Sitting at the dining room table, the tip of my hunting knife is stuck in the wood as I vertically balance the hilt against my finger, letting the blade spin slowly to catch the light— I’m irritated. It’s been over ten fucking days and the bullshit tactic of withholding sex is getting old, really quick. Blake has never done this before and if he’s smart, he won’t ever try this crap again. I’ve been up since 5:00 a.m., which is when I tried to get laid and he made it clear that until I can be honest, he won't be touching me.
Two can play at that game.
Jealousy will make a man crack quicker than anything else, and Blake Mason has some ugly jealousy lurking inside him. So, I’ll just make sure I push myself to be as friendly as possible with everyone else today.
Strong arms snake around my stomach, and I chuckle as Dresden lightly kisses my shoulder. I don’t have to see his face to know it’s him. That energy is all I felt for the year we hunted together. He’s easy to spot now. And he’s Blake’s inner demon, too. Though we’ve made it clear nothing happened during that year, the night Dres and I hooked up changed something in Blake. It made him vulnerable. Before then, he was the only man I’d ever wanted. Even though Dres was just one night, Blake had to face that I’d wanted someone else for a second.
It was a hard truth to swallow for him.
“Morning,” I say as he releases me and flops onto the stool beside me.
“Hey.” He swipes his hand down his face. His eyebrows pull upward slightly as he glances between my hunting knife and my face. “Lily. You okay?”
“Yeah, why?” It’s too early for the concerned best friend routine today.
“Last time I found you at a table playing with that knife, some really bad shit had just happened.”
I tilt my head, thinking about that day again. He’s got a point. “True. At least now you know why you couldn’t touch me back then.”
He laughs; more a snicker than anything else as he stands up, crossing behind me. I jump a little as his breath tickles my ear. “Yep. And since then I’ve touched you in ways I’d never even dreamed about.”
A shiver runs down my spine as his hand touches my shoulder. I belong with Blake, but Dresden is a damn good man, and he’d be my second choice in a heartbeat.
A deep, gruff sound startles both of us, and we turn to find Blake a few feet back, eyes ablaze with jealousy, staring at us.
Oh, that couldn’t be more perfect.
My plan launched itself into play without my having to make it happen. Dresden leans down and softly kisses the top of my head, whispering he’ll talk to me later as he makes his way back toward his and Shannon’s room.
I turn my head enough to keep Blake in my peripheral, pretending to watch Dresden walk away. It’s almost comical how easily Blake gets jealous. It kind of pissed me off considering he should know, despite everything, he’s the only one for me.
As he walks toward me, his shoes clacking off the kitchen floor, I swivel my stool to face forward as he stops behind me. The tension radiates off him and without warning he grabs the stool and spins me to face him.
“Morning, dear,” I say with a sneer. He’s going to regret using sex as a weapon with me, that’s for damn sure.
“Morning,” he says crossing his arms over his chest and taking a step closer, pushing himself between my legs.
It’s like all the blood in my body pools in my sex. “Do you need something, or do you just enjoy invading my space and glaring daggers at me?” I push him back with my body as I stand up and start walking toward our bedroom.
“Where the fuck are you going?” He’s hot on my trail, his shoes echoing even louder.
“Upstairs. I forgot my phone when I came down. I want to see if Rhett wants to hang out.”
“Rhett? Since when do you text your team to hang out?”
I open the bedroom door without looking behind me. Three steps into the room and the door slams closed.
“I usually don’t, but I haven’t seen him much. I miss his face.” With my back still to Blake, I smile, knowing how red his must be.
“You’re trying to make me jealous. Don’t think I don’t know you, Lily.” His voice is low and pissed.
“I’m not trying to make you anything, Blake.” I grab the towel hanging on a knob of the dresser and make my way to the bathroom. I know Blake’s quietly behind me, trying to figure out what my next move is. “I mean, Rhett was supposed to help Vlad with some orders for Interpol today, and Shannon is doing baby shopping online. Maybe I’ll just hang with Dres for the day.”
Sliding my pants to the floor and pulling my shirt over my head, I step into the shower and kick on the water. It’s freezing at first, raising goosebumps over my skin, but quickly warms as tough fingers trail lightly down my spine. I shiver and his lips brush my shoulder moving toward my neck. His hand tangles gently in my hair as he flicks his tongue out to draw in my earlobe.
“We both know you’re not going to fuck anyone but me,” he says, tightening his grip on my hair as he moves his other hand to hover over my sex. “And I’d have fucked you every day if you weren’t hiding something from me.”
I sigh and force myself out of his embrace. Turning around, I lock eyes with him. “Blake, do you trust me?”