he held her gaze. “I know you need time to come to grips with this. But if you think I’m going to let you go, you’re mistaken. Everything you used to know about me was true and I don’t deny it. I’ve been an insufferable, hard-headed and conceited know-it-all with no remorse or compassion for those forced to work with me. But you’re the one woman who’s pushed me this far that I’d do anything for, do anything to make you mine.”
Hanna felt a stirring of anger at his words. So he wasn’t sorry for what he did. Maybe he felt it was his right to come between her and Chet. Once again, she saw clearly how far from perfect he was. It was okay to have a bad side but it irked her a lot that he seemed unrepentant about his role in her break-up.
She knew he could read the defiance in her eyes and she didn’t cloak her emotions. “I told you. I’m not going to be your property. Something you can toy with and then discard when you’re done. I’ve seen you with women, Damian. Remember? I know how little you value matters of the heart. But that’s okay, because I walked into this with both eyes open. I know the deal.”
Damian’s eyes narrowed with interest that had anger laced in his brow. “You do?”
“Yes.” Her voice was firmer now, her gaze unwavering. “This is just sex Damian and it works both ways. You don’t want any strings attached any more than I do. My boyfriend took off with some barely legal groupie. I guess I needed a pick-me-up from my hot billionaire boss. Now I guess Chet and I are even. I do owe him a real apology though because he told me about you. Maybe I can work things out with him, who can tell? He just might forgive me and want me back. If it comes to that, I already know what my choice would be.”
Hanna had pushed Damian to the wall this time and she could tell. She didn’t know how someone so furious could keep it reined in the way he did, fury etched in every line of his face yet his whole body left with no sign of agitation. That didn’t fool her for a second though. He still looked ready to smash a fist through the headboard.
“I’m going to leave now before I do something stupid,” he said with cold composure. “But you and I both know this: I can have you when I want you, Hanna.”
He leaned in and pressed a kiss to her forehead, and Hanna stiffened at the warmth of his lips. “You do what you have to do. And I’ll do the same. Get some rest.”
And with that, he rolled off the bed and left after gathering his things.
Alone in her bed, Hanna stared after his departing figure as the door closed behind him.
She hated when he was right. Even now she itched with renewed need for the ways in which only he knew how to please her. She was as confused as ever now.
He’d always make her vulnerable, she could see that already. There were no half measures with him and if she let it consume her, it would. While he could always walk away – but only if it suited him.
She wasn’t ready to be Damian Rush’s passing fantasy.
Nothing would make any sense till she spoke to Chet again and found out where her heart really lay, Hanna couldn’t repress a shiver as she hugged her pillow closer beneath her cheek.
All Hanna could hope for was that she’d make the final choice that was best for her and no one else. So what was it going to be?
.
Flirting With Desire Book 3
It had all happened so fast. Hanna never gave herself the chance to think it through, but had let her treacherous libido lead the way. Not once, but twice in the same day she’d succumbed to the ravenous blast of need Damian evoked.
Hanna could hardly imagine having to look herself in the mirror after this. She’d always thought she had more sense, more self-control. But Chet had been right all along. And it ripped at her to think he’d known her more than she knew herself.
Thinking about Chet, she let out a groan of dismay. She had to face this sometime. So she