Unrestricted by Kimberly Bracco Page B

a step away before he wraps his fingers around my upper arm, stopping me. The instant his skin touches mine, that familiar and undeniable jolt of electricity buzzes through me. I hear his gasp, so he must feel it too… and know that I’m still affected by him. Just what I fucking need. Why the hell can’t I get my body on board with the hate in my heart?
    “Because almost every word of this song applies to me and you. Because I’m sorry for hurting you, and I’m sorry for the things I said that definitely weren’t true. I’m sorry for blaming you,” he says.
    I sense him staring at me, but I’m not ready to look at him just yet. I take a deep breath, straighten my spine, and meet his gaze. “Good for you, Tanner.” I pull my arm away from him and head back toward the hallway I’d hidden in earlier. I remember seeing a restroom there, and I need somewhere to pull myself together. I really wish my pussy would get the message that she shouldn’t get turned on by that asshole.
    I reach the bathroom and am relieved to find it’s empty. I grab a paper towel, run it under the cold water, and blot the back and sides of my neck with it, hoping to cool myself down. Behind me, I hear the door open and close. Then there’s a click, like that of a lock sliding into place. I lean back to look around the partition that separates the sitting area of the bathroom from the facilities area only to find Tanner striding toward me as though he’s on a mission.
    “Don’t you understand?” he asks, shaking his head.
    “What? That you’re a grade-A asshole? Yes, I understand that better than most,” I say, cocking my head and flashing him a snarky smile.
    “No, Ashley. I made a mistake. I’ve apologized for that mistake. I’ll keep apologizing for that mistake, because I’ll do anything to make things right between us. What’s it going to take for you to realize that we belong together? Don’t think I didn’t notice that little shiver back there,” he says, invading my space again. He’s so close that he’s shorting out all my mental circuits. The tux, the cologne, the apologetic rasp of his voice—I need to get away from him.
    “Nothing, because we don’t belong together. If we did, you would’ve never treated me the way you have,” I say, trying to sound strong as I ignore his comment about my reaction to his touch.
    He closes the last bit of space left between us. “I recall you liking all the ways I treated you, Ashley. I’ve felt your beautiful eyes following me all night, and I could practically hear all the dirty thoughts running through your mind,” he says in that tone he always uses when he’s trying to convince me of something. He hasn’t lost using it yet. “You look absolutely beautiful tonight.” He runs his nose down the side of my neck, from my ear to my collarbone.
    I don’t have enough resolve to fight him off, but maybe if I can give in to this feeling on my own terms, I can make it out of here with my heart still intact. I hate him. I know that. But right now, I want to hate him while he’s buried inside me, making me forget everything including my name.
    “Yes, I know. I’ve been told. Repeatedly,” I say, baiting him. If I’m not leaving here unscathed, neither is he. Two can play at this game. The only difference between us is that I don’t give two shits what he thinks of me after I get what I need.
    He grips my hip. “Who’s been telling you that?” he asks, his tone hard and jealous. Perfect, exactly what I want.
    “None of your concern.” I push his hand away but don’t quite let go of him. My eyes stay glued to our connected hands.
    Tanner must see whatever it is he’s looking for in my reaction because his expression becomes harder, more possessive. “Everything about you concerns me, Ashley,” he says, gripping both of my hips now.
    “Not anymore,” I say, sounding breathier than I’d wanted to. My traitorous body caves to his touch, and my lower half has