Page 29 of The Heart Breaker

12

COLE

The second I lock the door behind us, my hands curl into fists.

This is such a huge mistake. I know it before I even turn around.

I should’ve walked away the second I saw her at the bar. Should’ve finished my beer, gotten in my car, driven home, and passed out. Instead, I followed her into a bathroom, opened my stupid mouth, and suggested something we’re both going to regret the second it’s over.

But my dick’s a moron, and apparently it decided it wanted her.

I toss my keys onto the desk and keep my eyes on her, trying to force myself to remember she’s the same girl who ruined my life in one night.

Problem is, I don’t seem to care right now. All I can think about is the club. Her hips rolling slow over me, those sharp blue eyes locked on mine while she tortured me out of my mind.

I lean against the door and watch her.

She’s trying hard not to look nervous, but I catch the way she swallows harshly, her eyes flicking everywhere but me as sheshifts her weight from one foot to the other, like some part of her still hasn’t decided whether to run or stay.

She acts like she doesn’t care about anything, but right now it’s impossible to miss. She’s scared this will get out. Scared Golden Boy finds out she’s here—in my room, with me.

No one can know.

God. That’s rich.

Like I’d ever want the world knowing I fucked Aurora Prescott.

Some part of me—probably the smarter part—almost hopes she takes the out. Walks back out the door. Saves both of us from whatever the hell this is about to turn into.

But of course she doesn’t.

She turns and locks those eyes on me, blowing out a sharp breath, the nerves disappearing, replaced by the venom I know too well.

“Are you just going to stand there staring at me, or actually do something?”

There she is. The Viper.

I push off the door and walk toward her. Her spine straightens but she doesn’t take a step back. She just holds my stare, her chin tipped up.

My gaze falls to her full mouth, and I want to sink my teeth into it, wanting to shut her up for once. I catch the flush along her neck, disappearing into the scoop of that tight black top as my eyes continue their path down to that tiny skirt and those knee-high boots.

Christ, I want this woman. I want to drag her onto my bed, peel that outfit off piece by piece and fuck her until she can’t get another smart line out.

I snap myself out of it. This is simply a means to an end: getting her out of my system so I can go back to pretending shedoesn’t exist. So I can stop smelling her everywhere I go. Stop remembering shit I have no business remembering.

“There’s still time to run away,” I tell her, taking a step closer.

Her eyes narrow. “I don’t run.”

No, she doesn’t. Aurora doesn’t do anything she doesn’t want to do, and she sure as shit doesn’t run away from things.

My hand closes around her hip, pulling her closer, lifting her chin with my other hand.

Her eyes are sharp, gleaming with venom, but her lips part on a shaky breath, and when her tongue flicks over the bottom one, my eyes drop to it like a moth to a flame, wondering what she tastes like.

“No kissing,” she cuts in, dragging my attention back to her eyes.

“Good,” I say, even though my thumb is already dragging over her bottom lip, feeling how soft it is. “Wouldn’t want to get poisoned by your viper tongue anyway.”