“What’s your problem?” I shook my head, following his lead and getting dressed. I stumbled as I tried to fit my leg through the holes of my pants. I made a grab for his arm, but Bran darted out of reach. “What’s that look on your face?”
I’d never seen it before, so cold and closed off. I didn’t like it. My stomach turned and the haze of pleasure melted away. Bran crossed his arms. Another barrier. I resisted the urge to dash them away and kiss the sour look off his face.
“Our arrangement is over now. No more.”
It was like his words carved a hole in my chest, and in the empty space rose a wave of indignant anger. Done? We weren’t done. Not by a long shot, not with his taste ingrained in every one of my tastebuds. I hadn’t had my fill yet.
“You don’t get to decide that, your body is mine until I say so.”
“Yes, and you told me last week you wanted until tonight, well you had y-your last taste, ok?” His voice cracked, only a fleeting moment. Only a tiny break. But I saw the harsh devastation and the way Bran clammed up, not wanting to show me how I affected him. I reached out and grabbed at him again. This time I wrapped my hand around his lean biceps and gathered him against my body. It took all my effort to be soft.
“Not ok. I changed my mind.” I said through gritted teeth. My veins blistered with fire, and it only built when Bran lifted his chin and shook his head. So defiant.
“You want to find someone to fuck, call Sandy. She’ll be back soon. I’m sure you’ve still got a few rounds left in you. But it won’t be with me.” Bran wrenched his arm out of my hold with a shout. My nostrils flared and the air I desperately sucked down felt like steam. It was on the tip of my tongue to say I didn’t want her. I wanted you. But I caught the words as they almost spilled out. What the fuck? What the actual fuck? My thoughts tripped over each other. I shooed at Bran, let a sneer twist my lips instead of a beg.
“If that’s what you want.” I cupped my cock and squeezed, ignoring the shard of pain that sliced through my insides. Let’s see how he liked it. So, Bran didn’t want me. That didn’t matter. He was right. This was nothing but an arrangement, and now it was over. Sandy said she’d give up trying to push me into committing and thank god, I would never commit to anyone. Certainly not the devastatingly beautiful man in front of me. There was a rap on the door and Bran jerked his head toward the sound.
“Go on, she’s waiting.” His smile was cold and empty and for a moment, I couldn’t walk. I didn’t want to move, but then I remembered I was straight, and Bran couldn’t mean anything to me. So, I strode to the door and opened it. Sandy breezed in, pointing her finger at me with a furious snarl.
“Who do these belong to?” Off her finger hung the green pair of panties I’d bought for Bran. God, my cock twitched just thinking about how hot his hole had been, how he rode me and gasped in pleasure. I’d liked him in the feminine underwear. My gut twisted, and I shrugged.
“Should I tell her who owns those?” I directed it to Bran, wanting to wound him. I did. His face fell and his fist rubbed against his chest, but only for a second. Emotion drained out of his expression, and he mirrored my shrug. Sandy stomped her little foot, not understanding the current of tension between us.
“Why not? What you do has got absolutely nothing to do with me, Noah.” Bran stalked out of the room and his door closed a moment later. Sandy shook the underwear in my face again.
“Well? Who–” she began, but I grabbed the underwear and tossed them on the floor. I resisted the urge to grind my heel on them, like it might destroy the delicious memories I attached to them. Sandy’s eyes widened and her chest rose with a shallow breath. Her pupils widened as I cupped her cheeks.
“Are you jealous, Sandy?” I stroked my thumbs on her soft skin. So much softer than Bran’s, but it didn’t make my stomach flip like his did. “Do you want me that badly?”
“O-oh Noah, y-yes, I want to tear the eyes out of whoever wore those for you. B-but it’s only because I care for you so much.” Her eyes glistened with emotion, and I fought the urge not to grimace. I didn’t want her to care for me. I wanted to stalk down the hall, rip open Bran’s door and make him admit all the things that Sandy just had.
That he was jealous. Because he wanted me so much. I shoved down the tumultuous emotions of my own, focusing on the beautiful woman who wanted me instead.
Sandy pressed herself against me, and I felt nothing. Not a twinge, not a flicker. If anything, it was a crawling revulsion, like I was doing something wrong. Like I was cheating on Bran. But that wasn’t true. Bran was nothing to me. I repeated it even as my stomach ached.
“Why don’t you ditch Trent tonight and let me take you out instead?” I purred and Sandy’s mouth dropped open with heated rapture. Like I’d made all her dreams come true. My stomach was a nest of knots, and I couldn’t breathe as she slid her arm around mine. What was I doing? I clamped my teeth together and forced myself to leave with Sandy.
I was doing whatever the hell I wanted.
Because Bran was right, this arrangement was over, and I didn’t owe him anything.