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Anger flares inside me. “Yeah, you keep telling yourself that.”
“Not everything is about sex.”
I walk up to her, and continue walking as she backs away, until she bumps into the wall. I press up against her, and she gasps as I lower my head so my mouth is a fraction of an inch above hers.
“Are you sure?” I demand.
She studies my mouth, moistening her lips with the tip of her tongue.
“Tell me you don’t want me to kiss you,” I ask roughly. “Tell me to stop.”
A little sound escapes her, a combination of a sigh and a whimper, but she doesn’t speak. She just lifts her gaze to mine, tears glimmering on her lashes, a helpless look in her eyes.
I crush my lips to hers. She lifts her arms around my neck, sliding her hand into my hair, and moans, opening her mouth. I slide my tongue against hers. Ahhh… fire shoots through me, giving me an erection in seconds, and I thrust my hips, rocking so I press into her soft flesh through her thin leggings.
Her fingers clench in my hair. I cup her breast and rub a thumb across her nipple, and she shudders. At that point, I’m completely oblivious to anything but her. My whole world has shrunk to this office, this corner, this woman, and I want to be inside her more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my entire life. I don’t know what I’m expecting to happen—whether I intend to turn and lock the door and take her there, on the desk, or up against the wall—I’m not thinking rationally, or sensibly, and I’m certainly not thinking about Alex and his cautionary words.
But suddenly she tugs my hair and tears her mouth away from mine, and she gasps, “Stop!”
I step back, dropping my hands. My chest heaves with deep, uneven breaths. She dashes the back of her hand across her mouth, looking up at me with accusatory eyes.
“You need to leave,” she whispers.
I rest both hands on my hips and glare at her. I don’t want to go. I want to stay and fix it. I want to kiss her until she admits she loves me and we’re meant to be together.
But I know I’ve behaved badly. This isn’t the way. I promised I was her friend first, and I’d be there for her. Is this helping her, Henry?
“I’m sorry,” I start saying, but she turns and walks away.
“Please go,” she says. “I’ve got work to do.”
I hesitate. Then I turn, open the door, and walk out, closing the door behind me.
Chapter Ten
Juliette
Oh God.
I collapse into my chair, shaking all over, put my elbows on my desk, and cover my face with my hands.
I can still feel the heat from his lips, as if they’ve seared into my flesh. This guy is going to give me third-degree burns all over if I don’t stop kissing him.
I’m so ashamed. I was just starting to convince myself that last night was a terrible mistake and that it would never, ever happen again, and then Henry comes into my office and within five minutes I’m letting him kiss me senseless.
What the hell has happened to my willpower? I normally have a lot of self-discipline—when I decided I was going to give up sugar for a month I didn’t touch a grain for the whole twenty-eight days. When I agreed a few years ago to run a half-marathon for charity, I got up at five a.m. every morning to train. So why does it all fly out the window whenever Henry West walks into the room?
The problem is that I told myself I only slept with Henry to punish Cam, but it’s not true. I like him. And I like the way he makes me feel. I love the way he looks at me. I love the things he says to me. I like everything about him.
Find a man who smudges your lipstick, not your mascara.
Now you just need to work out which one’s which.
I press my fingers to my lips. It’s not that easy, Mum. There are other factors to take into account.
I’m not a Hindu per se, but my father taught me about Hindu beliefs as I was growing up, and they took seed inside me. Hinduism tells us of the importance of Ahimsa—the principle of non-violence and compassion towards all living beings. We’re not supposed to cause physical or mental harm, and we should be kind and empathetic to others. It also teaches us Dharma—the moral and ethical duties and responsibilities we should follow, which include righteousness, duty, and proper conduct.
Is it Dharma, Juliette, to cheat on your partner with your colleague?
