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Something inside me snaps. All the hurt and anger I’ve been bottling up since this morning comes pouring out. “What am I talking about? Oh, I don’t fucking know Dylan. Where should I start? Maybe I’m talking about you toying with my emotions, making me believe this thing between us could actually be something real. All while knowing you had zero intention of ever manning up and acting on it. Or maybe the fact you almost freaking kissed me last night, strumming up fantasies that I had long tried to bury, only to wake up this morning to hear you making it painfully clear how much of a fucking idiot I am. But, I’m sure you still have “no idea” what I’m on about.”
Dylan’s eyes widen, realization dawning. “Caress, whatever you think you heard-”
“I know exactly what I heard,” I spit out, my voice trembling with rage. “You told Joel I’m like a little sister to you. That this is all just pretend.”
“That’s not-”
“Don’t you dare try to deny it!” My voice rises, echoing off the conference room walls. “I heard you, Dylan. Crystal clear.”
He runs a hand through his hair, frustration evident in every line of his body. “You don’t understand. I was trying to protect you!”
“Protect me?” I scoff, my hands clenching into fists as I drop them to my side. “By lying? By making me feel like a fool for thinking there might be something between us?”
Dylan takes another step forward, his eyes pleading. “Caress, please. Let me explain.”
But I’m too far gone, the hurt of this morning mixing with years of suppressed feelings. “Explain what? How you can look at me like that, touch me like that, lead me on like that, and then turn around and act like it meant nothing?”
“It meant everything!” Dylan’s shout surprises us both. He takes a deep breath, visibly trying to calm himself. “Last night… it wasn’t pretend for me. Not for a second.”
I want to believe him. God, how I want to believe him. But the memory of his words to Joel this morning still stings. “Then why lie to Joel? Why tell him I’m just a little sister to you?”
Dylan’s shoulders slump. “Because I’m terrified, Caress. Terrified of ruining our friendship, of losing you completely if things go wrong. You’re not just my assistant or Joel’s sister. You’re… everything.”
His words hit me like a physical blow, stealing the air from my lungs. But I can’t let myself hope. Not yet. “And I’m just supposed to believe that? After everything I heard?”
“Yes!” Dylan’s voice cracks with emotion. “Because it’s the truth. I’ve wanted you for years, Caress. Watching you date other men, pretending I didn’t feel anything beyond friendship… it’s been torture.”
I shake my head, tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. “Then why didn’t you say something? Why wait until now?”
“Because I’m a coward,” he admits, his voice barely above a whisper. “Because the thought of losing you, of ruining what we have… it paralyzed me.”
The sincerity in his eyes makes my resolve waver. But I can’t forget what I heard or just dismiss it so easily. “Save whatever lame excuse you’re planning on dishing out,” I say, my voice hoarse. “I don’t want to hear it.”
I turn towards the door, my hand on the knob. “I’m done, Dylan. I deserve a man who will see my worth as more than just-”
My words die in my throat as Dylan’s hand slams against the door, keeping it closed. He spins me around, pressing me back against the cool wood. For a moment, we just stare at each other, chests heaving, the air between us charged with tension.
“You’re right,” Dylan says, his voice low and intense. “You deserve so much more than I’ve given you. But Caress, don’t you see? You’re everything to me. Everything.”
Before I can respond, his lips crash into mine. The kiss is hard, desperate, filled with all the pent-up desire and frustration of our argument. Dylan’s tongue sweeps across my lower lip, demanding entry, and I give in without hesitation. My hands fist in his shirt, pulling him closer as his fingers tangle in my hair.
Every nerve in my body feels electrified. Dylan’s solid warmth presses against me, his muscled thigh slipping between my legs. I can’t help the moan that escapes my lips as he grinds against me, the evidence of his arousal hard against my hip.
Dylan’s lips leave mine, trailing hot kisses along my jaw and down my neck. “You’re right,” he murmurs between kisses. “God, Caress, you’re so right. I’ve been an idiot.”
His hand travels up my side, cupping my breast through my dress. I arch into his touch, gasping as his thumb brushes over my nipple. “Dylan,” I breathe, my head falling back against the door.
Suddenly, Dylan pulls back. His chest heaves as he gestures from his flushed skin to the obvious bulge in his pants. “Do you see what you do to me?” he asks, his voice rough with desire. “I’ve wanted you since the day you started as my assistant three years ago.”
My eyes widen at his confession, heat pooling low in my belly. Dylan continues, “It’s been torture watching you go out with asshole after asshole. I’ve had to rely on willpower and a lot of cold showers. But I knew that if I ever crossed that line, there was no going back.”
I swallow hard, trying to process his words. My body still thrums with desire, every inch of me aching to be touched. “What happens now?” I ask, meeting his heated gaze.
A devilish smile spreads across Dylan’s face as he leans in close again. “Now,” he says, his voice low and husky, “we get the fuck out of here and head back to our cabin.” His hand trails down my body, fingertips skimming the hem of my dress. “Unless you want to finish what we started right here against this door.”
My breath catches as his fingers dance along my thigh. “Because now that I know how good your tongue tastes in my mouth,” Dylan continues, his lips brushing my ear, “I’m dying to taste all the other parts of you.”
A shiver runs through me at his words. Part of me wants to throw caution to the wind and let him take me right here. But a smaller, more rational part knows we need to talk first.
