Maybe that was part of his plan.
Distract her with his abs and win.
Not today, Satan.
“What we just did wasn’t very cold,” she argued. Bending down, she picked up the pants he’d removed earlier tonight and chucked them at him. “For God’s sake, get dressed.”
He cocked a brow at her, letting the clothing hit him in the chest and fall to the floor. “What we just did in that bed had nothing to do with emotions and everything to do with fucking for pleasure.”
She recoiled. She couldn’t help it. “You wouldn’t know emotions if they punched you in the face,” she countered.
He laughed. Icily. “You’re going to call me out on my lack of emotions when you run every time I try to talk about anything you deem too personal to be questioned?”
“Considering you never let yourself trust me enough to let go of your control in bed, and never stop playing by your rules even when your head is between my thighs?” She flipped her hair over her shoulder. “Yeah, I am.”
“Maybe when you stop clamming up when I ask you where you went to school, or what your favorite foods were as a kid, or where your parents live—maybe, just maybe, I’d consider letting you take control in the bed.”
“Fine,” she snapped. “While we’re at it, why don’t we talk about what it is that makes you so desperate to hold on to control over everything in your life in the first place.”
He threw his hands up. “Sure, why not? Why don’t I tell you every little detail about my life, from the time of my birth until now, and change everything about myself, from the foods I eat to the way I fuck, all because you want me to—but, hey, you don’t have to change a damn thing about yourself or the way you keep me at a distance, because you’re just fine the way you are.”
She took a step toward him. “I’m not asking you to change. I told you, I’m not that girl. I’m simply saying you get mad at me for being closed off, and not liking your job—”
“Or my bank account.”
“—but clearly you’re just as closed off as me, as you should be. After all, like you said, we’re just fucking in that bed, right?” she shot at him, ignoring his comment about his money. “This is all just one big first date.”
“That’s what we agreed on.”
She nodded, swallowing hard. “So why does it bother you if I don’t like your job?”
“I don’t know,” he answered, not meeting her eyes. “Why does it bother you that I fuck you the same way I did every other girl I brought into this bed, if you just want a good time?”
Just the idea of him lumping her in with every other woman he’d had sex with…ugh. It hurt. It shouldn’t. But it did. “I…” She broke off, swallowing hard.
Something unwanted must have slipped into her expression.
He flinched, dragging a hand down his face. “I didn’t mean—”
“Yeah, you did.” She lifted her chin. “And that’s fine. After all, that’s all this is. Meaningless, fun, mindless pleasure. When it’s over, I’m supposed to get dressed and leave, like the other girls do, but I’ve been staying. Speaking of which…” She glanced at her wrist. It was bare. “Wow. Look at the time, I should go. Busy day at the office tomorrow. Lots of unicorns to rescue.”
He let out a moan and walked toward her. “Sammy—”
“Don’t ‘Sammy’ me,” she snapped, dropping her sheet and picking up her panties. “This conversation was enlightening. Truly. Just what I needed to get my head on straight.”
He flexed his jaw, watching her dress. As she stepped into her pants, he asked, “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Nothing,” she muttered.
“What a surprise, you won’t let me in.”
She stiffened, yanking her sweater over her head and leaving her bra on the floor. She needed to get out of here ASAP, before she did something stupid. That hollow ache in her chest, that burning sting in her eyes…it might have been a long time, but she was gonna cry.
Over him.
Stupid.
Grabbing her stuff, she shoved her bra into her purse and picked up her shoes, not bothering to take the time to shove her feet into them. Facing him, she squared her shoulders and forced a calm expression to her face that rivaled his stony countenance. “Hey, this was fun, but I think it’s time we call it quits, huh? After all, people on their first date aren’t supposed to care enough to fight like this, right?”