Flawed Beauty by LR Potter Page B

do the same if you walk away, everyday it will rain, rain,
rain…” He stopped singing and pulled back slightly. She lifted her face up
to stare into his exquisite blue eyes. Slowly, he lowered his lips to hers and
kissed her tenderly. He slid his hands up her body until his hands captured her
face and he deepened the kiss. She couldn’t tell if they were still dancing or
not… and she didn’t care. All she cared about was being with this man right
now, with his lips devouring hers with soft, sensual licks of his tongue. She
was breathless and panting when he pulled away. Staring up into the fathomless
depths of his eyes, she knew she was falling in love with him. How could she
not? The song ended all too soon.
    “Thanks for the dance,” he murmured,
lightly pressing his lips against hers once more, making her feel desired and
wanted.
    She went back to work on lighter
feet, and she couldn’t wipe the smile off her face.
    After the nightclub closed and he
walked her up to her apartment, he spun her lightly in his arms and held her
close. “I have to work a double tomorrow, so I won’t be able to see you until
Sunday. How about you come and spend the afternoon with me? It’ll just be you
and me… for longer than an hour. Imagine the possibilities,” he said with a
grin.
    She swallowed at his words. Fear ran
up her spine and her heart began to pound. She closed her eyes when he lowered
his lips to hers and kissed her softly.
    When he drew back, she said, “I
don’t know. I have a big project due next week.”
    He brushed his fingertips across her
face before leaning in to press his lips against her forehead. “Please think
about it, okay? I’m going to be catching up on some basketball games and you
can do your project at my place. I won’t distract you, I promise.”
    Her lips twitched at the thought
that he wouldn’t distract her. “I’ll think about it. Call me tomorrow.”
    “Okay,” he murmured as he pulled her
close and kissed her thoroughly.
     
    §§§
     
    It was Sunday and she had just
finished her self-defense class at G-Force, as well as a much-needed workout.
Every look, every touch, every kiss, from Jace had
left her sexually frustrated. She wanted him desperately but was still afraid.
She now knew what an alcoholic felt like. While she knew she shouldn’t want
him, she couldn’t stop the longing. He was like a drug in her blood. As she
trudged up the wooden stairs to her apartment, her cellphone vibrated in her pocket. Lifting it, she saw it was Toby, her foster-mother.
    “Hey, Toby,” she answered.
    “Hey, yourself. Have you lost my number? I haven’t
heard from you in weeks. What’s going on with you?” Toby asked.
    “I’m sorry. I’ve been busy. You know
me, nothing but school and work.”
    There was a pause on the line. “Thor
told me you were dating someone,” Toby said quietly.
    Tate cringed. “I guess you could say
that.”
    “Are you being careful?” Toby asked.
    When most people asked that
question, they were concerned with pregnancy or maybe sexual-transmitted
diseases, but Tate understood the hidden context. Toby had lived through Tate’s
last year in high school – specifically her sick need to debase herself with a
string of nameless boys. But she’d put that behind her… hadn’t she? She’d not
been with anyone since coming to the University of Florida – almost
three-and-a-half years.
    “Yes,” she murmured.
    Toby cleared her throat. “Well, good . I was worried. You just pulled your life back
together. I’d hate for you to slip back to…” she drifted off.
    “How’s Markus?” Tate asked, striving
to change the subject.
    “Not as good as we’d like. He’s
scheduled for surgery in the next month. I’ll let you know.” Toby paused for a
beat before continuing. “Tate, Markus and I are always here for you. You know
that, right?”
    “Sure,” Tate answered by rout.
    “Okay, well take care and I’ll talk
to you soon. Bye.”
    “Bye,” Tate