SWNOVELS Acts of Grace: Part 1 – Chapter 5
He won’t look at me.
What the hell?
The man couldn’t pry himself from between my thighs last night, and now he won’t even spare me a damn look?
Oh, hell no. This will not fly.
It would be one thing if last night were a one-night stand with a damn stranger, but this is Titus. He’s seen me at my most vulnerable, and I’m not talking about being naked and tied up.
I’d expect ghosting from anyone but him.
“Excuse me.” I get up from my seat on the jet and move past William and Bella, heading toward the private bedroom.
William crinkles his forehead and raises his brows as he follows my movement. “Everything okay, sis?”
“Yup. Just left something of mine in the bedroom last night. I’m going to check to see if it’s still there.”
At my words, Titus chokes on his drink.
Uh-huh. Glad to see he’s not oblivious.
Ignoring him, I keep walking straight into the comfortable sized room and sit on the bed. I didn’t really leave anything in here but I’m not about to walk right back out.
I’m about to pull my phone out and play some solitaire—how fitting—when the door creaks.
“What the fuck are you trying to do? Get us killed?”
Looking up I see Titus and his normally stoic face, pained and a deep shade of red.
Rolling my eyes, I answer, “Relax. If anyone is giving anything away it’s you, sneaking in here.”
“I’m not giving anything away. Your brother is busy consoling Bella while the rest of the team tries to manage a hyper toddler.” His body stalks forward, stopping just in front of me on the bed. “What did you forget? We were careful last night.”
Just then I notice movement from his slacks. Holy shit. He’s fully hard and I think I just saw his length twitch in his pants.
“Eyes, up here, little treasure.” The asshole has the audacity to smirk at me.
“Didn’t think you’d even remember last night.” I whisper-hiss, narrowing my eyes. “The way you’ve been acting since I arrived at the hanger, one would question if we’ve even met before.”
His hand jets out, grasping my jaw and gripping it tightly, our eyes locking on to one another. “Little girl, you know nothing. What would you have me do? Greet you with this?” His lips seek mine as they envelop me in their warmth and his tongue demands entry, needing its other half.
“Mmmmhmmmm,” I moan into him. God, this never gets old. The feel of his velvety soft tongue caressing mine. The taste of cinnamon and cloves. The bruising grip of his hands on me. I want it all. Always.
His free hand grips me at the nape, pulling on my hair and tilting my head back, giving him further access and deepening our kiss.
I’m about to drop back onto the bed when suddenly, it’s all gone. Just as fast and furious as it started, it’s all ripped away.
Opening my eyes, I shake myself from this living dream and see a shocked Titus before me. His blue eyes are wide open and his mouth is slack-jawed, meanwhile his hands are gripping at his hair like it’s his lifeline.
“What happened?” My hand flies up to my bruised lips, trying to keep the sensation of his mouth on mine.
“Fuck, Ashley. This can’t happen again.” He arranges himself as the realization of what I am sets in.
I’m his dirty little secret. He doesn’t really want me. Not in any way that matters.
My chest feels like it’s being ripped wide open. The crevice this farce has left behind is so much worse than my cheating ex.
If I were being honest with myself, I never really loved Brad. He was the right guy, at the right time, from the right family. I knew he didn’t want me for my money, he had his own. Everything was just… convenient, when it came to him.
But this?
This hurts so much worse. Titus has always been the unattainable. Never letting myself dream of what could be. But last night changed everything. Or so I thought.
I thought that he finally saw me. Saw me the way I see him. Like a partner. An equal. Someone to share things with.
I guess I was wrong. He didn’t know what to do with a crying Ashley, so he shut me up the only way he knew how. Damn, he told me as much.
‘Let me take care of you the only way I know how.’ His words echo in my mind.
Ugh. How could I be so stupid! My heart aches and my eyes prickle with the promise of unshed tears.
Not wanting Titus to see what he’s done to me, I quickly get up. Making sure there isn’t a hair out of place and schooling my face into one of indifference, I walk past Titus, ready to rejoin the rest of the crew.
“Ash, wait.” Titus reaches out and grabs my hand, but I jerk it away.
“No. You’ve made your intentions pretty clear. You don’t want to make anyone think there’s anything going on between us. Best we leave separately.” I step out into the main cabin, not giving him the opportunity to respond.
I don’t care if he wants to backtrack. I’ve had enough of men stomping all over me.
Needing to make myself a priority, I’ll be damned if I let a man make me feel differently.
Even if it’s the one who’s haunted my dreams for the better part of my life.
Titus
Raw.
That’s what I’d do if she were mine.
I’d spank her fucking ass raw.
Walking into the hotel room I’ve booked for the weekend, I let out a growl. This is not how I envisioned this trip going. I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it definitely wasn’t what happened on the jet.
Doing a one-eighty, I turn my back to the bed and flop back.
It’s a nice enough suite, with its sleek artwork and modern furnishings, devoid of any warmth. No. This room is cold and stark, just like my bed tonight.
Pulling out my phone I see I’ve missed a call from Hudson. Dialing his number, I place the call on speaker.
“Hey. Finally! We’ve been trying to reach you.” His exasperated tone comes through the line and I have to roll my eyes.
“Man, I just saw you downstairs in the lobby. What the hell could’ve happened in the last fifteen minutes?”
“Whatever. What’s the point of having a phone if you always have it on silent?”
“Are you going to stop busting my balls and tell me what was so urgent?”
“Oh, yeah. William called and said we can’t see Aiden until tomorrow. Something about limiting the number of visitors at the hospital. Anyway, we were thinking of heading over to that restaurant in Malibu. The one on the water. God knows we could all use a distraction, if you know what I mean.”
My stomach knots and my throat gets tight. If the crew only knew what sort of distraction I gave Ashley last night, I’m not so sure they’d be inviting me on their outing right now.
I may not know what the hell happened between William’s sister and me, but I do know one thing—I’m not ready to dip my wick in someone other than her.
The mere thought of it just feels wrong, like pineapple on a pizza.
“Titus? You there?” Hudson’s voice brings me back to the conversation.
Trying not to sound off, I mentally shake myself from this fog. “Yeah, I’m here, brother. I’ll pass on tonight. It’s been a long day and I’m not really in the partying mood.”
Hudson scoffs, “Neither are we. It’s more of a mind-numbing diversion we’re after, but I get it. This whole thing has been a mind fuck. It easily could’ve happened to any one of us, but for it to have happened to our most seasoned… well, that’s just downright tragic.”
I blow out a breath before responding, “You can say that again. Anyway, stay safe tonight. Call me if you guys need anything.”
“Sure thing, brother.”
And with a click of the line, I’m back to contemplating where the hell I went wrong.
Was it catching the eye of the forbidden fruit, my tasting it, or the fact that I’ve somehow led it on?
Whatever the case, I have about ten hours to figure it out before I see Ashley again, and something definitely needs to change.
We got lucky that nobody’s noticed anything. But with the way she’s throwing visual daggers at me, there’s no doubt in my mind it won’t be long before someone does.
And when they do, all hell will break loose.