The Dare (North Woods University 2)

Fuck, I’m screwed.

I know she can feel it, the hard ridge trapped inside my jeans.

She whimpers, her eyes flicking up to mine. There’s an unsaid plea in those green depths, and I’m not sure what she’s asking me for… to stop, to keep going…to put us both out of our misery.

I’m not sure if it’s the soft whimper, or her tiny body rubbing against mine, or maybe just the alcohol coursing through my veins. Maybe it’s a combination of all of them, but whatever it is, it drives me over the edge, shoving me headfirst off the cliff and into lust-filled waters.

My mind shuts down for a second, all my thoughts fleeting as I let my body’s reaction to her take over. I don’t let myself think of the consequences, or how wrong it is of me to be doing this. Instead, I let my lips find hers, crashing into the smooth skin with such force the back of her head hits the wall. She whimpers again, but I swallow it up with my mouth. The kiss is teeth, and anger that burns hotter than the sun.

There’s nothing gentle about it, nothing tender, or loving. It’s raw, it’s powerful, it’s the kind of kiss that as cliché as it sounds, I’ll remember for the rest of my life. I feel it in my bones, in the thundering beat of my heart.

My fingers dig into her shoulders. I want to mark her. Leave bruises on her skin, but in a way that brings us both satisfaction, and I will, soon, so very fucking soon. Snaking a hand into her silky brown locks, I tilt her head back, my teeth biting at her bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. Hurt her. Ravage her. Pulling away just enough to see her doe eyes, I watch as they fill with equal amounts of fear and excitement.

The air around us grows electrically charged, our bodies molding together like two pieces of clay. I kiss her again with the same ferocity, but this time she returns my kiss. Her lips move hungrily, as if she’s been starving for this same interaction. Those tiny hands of hers go from pushing me away to fisting into my shirt and pulling me closer.

Her lips part and a feminine moan leaves them. It’s that sound that suddenly has me snapping out of my lust hazed fog.

What the fuck, Vance?

She’s the enemy, a liar, a fucking liar. I pull away abruptly, and her body sags against the wall at the loss of contact. No! My chest heaves, my fingers crave to touch her skin again, to mark her, but I can’t. I won’t weaken myself for this little vixen who wants me to think she’s innocent. This has gone far enough. I have to get away from her before I lose control, before I cross that invisible line, the one that I’m already toeing.

Staggering backward like I’m drunk, I harden my gaze. “Entertain me, con-artist, show me another use for that pretty mouth of yours, besides spouting off lies.”

“I hate you,” she spits through gritted teeth, the lustful haze diminishing in her eyes.

I hate myself too.

For wanting you.

For hating you.

For being stuck in this stupid house with you.

“Come on, we ain’t got all night…” I tsk impatiently.

I’m so caught up in taunting her, in feeling the lick of hate that her presence brings me, that I don’t notice the slap coming toward my cheek until it’s too late. Her hand makes contact with my cheek, and my head flies to the side with the impact of the blow.

My jaw turns to steel and my temper ignites. I’m reacting before I even get a chance to stop myself. Reaching for her, my fingers curl around her throat, my hold is surprisingly gentle for the amount of bitterness flowing through my veins. Ava’s reaction to me is petrified fear and she starts to tremble when I lean into her face, giving her delicate throat a firm squeeze.

“If you’re going to put your hands on someone, then you better be prepared for them to put their hands on you.”

“Don’t…” she croaks.

“What? Hurt you?” I tilt my head to the side, eyeing her heart-shaped face. “I could never hurt you like you hurt me, you’ve done enough of that for the two of us. I’m merely trying to show you a sliver, a fraction of the pain you made me feel.” Feeling as if I’m seconds away from crashing and burning, I release her and take a step back. Then I turn to walk away. I’m done. Done with this cat and mouse game.

Her tiny voice meets my ears a second later. “What did I do to make you hate me so much? Just tell me, Vance, please. Tell me so I can fix this. You’re making us both suffer for an unknown reason.”