Chapter 173

‘You’ve lost weight,’ he said against my cheek. ‘Eat something that isn’t toast and coffee.’ The second I opened my mouth to reply, he kissed me again. Harder. I didn’t get a word in. My back slid deeper into the cushions until I couldn’t breathe properly. He hauled me upright with one arm and didn’t stop. He wasn’t drunk. I didn’t want to think about how he’d act if he was. When I agreed to give us a try last night, I didn’t know I’d be flipping a switch inside him. ‘You’re distracted,’ he murmured, teeth brushing my ear. Then he scooped me up, one hand under my thighs, the other pressed to the nape of my neck. His mouth never left mine. He carried me up the stairs. Every step jolted through me. My arms looped around his shoulders without thinking. I wasn’t falling, but it felt like I might. His grip stayed tight, possessive. My feet hung uselessly behind him, toes nudging his leg as he walked. I could feel the exact pressure of his palm on my lower back, holding me steady. He pushed