Power Play by Sophia Henry

Author:Sophia Henry
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2016-02-16T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

When I nodded, my forehead rubbed against his chest, creating a friction and warmth that I wanted to feel on lower parts of my body.

“I would’ve beat his face in. I’ll still beat his face in. I can’t believe I wasn’t around.”

“It’s not like you would have known even if you had been around. We barely knew each other.”

A low growl rattled in the back of his throat.

“I just meant that I wouldn’t have rung up a purchase by saying, ‘That’ll be fifteen dollars and forty-two cents—by the way, did you know I was raped last week?’ ”

Landon pressed his forehead against mine. We closed our eyes and breathed together.

I slipped a hand in between our meshed bodies, sliding my fingers over his upper thigh before skimming them toward the front.

Landon’s body immediately responded. Good and bad. Good because he responded below the waist, where I’d been reaching. Bad because he grabbed my hand and pulled it back up.

“I’m really into you, Gaby. But we aren’t having sex tonight. Our first time together will be passionate and memorable, not marred by the thought of that guy. I’d put him in the fucking hospital if I ever met him.”

“I’ll always be marred by him.” The words came out spiteful and bitter.

“Tonight we sleep. Just sleep.” Landon tightened his hold. “I want to hold you until you forget that asshole.”

For the first time since being in Landon’s arms, the feeling of complete safety eluded me.

I’d never forget “that asshole” because I thought of him every morning when I swallowed the antidepressant I wouldn’t have needed to take if I’d never met him. I’d never forget him because I’d worked with him and his family every day since I started working at the stores. I’d never forget him because being betrayed by someone you think of as a family member is not something you forget.

I’d never forget him because his actions led me to the night I almost killed myself. But I couldn’t tell Landon that part of the story. Telling him I’d been raped had to happen or our physical relationship couldn’t continue. But I couldn’t tell him about antidepressants and a suicide attempt. Who wants to date the crazy girl?

I couldn’t tell Landon any of that. Instead, I said, “I’m sorry I ruined your night.”

“Gabriella, this is not about me. It’s about us.”

Landon’s feelings for me warmed me and chipped away at a wall that I had built up for three years. Not all men were about taking advantage of a girl. And though I was ready to have sex with him, I appreciated that he understood my hesitation and didn’t want to rush it. It made me see him in a totally different light.

Landon shimmied farther below the comforter and I followed suit. I snuggled against the length of his body, my head on his bare chest, my hand over his heart. His words, which I’d missed in my pathetic apology, ran through my mind.

“But you’re still into me, right?” I asked into his skin, unable to look up in case I hadn’t heard him correctly after all.

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