Fight For Me by Claudia Burgoa

Chapter Sixteen

Luna

Doctor,roleplay. Itch.

What itch is he talking about?

This entire conversation doesn’t just blur the lines, it erases them. As we walk toward Hazel’s house, I think about the conversation. He grabs my hand, again. With Harrison Everhart, there are no lines. With so many people around us, I can’t stop and talk some sense into him. Maybe during his last mission, something happened and he had a concussion.

“Did you hit your head while you were working?” I walk close to him, making sure that he can hear me. “Should we take you to the doctor?”

He chuckles but ignores me.

Will another hit on the head fix whatever is wrong with him?

Violence shouldn’t be the answer, but I’m ready to experiment with it. I try to reclaim my hand, but Harrison holds it tighter. His steps are longer, faster. I have to almost jog to keep up with him. I wish he would slow down so we can talk, but we continue walking in silence. My question remains up in the air. We shouldn’t take things too far.

You’re fearless, Luna. Why can’t you let yourself do something different with him?I glance at Harrison.

He’s keeping a close eye on the streets, but every time I steal a glance, he catches me and rewards me with a smile. Once we reach a stoplight, he grabs at my hand, pulling it to his lips for a sweet kiss.

“Don’t overthink what could happen between us. This has to be simple, easy,” he explains.

We are close to the building where I’m currently staying. He pulls us to the side and exhales. “Have you ever had a one-night stand?”

“Yes, but the day after I’m gone.” I lift one shoulder, slumping it right away. “We never see each other again.”

“Okay, we apply the same concept. The difference is that you’ll continue to see me every day.”

“So, you want to have a no-strings-attached relationship?” I ask, perplexed. Didn’t I just tell him to cool it? “You’re joking, right?”

It’s our turn to walk. He pulls me toward him and ignores me. As soon as we get closer to the Neo-Gothic old building where the Beesleys live, I know the conversation is over.

“Mark, how are you tonight?” He says brightly, greeting the doorman as we enter.

“Miss Santillan, Mr. Everhart, good evening.”

“Hey, Mark.” I wave at him as we walk to the elevator.

I wait until the elevator doors shut to respond to him. “I refuse to sleep with my partner. Not that you’re my partner.”

He ignores me and pulls out his phone. “I propose that we take full advantage of the situation and spend the next weeks doing what couples do,” he reads last night’s text.

“We’re not a couple,” I remind him.

“Yet.” He smirks.

“We are partners,” I correct him.

“Partners?” He wiggles his eyebrows. “I like that. Live-in partners have more fun than your average couple.”

“You’re insufferable.”

“But you already accepted that.” He stares at his phone. “You agreed by saying, ‘It might work, we’ll have to talk about ground rules,’” he mocks my voice.

“It’s right here, in writing. You want ground rules. We only need one.” He pushes me against the metal wall, caging me with the breadth of his body.

Harrison nuzzles my neck, murmuring. “We don’t tangle our actions with emotions. I offer you steady, monogamous sex while we work together.”

His lips brush against mine. The fire they evoke leaves me weak. A low, throaty moan escapes.

The wait for more is almost too much for my heart to take, and I pull his face to mine for a kiss before he can tease me more. My skin catches fire as his hands slide down my bare shoulder and land just above my ass. He presses me closer to him and I can feel the walls I’ve been building around myself fall away at the warmth of his touch.

“You can’t fight this,” he says, breaking our kiss.

My breath hitches, shivers traveling from the nape of my neck all the way to my toes at the desire in his voice. I can feel myself go weak in the knees and I squeeze my thighs together, hoping he hasn’t noticed the way he’s affecting me.

“That’s unprofessional,” I whisper.

“There’s no professional link between us, Luna,” he reminds me, straightening his back, and stepping away from me.

His face is serious as his gaze holds mine. “There’s chemistry between us. We’re both consenting adults, why not take full advantage of our situation?”

“Situation?” I sigh out, taking the opportunity to catch my breath. “There’s no situation. We shouldn’t be…”

Wait, Luna. Why are you saying no to steady sex? He’s sexy, and the ache between your legs could use his assistance,I hear from the devil on my shoulder. She’s the one I try to ignore when I’m trying to make a decision about a man.

The elevator doors open and I hightail it to my room, not giving Harrison a second glance. My head is such a cluttered mess that I find myself wanting a second opinion. Mom’s journal doesn’t have much in the way of advice on no-strings-attached sex, so my only option is my phone. I sit down on my bed, hurriedly accessing my daily horoscope.

Dear Cancer,

With the Moon so close to Jupiter, you are searching for more comfort than usual. But with a Mercury-Jupiter play, there’s a part of you that wants to do things differently. Get out of your shell and try something new. Combine the old comfort with the new aspects happening in your life. Try on that new feeling you’re trying to avoid. Work doesn’t have to be boring, you can experiment with a new method.

Your personal life is about to receive its own makeover, be open to change. Let the ordinary become extraordinary. That might lead to pleasant surprises if you know what I mean, my dear crab. Have more courage and welcome a new associate into your professional life. That might be the key to success. Don’t forget that this is a great month to make some new connections that might lead you to love.

Good luck my lucky crab.

Sure horoscope, but what if my comfort is not sharing feelings? Should I assume that the “new” is Harrison Everhart’s bed? He said emotion free, but can I even be emotionless while my body is responding so strongly to his attention? I know that there’s no future for me in love, but I can’t help the way I like to make real connections. How do I handle this? How do I handle him?