Victoria didn't let James's action faze her in the slightest. Her eyes blazed with determination as she looked up at him, her voice breathless but resolute. "I'm unbuttoning your shirt," she stated matter-of-factly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Before he could respond, she pulled him back down to her, capturing his lips in another searing kiss that made his resolve waver dangerously. In the heat of the moment, she freed her hands from his grip and immediately returned to her task, her fingers working at the buttons of his shirt with renewed urgency.
But James wasn't having it.
"Stop!" he ordered, his voice sharp with command as he caught her hands once more, his grip firmer this time.
Victoria stared up at him, stunned, looking at him like he'd completely lost his mind. Her chest heaved with labored breathing, her hair wild around her face, her lips swollen from their kisses. The confusion and frustration in her eyes was palpable.
"What's wrong?" she demanded, exasperation bleeding into her voice as she struggled against his iron will while her body still raged with sexual frustration. "What's the problem now, James?"
She didn't wait for an answer. Instead, she began planting kisses all over his face; soft, desperate touches along his jawline, his cheekbones, the corner of his mouth. She was trying to evoke his desires again, to break through whatever barrier he was trying to erect between them. Her lips were relentless in their assault, mapping every inch of his face with worshipful attention.
Then she trailed down to his neck, and James felt his resolve crack as she began littering his throat with hickeys. The sensation of her mouth sucking and nipping at his sensitive skin drew a groan from deep in his chest, the sound escaping before he could stop it. The vibrations seemed to encourage her, and Victoria took his response as confirmation to continue her sensual exploration.
Her hand cleverly slipped past his loosened shirt collar, fingers splaying across the hard muscles of his ripped torso. The feel of his warm skin beneath her palm made her breath catch with wonder. She wanted to explore every delicious ridge and valley of his chest, to map the masculine landscape that had been hidden from her for so long.
But before she could venture further, James rejected her advances with painful finality.
"No," he said firmly, his voice cutting through her haze of desire like a blade. "I told you to stop."
It felt like a bucket of ice cold water had been splashed on her. Victoria halted her actions immediately, her eyes trembling with unspoken questions as she stared up at him in bewilderment. The sudden shift from passionate heat to cold rejection left her reeling, her body still humming with unfulfilled desire while her mind struggled to process what had just happened.
James could see the state Victoria was in, her flushed skin, her rapid breathing, the way her eyes held a mixture of confusion and hurt that tempted him in ways he didn't want to acknowledge. But at the same time, he knew he didn't want their relationship to begin like this, in a moment of overwhelming passion that might possibly lead them nowhere.
First, he sat upright, putting some distance between them as he tried to get his breathing back under control. Victoria followed his movement, sitting up as well, her eyes never leaving his face as she awaited his response.
"I think we're moving too fast," James said finally, his voice steady despite the turmoil he felt inside. "We should take things slow."
Victoria stared at him like he had just uttered complete nonsense. She gritted her teeth and forced out a smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "That's not an issue, James. We are both adults. We both want it, so let's be happy together."
She scooted closer to him, but James didn't budge from his position.
"I'm serious, Victoria," he said firmly. "Dating is still like a process. We don't just jump right into the last step from the first day."
Huh...steps again?
Victoria felt aggrieved at his words, biting her lower lip in frustration before asking, "What do you mean?"
"Going on dates, playing games, taking a walk in the park," James explained patiently. "I don't know... maybe hold hands."
At that, Victoria nodded quickly, as if seizing on something she could work with. "You want to hold hands?" she asked, grabbing his hand in hers and squeezing it tightly. "Then let's hold hands. Happy?"
Before he could respond, she pulled him in for a kiss, but James remained unmoved, his lips unresponsive against hers.
Victoria let out a frustrated sigh, running her hand through her disheveled hair as she pulled back. James looked at her dejected figure and felt a pang of guilt, but he refused to budge from his position.
"I want a meaningful relationship with you," he said softly, holding her eyes so she could see the sincerity he had for her. "One that is emotionally invested rather than just physical intimacy."
The words hung in the air between them, creating a tension that was different from the sexual charge that had filled the room moments before. Victoria felt something shift inside her chest, a flutter of vulnerability that she wasn't accustomed to experiencing. His steady gaze seemed to penetrate through all the layers of sophistication and control she had carefully cultivated over the years, seeing something raw and unguarded that she had never allowed anyone else to glimpse.
James could see the internal struggle playing out across her features. He recognized the way her breathing had changed, no longer rapid with desire but shallow with something that looked almost like sadness. There was a part of him that wanted to reach out and comfort her but he would not. He needed to let her know it is unethical and probably unheard of to be physically involved on the very first day of a relationship. He also needed to get her to understand that he's not in this because she's Victoria Sharp and has ulterior intentions for her body. No, he would make sure she knew, this was different.
"I like you a lot. Really, really do like you. I can't put it into words and I want us to build something beautiful together, we shouldn't start off like this. Don't try to hide behind your beauty and power."
James said softly and she felt exposed in a way that had nothing to do with their physical proximity moments before. This was a different kind of nakedness, one that stripped away all her usual defenses and left her feeling more vulnerable than she had ever felt in anyone's presence. The realization that James could see through her so easily was both thrilling and terrifying, awakening something in her that went far deeper than the physical desire that had been consuming her.
Victoria stared at him for a long moment, and despite her frustration, she found herself acknowledging an uncomfortable truth. She had always somehow known that things with James would be different. He made her work to earn whatever she wanted rather than just being a boring yes-man who would indulge her every whim. And it was because of his challenge and strong will that made her come back for more, that drew her to him like a moth to flame.
The fruit is always the sweetest when it's hard to acquire, she reminded herself. She would have to bide her time again and slowly thaw the walls he had erected around himself until she got what she wanted.
Victoria blinked several times, trying to get her wits back together. The heat of desire still coursed through her veins, but she could see that James wasn't going to be swayed tonight. Finally, she relented.
"Okay."