Disguise

Basically Manhandling

"You're basically manhandling me!" It was such a strain to meet his eyes when he was a good head taller than me. Oh my poor neck.

He met my gaze with an equally stubborn one of his own. I was finding it difficult to maintain my indignation though, with his hands around me and the close proximity of his lips from mine.

Would I ever forget this feeling and move on?

The jacket I had on was suddenly unnecessary, it was getting hotter.

"Something tells me you like it." I could feel my cheeks burn as I looked away from him, "as much as you'd like my knee to your balls." I retorted and he let out a chuckle but didn't loosen his arms.

He was so volatile, one minute he was angry, then stubborn, then easy going and now...now he was intense again.

I turned my head back to him again, but my demand for release got stuck in my throat when I saw his dark eyes.

"I am only worried, you know." His words were velvet smooth, but effective.

"Reece.."

"It's a simple request. Just let me know if you're headed somewhere." He continued, not having heard me.

"But-"

"And, I'm sorry." He admitted reluctantly and I stopped talking. "I didn't mean to yell, I was only concerned." He amended, bending his head down further as if that way he could see deeper into my eyes.

It certainly didn't make it any easier to get out of his spell. Without thinking, I nodded and the words 'okay' slipped out of my mouth. Two times that had happened today.

A satisfied grin came over his lips and he took his arms away from my sides. The sudden cold made me shiver, despite the jacket, and I held it tighter.

It was getting clear now, like a daze.

He knew what his touch did to me! It always got him to do his bidding so easily!

Even after all this time I'm open to his every attack.

Annoyance and regret at how easy it was for me to melt for him drowned me. I should be running from here, from him. Or I should be trying to make his life miserable but for some godforsaken reason, I just couldn't fight this. The revelation crushed me.

"Are you cold?" He asked, eyeing the hand that was clutching the jacket and I shook my head, not trusting my voice.

"We should get inside."

"I'll go and check on the wounded wolf pup." He said when we got to the brightly lit reception. Alyssa was back at the desk, talking politely on the phone. I just nodded in acknowledgement. Maybe he sensed that my mood was off and didn't try to talk to me further. I reached the elevator and placed my key card onto the screen. The basement buttons lit up and I chose my floor.

Once inside the flat, I leaned against the shut elevator doors and dropped the facade. I slid to the ground and let the tears flow, not even bothering to reach the couch.

I didn't know what was bothering me. That I couldn't get over him? Especially after what he put me through? Or that I couldn't feel this way with any other man? Or the worst....that he didn't feel the same way about me.

That thought struck a low blow and the waterworks worsened.

It'd be pathetic if it was the last one and for the life of me, I couldn't figure this out. I shouldn't even have remote affectionate feelings for him, and here I was, contemplating the likelihood that I'd be hurt if he didn't.