Read His Strings to Pull for Free Online Page B

I mean,” he bit out, appearing more pained with each passing second.
    “I’m afraid you’ll have to elaborate. The only thing I’m doing is trying to raise funds—”
    “That’s not all you’re raising,” he groaned.
    “What do you mean?” she asked, feigning innocence.
    “Stop leaving your curtains open.”
    She blinked. “My curtains?” His hand trailed lower on her back, and when his big fingers splayed over her sensitive flesh, the air instantly charged. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” As a wave of heated anticipation prowled through her bloodstream, she realized there was nothing impersonal in the way he was touching her.
    “And stop parading around in nothing but slinky underwear,” he added, clearly not buying her story.
    She wet her lips, and gave a casual shrug. “I didn’t think it would bother you, considering…”
    His nostrils flared and between clenched teeth he said, “You were a kid, Gems.”
    “Well I’m not a kid anymore now, am I?” she challenged, her pulse leaping with renewed excitement. She had the sneaking suspicion her devious plan had actually worked, and that she’d somehow gotten under Cole’s skin.
    A strange, strangled noise sounded in his throat as he drew in a ragged breath. “Maybe not.” He fingered the silky material on her dress. “But underneath this façade, this life you built for yourself, you’re still that same wild child, aren’t you?”
    Her heart sank. She must have misread him. She steeled herself, waiting for the lecture. “Cole, I…” she began, wanting to make it perfectly clear to him she didn’t need his protection.
    “I never said I didn’t like that side of you, Gems.”
    Everything in the way his voice softened when he said her name had her realizing she hadn’t misinterpreted him at all. A slow lick of flame moved over her flesh and liquid desire settled deep between her thighs. “Well if you must know, I’ll probably always have a wild side, but believe me I’m not a child anymore.”
    His nostrils flared, like he was waging some sort of internal war. He clenched his teeth harder, the muscles along his jaw rippling. Her glance went back to his and when she saw the desire reflecting there, a shudder moved through her body.
    Arousal thickened his voice and volatile heat backlit dark eyes full of raw lust when he whispered, “What are we doing?”
    Her heart missed a beat. Everything from the tortured way he was looking at her, to the way his body was pressed against hers—one part in particular—spoke volumes. Cole Sullivan, the same guy she’d been lusting after for ten long years, was finally seeing her as something more than his friend’s rebellious kid sister. She’d be damned if she wasn’t going to do something about it.
    Her nipples scraped against his chest and she murmured, “We’re doing what we should have done a long time ago.”
    He frowned and gave a hard shake of his head. He rested his hands on her hips as if he was having second thoughts. “I need to get out of here.”
    He continued to press against her, his body telling an entirely different story—he wanted her in his bed as much as she wanted to be there.
    She wasn’t sure about the demons that haunted him or why he’d want to deny himself what his body craved. But now that she had him right where she’d always wanted him, the rebellion from her youth had turned into fierce determination and she wasn’t about to let him flee again.
    With her body beckoning his touch, she pushed her hips into him. In a voice full of invitation she said, “If you need to go somewhere I have a room upstairs.”
    He exhaled slowly. “I’m pretty sure that’s not going to help me cool off.”
    “You can take a cold shower.” She ran her hands through his hair, went up on her toes and purposely put her mouth to his ear when she added, “Or a hot one.”
    “Gems,” he murmured, his hands circling her hips. Once again as sexual tension hung