In Bed with the Beast (Naughty Princess Club 2)

My chest is heaving, and I feel like I’m going to die if he doesn’t walk across this room and touch me right now. I look at him with every ounce of want and need that I feel for him, hoping he knows that I’ve never been more ready for what’s about to happen than I am right now. I want everything he has to give me, and I know he feels the same way.

“Get your shit and let’s go,” he suddenly announces.

“Uh . . . what?”

“Get. Your. Shit. I’m tired. I want to go home.”

With that, he turns and marches out of the room.

Instead of feeling deflated or unwanted, I feel down right pissed off.

Snatching my bag from the floor and quickly shoving into all of the makeup Ariel brought with her, I stomp out of the room after Vincent, fully prepared to give him a piece of my mind.

Chapter 28: You’re a Cock Blocker

I didn’t have a chance to give Vincent a piece of my mind as soon as we got into his truck. After rushing through the club after him and saying a quick good-bye to my dad, who was still blindfolded and leaned in and kissed Cindy’s ear instead of my cheek, I hurriedly told a confused Ariel that the plan didn’t work and Vincent just wanted to go home and go to bed. She called me on my cell phone as soon as I got out into the parking lot.

I listened to her scream and curse about him the entire ride home. I had to turn down the volume on my phone as far as it would go and wedge myself into the corner so he wouldn’t hear what she was saying. I stared at his profile in the dark interior of the cab while she ranted, and with just the glow of the dashboard lights, I could see a muscle ticking in his jaw the whole drive home while I hmm’d and uh-huh’d everything she said. I could also see that his knuckles were white and the muscles in his forearms were clenching, which almost made me put Ariel on speakerphone so he could hear what she was saying about him. He deserved to hear all the creative names she called him for this attitude he was giving me.

Ariel assumed he was mad because I danced without telling him. She assumed he wasn’t happy with me because I did something he thought I wasn’t ready for.

The closer we got to the house, the more I thought she might be right. Even though he didn’t seem mad when I saw him before I went on stage.

Which brings me right back to where I was a few weeks ago: Wondering if he just doesn’t want me like that, and he’s mad because I’m trying too hard to make something happen that isn’t there. To make him want me as much as I want him. To make him understand that he means a lot to me, and I don’t want him to hold back any longer.

My anger is at war with my feelings of rejection and hurt and as we pull into the driveway and Ariel finally stops screaming, I honestly don’t know which one will win. As I end the call with Ariel, making her promise not to come over here and kick Vincent’s ass, I watch him get out of the truck without a word, stalk up the walk, and fling the door open, disappearing inside.

He couldn’t even wait for me?! Oh, hell no!

Deciding anger is winning for right now and I can save my tears for later when I’m alone in my bed, I climb out of the truck and march myself up the porch and through the door.

Vincent is standing in front of the fireplace with his hands resting on the mantle and his back to me, and I slam the front door closed as hard as I can.

“What the hell is your problem?!” I shout, watching his shoulders tense as he grips the mantle in front of him even harder.

“Not now, Belle,” he mutters under his breath.

“Don’t you not now Belle me! If you’re mad about me dancing tonight without giving you a head’s up, too fucking bad! In case you forgot, I’m the boss of me and I decided it was time to get my ass in gear and stop being afraid!”

“That’s not the problem. Just drop it,” he growls angrily, still not turning around to face me.

“Oh, so you admit there’s a problem! Well, isn’t that just great for you! Because you know what? I’ve got a problem too! I’m falling for a guy who says really great things to me about how sexy I am, and does things to me that makes my toes curl, but doesn’t want me enough to actually have sex with me! He just keeps saying I’m not ready and a bunch of other bullshit to string me along and make me look like an idiot who wants something she’ll never have!”