Page 85 of The List
He lifted his chin. “What about last night?”
She circled around the coffee table, stopping a few inches from him. “I don’t regret that either.”
Cross shook his head and a small smile emerged. “Then, why the fuck are we fighting about this?”
Addison chuckled, shrugging. “I don’t know.”
Could this all have been one giant misunderstanding? Cross seemed to think so and showed no signs of leaving. Shewatched as he glanced around the room and his features eased. Something was happening between them. Bigger than either of them could’ve ever expected.
“This is probably a mistake,” she said.
Cross’s lips twitched, and he gave a careless shrug. “Maybe.”
“And it’ll probably complicate things.”
“It might.”
“And knowing all that, you still want to hate fuck, huh?” Her tone was dripping with sarcasm, in an effort to lighten the mood.
Cross stepped closer, forcing her back to the wall. “I think we’re beyond the hate.”
She pouted. “But hate fucking was so much fun.”
Cross sighed, shaking his head. “Baby, I have no doubt you’ll piss me off again. You can definitely count on another hate fuck in your future.”
“And they say romance is dead.”
She slowly reached out, clasping his hand. Cross stepped closer, tightening his grip and grabbing her neck, stroking her jaw with his thumb. He was moving too slow for her liking.I want more!
Addison lunged closer, pressing her lips against his mouth. Making the first move had never been her MO. Until now. There was no resistance on his end. Cross kissed her with so much passion; there was no denying this was what they both wanted. They never broke from the kiss as he walked her down the hallway. When he veered right, she grasped his shirt, pulling him into her bedroom. Had she known she was having a guest, she would’ve straightened up. It was an odd thought since Cross didn’t seem the least concerned about the state of her room.
His hands gripped her jaw as his tongue tangled with hers. Getting naked was her only agenda. Or so she thought.
When he reached for the edge of her shirt, Addison turned her head and grabbed his wrists. She hadn’t thought this far. Her heartrate spiked, and her belly twisted into a tight knot.
“There a problem?” His husky tone sent a shiver down her spine. Up until this moment, the only problem had been her incessant need to get naked. Now? It was as if she’d been doused with a bucket of ice-cold water. For anyone else, this wouldn’t be an issue. But for her? With Cross?It’s a problem.
“No” —she cleared her throat, releasing his wrists and stepping away— “I’m gonna leave my shirt on.”
His brows furrowed. “Why?”
She sucked in a breath. Addison didn’t want to explain herself. It would worsen the already uncomfortable situation.Think!
And just like that, she came up with an alternative. She reached behind her back, under her shirt, and unclasped her bra. She pulled the straps through the arm openings on either side, taking off her bra and tossing it onto the floor at his feet.
Cross looked down then lifted his gaze to meet her stare. Addison forced a smile.
“That’s my compromise.” She wasn’t sure what she thought would happen, but her reality was awkward with Cross standing a few feet away, clearly not happy.
“What the fuck is going on?”
Addison shrugged, doing her best to play it off. “Nothing. I prefer to keep my shirt on. I did it the first time and last night. You didn’t have a problem with it.” She paused. “It shouldn’t be an issue now.”
Confusion marred his features. Of course it would. Most women would get naked for this man without hesitation. And they certainly wouldn’t need to use any bargaining tools.But I’m not like them.
“Yeah, well, it is.” He eyed her suspiciously, his gaze shifting over her chest. “Take it off.”
She swallowed the knot in her throat. “No.”
