Page 39 of One More Night
FOURTEEN
Jordan
The tension radiates off her in waves while she slots the key in the lock and twists. I shouldn’t have snapped at her; curiosity is human nature. But she hit my red button. My no-go.
“It’s not much compared to your place—”
“But it’s yours,” I say, following her in.
She drops her keys to the end table, and then steers straight for the bedroom. I follow that plump ass as it swings up the narrow hallway, flexing my fists to save from reaching out and slapping it.
Maybe earlier, I would have. But after making her mad? I may be a red-blooded man, but I’m not stupid.
“Help yourself.” Corinne swings the doors of her wardrobe open; revealing a small collection of dresses and pantsuits. “I’ll be down the hall packing some things in the bathroom.”
“You trust me to do this alone?” I taunt.
“Wouldn’t want to make it a couples thing now, would I?” She hits me with a challenging stare, arm extending to gesture toward her bed. “There are more shoes in a storage container under there if you would like to accessorize.”
I flail for what to say as she strides from the room, leaving me in her sanctuary. My gaze drifts around the space, at the little touches that make it hers. Soft colors accent the bedding and furnishings. It seems she likes a little calm in her home. So different from how she appears at face value.
I move toward a line of photo frames propped on top of her drawers, taking in familiar faces: her father, mother, Chase, and a few people who must be family given the resemblance. Unsurprisingly, her uncle is absent from the line up. Fucker. What I knew of their relationship was broad assumption. I saw the way he eye-balled her at the party all those years ago—just like I told her—but I’d hoped it wasn’t anything that serious. I embellished in the hopes she’d get defensive and shut me down; I wanted to hurt her after she hurt me in mentioning my parents.
What I got was something so much more. An admission. A revelation.
A job for Perry, perhaps?
“You know, facing the wardrobe is generally a good place to start.”
I spin to find Corinne in the doorway, watching me pry into her personal effects. “What I said in the car …”
“You were hurt, so you lashed out. I get it.” She crosses the room to pull a small case from the back of the wardrobe. “Don’t do it again.”
“I meant what I said about this being good for both of us.”
“I wouldn’t know anything about that,” she muses as she heads for the door again. “Considering I don’t know much about you.”
The ringing of my phone pulls me from engaging further on the issue. I retrieve the device and frown at the screen before hitting End. If he wants to talk, then he can call back when I’m not fucking busy.
By the time Corinne returns, I’ve selected a fitted dress with a geometric design that runs from hip to hem on one side. It’s sure to make her best asset look goddamn amazing. The top crosses over in a plunging neckline, assuring me of a good view while we eat.
Interestingly enough, it still had the tag on.
“Haven’t worn this yet?”
She sets the packed case against the wall and sighs. “I bought that in a … moment.”
“Of clarity?” I lift an eyebrow and cross my arms.
“Insanity.” She eyes the dress, lifting it from the bed. “Let’s say the sales woman was good at her job.”
“You don’t like it?”
“I love it. It doesn’t like me.”
She sucks a sharp breath as I take the hem of my T-shirt in hand from behind, and pull it slowly up her body. Corinne sets the dress down, allowing me to slip the cotton over her arms, and to the floor. Her head tilts to one side and I push her hair over one shoulder to expose the beautiful expanse of flesh on her neck.
My teeth are mere inches from the prize when a loud knock at the door startles her from our reverie.