he started the minute she was made aware of his presence. They needed so much more than one more night together, but it didn't seem like it was going to happen.He hated her. He had to. Maybe it was because she had a bit of power over him, or because she'd forced him to consider a normal future with marriage and god-forbid kids, but either way, he hated her. That was the only logical explanation."Come on." He gripped her
BethanyThey barely made it into the house before he tore her shirt off of her. She reached for his and returned the favor. Thick muscle shivered under her fingers as she gripped his arms and wrapped her leg over his hip."God, you smell so fucking good. Like vanilla and sex." He gripped her other leg and forced her to wrap her legs around him as he walked them toward the bedroom.The beer and shots from earlier had fully engulfed her to the point of being drunk. She had little inhibition before, and it was much worse with her state of mind. She lowered herself a little and rubbed against the thickness of his erection."I want you inside of me." She lifted back up, rubbing her nipples over his hardened skin. "Take my bra off.""So demanding. I almost like it." He worked her bra off as she kissed and licked at his neck, pressing her teeth into the soft skin below his ear as he growled, "Be careful. You'll mark my skin.""Good." She pressed her mouth to his ear as she reached between th
DamonHe had trouble falling asleep with her beside him for fear if he did, that he would wake up to find her gone again. She slept curled up against him, her breasts heavy and tucked against his side, her lithe arm across his chest, fingers gripping his side as if she were scared too."What are we doing, baby?" He kissed the side of her head.She mumbled something and snuggled in closer as the morning light shone through the window behind him. The smell of their sex stained the air and left him wanting more of her. It wasn't just about the intense pleasure, but about being one, being locked against her and working to bring her to acknowledge that something special existed between the two of them.Fucking Bridget and every other girl in his past had been about finding release and saying thanks for the ride. It was so different with her.He brushed her hair back again and let his fingertips trace her eyebrow as he studied her petite features. She could have anything she wanted from him
Bethany"Turn to page eleven, and you'll see our final report on the inventory system implementation for Zarpeth. As a member of the team, each of you needs to read through the document and sign off on the documentation. It's simply a summation of your work and our recommendations to Mr. Talling." Damon glanced around the room.He stood at the front of the conference room, Delilah beside him, looking like the angel she wasn't. The woman was stunning and stood far too close to Damon's side for Bethany's liking, but there was nothing she could do about it. Damon should have shifted over or made it more obvious that he was uncomfortable with her closeness, but he didn't.He continued to plow through the meeting agenda and barked his commands at any and everyone around the table. Something had to be going on between the two of them. Sex? Maybe, but there was no way to know for sure.Bile rose up in Bethany's throat at the idea of him sleeping with anyone but her. The memory of making love