Primal Instincts_ Volume 2(37)
Author: Nicole Edwards

 

“Did you plan to walk me out? Or was there something else?”

 

“I’m ready when you are.”

 

Feeling awkward that he was watching me, I hitched my bag on my shoulder and grabbed my cell phone. I tucked it away and started toward the door.

 

I noticed his eyes shift to the bookshelf behind me, and I wondered if he was thinking about the camera Wayne had planted there. Since discovering it, I’d checked everything that could possibly hold a device like that each time I ventured out of my office. That was even after Garrison had someone install a lock on the door yesterday afternoon. The fact that I had to worry that Wayne would invade my privacy again was disconcerting.

 

As soon as I moved toward him, Creed stood tall, then stepped out of the way so I could close the door and lock it. He fell into step with me as I headed for the exit, opting for the stairs rather than the elevator. I wasn’t sure I was ready to be in a confined space with this man.

 

“I really don’t need an escort to my car.” I forced a smile to hide the exhilaration that his presence incited. I’d spent far too many hours fantasizing about this man since the day I met him. And though I harbored some animosity for his high-handedness, I could also admit I enjoyed being near him.

 

“Too bad,” he said.

 

“Too bad,” I mocked rebelliously as I slammed my hands into the door release bar and shoved it open before he could.

 

Creed remained right by my side, his gait smooth and even as he kept pace with me. Since his legs were significantly longer than mine, I was required to move faster to remain ahead. He seemed unfazed by my hostility.

 

“We’re going to dinner, Journey. You and me.”

 

The command was so stern and so unexpected I stumbled and nearly went ass over tea kettle. To keep me from falling, Creed’s big hand curled around my upper arm, steadying me.

 

“What?”

 

His sinful smile amped up a notch, his hand firmly gripping my arm. “Would you like me to say please?”

 

“Do you know how?” I countered, glancing down at where he was touching me. Although the sleeve of my dress kept us from being skin-to-skin, I could feel the warmth of his touch, and it sent a shockwave through my system.

 

“It’s in my vocabulary, although I don’t use it often. I told you I shifted my timeline to return today because I was taking you out.”

 

“That was light years ago. A lot has changed since then.”

 

“Not the important things,” he said smoothly, holding my gaze.

 

I felt like a gazelle trapped by a hungry lion. His gray eyes darkened as his eyebrows lowered, but his perfect mouth was what captivated me.

 

Creed leaned in, his voice gruffer when he said, “You can make this as difficult as you’d like. It’ll still end the same way. I’m taking you out, Journey. It’s non-negotiable.”

 

I inhaled sharply, stunned by the bolt of heat that exploded in my core. It was like I’d conjured this dominant man right out of my fantasies. But how could I possibly be turned on by that? And more importantly, how could he possibly still be interested? Not after everything that happened this week. The least of which was the way I had repeatedly hung up on him. It was childish and petty, and though I could acknowledge that, I would do it again in a heartbeat. Based on what I knew of Dominants, no self-respecting one would bother with someone who had no respect for authority when they felt trapped.

 

Feeling awkward again, I gently pulled away, breaking the physical contact before I continued down the stairs, using the handrail as a guide so I didn’t have another mishap. A moment later, I felt the warmth of Creed’s hand against my lower back.

 

“Is that a yes?” he asked.

 

“No.”

 

“Is that a no?”

 

“No.”

 

That spine-tingling chuckle sounded, and I fought the urge to squeeze my legs together.

 

“Dinner it is.”

 

I peered up at him briefly, then down at my outfit. “I’m not exactly dressed for anything fancy.”

 

“What you’re wearing is perfect.” His eyes were hot, moving over me as he muttered, “Seriously fucking perfect.”

 

My mouth fell open at the compliment.

 

A door above us opened, then slammed shut, meaning someone had entered the stairwell. It broke the spell. Creed’s hand disappeared from my back, and he put a bit of distance between us as we continued our descent.

 

Wow. Talk about a trigger reaction. That retreat of his was not discreet in the least.

 

I won’t lie; it hurt my feelings because clearly, he didn’t have a problem making me masturbate on the phone or summoning me to his office so he could make me, I don’t know, meditate for him, but he definitely didn’t want anyone else to see him touching me. Worse, I wasn’t sure why it bothered me that he didn’t. When I woke up this morning, I was pissed at him. Then he strolled in, and what? I got all giggly and gooey-eyed because he looked good in a suit.

 

You’re made of stronger stuff than that, girl.

 

Yes. Yes, I was. And to prove it, I started moving at a faster clip, desperate to get out the door before he had the chance to make me feel small and insignificant again.

 

 

 

 

 

20

 

 

 

 

 

Creed

 

 

When I arrived at the office this morning, I did not anticipate I would be walking Journey to her car.

 

I was supposed to be stronger than this.

 

I was supposed to be clinging to the reminder that staying away from her was the best option. For all involved. She had a way of stripping me of my hard-won control, which wasn’t something I could tolerate. The only way to ensure she couldn’t was to keep my distance, so during the flight back this morning, I decided to embrace her desire to shut me out. I could respect that, considering all that had transpired these past few days.

 

I shot that plan to shit when I summoned her to my office. Honestly, I hadn’t known what I wanted to say to her, only that I needed to see her. I’d spent the past three days telling myself there was no way she was as beautiful as I remembered and that she wasn’t as feisty or fierce or sexy or… I had nearly convinced myself that all the adjectives I’d conjured to describe her couldn’t possibly be accurate.

 

Then I laid eyes on her after three long days, and that was all she fucking wrote. At that point, I decided to take the high road. I accepted that I was in far too deep to let things end badly, so I planned to smooth the waters and let her know I would be backing off from that point forward.