Page 56 of Miss Trust

Chapter Twenty-Six

Chance

Two punishing hours at the gym, and I’d finally taken the edge off of my anger toward Tory’s ex, but I was still too amped up to return home. I never lost control. Not even for pieces of shit like John Fitch.

Admittedly, ever since Tory Larson had walked into my life, I’d somehow become unbalanced. I chalked it up to the fact she was unlike any woman I’d ever known. Hell, it could also be due to the fact she was living in my house. Or the touch of vulnerability behind her walls, I couldn’t seem to resist. In any event, it was clear I couldn’t stay away from her.

It was ridiculous. I should’ve been spending the night in my LA condo above the club, not driving over an hour to Malibu to see a woman with whom I had no business getting any more entangled. Yet here I was pulling into my driveway in Malibu and getting out of the car.

Did I hope she’d changed her mind about a one-night stand and would be waiting for me? Unlikely. Her pride alone would keep her from doing so.

The house was dark, and she was nowhere to be found. I should have gone straight to my office to get some work done, but instead I strolled into the kitchen and smiled at the cookies with sprinkles set on the counter.

Jesus. Who was I? I scrubbed a hand over my face, ready to head into my office when the sound of a voice stopped me.

Searching the room, I realized the sound was coming from the baby monitor which had been left on the countertop near the sink. Son of a bitch, I was looking at a live view of Tory’s room. She must’ve left the monitor down here when Penelope had been napping in her room, and she’d been working in the kitchen, maybe making the cookies. On the monitor, I could now see Tory in her bed, cursing and banging at an object in her hand.

Could that possibly be a vibrator she was holding? No, my lust-crazed imagination was running away. The slight possibility I might be correct had me glued to the screen, but my conscience made an unfortunate appearance. I was reaching over to turn the monitor off when her words made me freeze.

“There is no way I’m telling Chance I want another night. Nope. Not happening.”

She heaved out a sigh while I watched the camera, riveted. So much for being a gentleman. Then again, did a tiger ever truly change its stripes? When the sound of buzzing started, I sucked in a breath.

“Oh, thank God,” she whispered.

Unfortunately, the buzzing sound stopped, and Tory commenced banging on the vibrator again.

My chuckle filled the room. I found great enjoyment in her frustration. Especially when all she had to do was send me a text, and I’d tell her to come into the kitchen. I’d lift her up on the granite countertop, and she’d hook her legs around me as I drove deep inside of her. But no, she had to be stubborn.

“Stupid fucking thing,” she muttered, throwing an arm over her face.

Her bottom half was covered, which both eased my guilt in being a peeping Tom and disappointed me.

I didn’t understand why she wasn’t taking a manual approach by now, but it was clear by the way she got out of the bed and plugged the thing in, she didn’t consider such as an option. Pity, yet the thought of her lying in bed tonight as frustrated as I would be made me smile.

So did the idea forming in my mind. Turning off the monitor, I suddenly couldn’t wait until tomorrow night.