fingers brush against my cock, sending a fresh jolt of desire through me. “And now, I just want to forget all of this and get back to other things.”
I want so much to do just that, but I force myself to step back, away from her touch.
“Why do you find it so difficult to believe that someone might have more than a passing interest in you, Elle?” I ask her. “Because of that bastard of a professor? Or that vile boss of yours?” Just thinking about what she told me those men did to her makes my blood burn hot. “Elle, you cannot let the abhorrent actions of those men keep you from being happy. You deserve more than that.”
“This isn’t about them. This is about me. I have to protect myself.”
“This doesn’t end when the paparazzi go away,” I tell her. “For good or for ill, our stories are connected now. And not just because of the press. Even if they go digging into your past—”
“This isn’t about my past. This is about right now. About not letting this get too far.”
It’s too late for that. Far, far too late.
“I know who you are, Leo,” she says before I can speak. “The whole world knows. You love women. Lots and lots of women. And maybe you’ve convinced yourself that it’s different this time, that you won’t get bored with me, but you will. You always do.” She goes back to the little window next to the door. She peeks outside before turning back toward me. “We’ve had some fun. Maybe we’ll have a little more fun before you go. But you will go.”
I’m next to her in three strides. “I’m not leaving, Elle.”
“Yes, you are.” Her face softens slightly. “I know you think you’re doing the right thing by staying here with me, and I appreciate the thought, but I always knew we’d have to go back to our normal lives. You don’t have to keep putting on this whole show. Trust me—I’m not worth it.”
Not…worth it?
I grab her face in my hands, my eyes desperately searching hers.
“How in God’s name could you possibly believe such a thing?” I demand. “How could you possibly think you aren’t worth any of this? Elle, you are beautiful, passionate, courageous. You aren’t afraid to fight fiercely for the things you care for, and at the same time, you can be so gentle, so compassionate, that it takes my breath away. You are a woman of value, Elle. Is it really so much of a surprise that I might want you? That I might even care for you?”
“You’ve been with a lot of women,” she says, lifting her eyes back to mine.
“Why does that matter?”
“I’m not the sort of woman you usually date. I’m not some perfect little actress or supermodel.”
I press closer to her, my mouth curling up slightly. “Exactly.” I’ve had enough of starlets and supermodels.
But she shakes her head. “This is just a joketo you, isn’t it?”
After everything, how can she not understand? How can she not feel it in every bone in her body?
“I don’t know what you’ve done to me, Elle, but no woman has ever affected me like this before. I don’t even understand what I’m doing anymore.” I move my face down closer to hers. “You’ve turned me into a madman, Elle. I’ve lost all sense of reason. Every time I think I have control over myself again I find myself drawn back in. Pulled under your spell once more.”
Her eyes fall closed, but otherwise, she doesn’t move. Doesn’t speak.
“I suspect you feel it, too, or we wouldn’t be in this situation,” I continue. “We both know it would be far simpler to stay apart. But there’s no denying what is happening between us, Elle, no matter what you tell yourself about whether or not you deserve it. You can’t deny this sort of truth.” My fingers dig into her back. “It doesn’t matter that this entire affair is ill-advised or complicated. It doesn’t matter that we’ve only known each other a short time. There is something here I’ve never experienced before, and I’m beginning to
I want so much to do just that, but I force myself to step back, away from her touch.
“Why do you find it so difficult to believe that someone might have more than a passing interest in you, Elle?” I ask her. “Because of that bastard of a professor? Or that vile boss of yours?” Just thinking about what she told me those men did to her makes my blood burn hot. “Elle, you cannot let the abhorrent actions of those men keep you from being happy. You deserve more than that.”
“This isn’t about them. This is about me. I have to protect myself.”
“This doesn’t end when the paparazzi go away,” I tell her. “For good or for ill, our stories are connected now. And not just because of the press. Even if they go digging into your past—”
“This isn’t about my past. This is about right now. About not letting this get too far.”
It’s too late for that. Far, far too late.
“I know who you are, Leo,” she says before I can speak. “The whole world knows. You love women. Lots and lots of women. And maybe you’ve convinced yourself that it’s different this time, that you won’t get bored with me, but you will. You always do.” She goes back to the little window next to the door. She peeks outside before turning back toward me. “We’ve had some fun. Maybe we’ll have a little more fun before you go. But you will go.”
I’m next to her in three strides. “I’m not leaving, Elle.”
“Yes, you are.” Her face softens slightly. “I know you think you’re doing the right thing by staying here with me, and I appreciate the thought, but I always knew we’d have to go back to our normal lives. You don’t have to keep putting on this whole show. Trust me—I’m not worth it.”
Not…worth it?
I grab her face in my hands, my eyes desperately searching hers.
“How in God’s name could you possibly believe such a thing?” I demand. “How could you possibly think you aren’t worth any of this? Elle, you are beautiful, passionate, courageous. You aren’t afraid to fight fiercely for the things you care for, and at the same time, you can be so gentle, so compassionate, that it takes my breath away. You are a woman of value, Elle. Is it really so much of a surprise that I might want you? That I might even care for you?”
“You’ve been with a lot of women,” she says, lifting her eyes back to mine.
“Why does that matter?”
“I’m not the sort of woman you usually date. I’m not some perfect little actress or supermodel.”
I press closer to her, my mouth curling up slightly. “Exactly.” I’ve had enough of starlets and supermodels.
But she shakes her head. “This is just a joketo you, isn’t it?”
After everything, how can she not understand? How can she not feel it in every bone in her body?
“I don’t know what you’ve done to me, Elle, but no woman has ever affected me like this before. I don’t even understand what I’m doing anymore.” I move my face down closer to hers. “You’ve turned me into a madman, Elle. I’ve lost all sense of reason. Every time I think I have control over myself again I find myself drawn back in. Pulled under your spell once more.”
Her eyes fall closed, but otherwise, she doesn’t move. Doesn’t speak.
“I suspect you feel it, too, or we wouldn’t be in this situation,” I continue. “We both know it would be far simpler to stay apart. But there’s no denying what is happening between us, Elle, no matter what you tell yourself about whether or not you deserve it. You can’t deny this sort of truth.” My fingers dig into her back. “It doesn’t matter that this entire affair is ill-advised or complicated. It doesn’t matter that we’ve only known each other a short time. There is something here I’ve never experienced before, and I’m beginning to
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