He took a step toward her. Jade finally seemed to be wising up, because she took a step back, then another one, and another, until she couldn’t go anywhere. He had trapped her in the corner of her kitchen with nowhere to go. He pressed his hands either side of her, locking her against his body and the counter.

“You’re boring,” he said.

She rolled her eyes, and rather than looking insolent, she looked so cute. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

He smiled. “You’ve been told you’re boring?”

“Many times. Trust me. Throw your insults at me, mystery man. I’ve heard them all before.” She lifted her hand and began to list them. “Ugly, plain, bland, boring, waste of time. Not worth it. Can’t remember you. You need plastic surgery. Do you want me to continue?”

“You don’t need to, I got the drift. Were these said by some of those asshole dates?” he asked.

She nodded. “And my mother.”

Braxton frowned. “Your mother?”

“Yes, she didn’t want to give me any kind of false … feelings. She told me I wasn’t a pretty girl.” She shrugged.

Now he wanted to hurt her already dead mother.

“No woman should ever tell her child that.”

“Why not?”

“It’s cruel.”

“But it’s the truth.”

“You’re not ugly.”

“You don’t need to lie to me.” She shook her head at him. “I don’t even know your name.”

“What does my name have to do with anything?” he asked.

“If you liked the way I look, I bet you would have told me your name.”

He tutted. “You think you know ugly.” He took her hand and placed it against his face. “I know ugly.”

“No, you’re not ugly.”

He laughed. The man who had given him the scars when he was nothing more than a boy had promised him he would never be pretty again.

“Don’t lie, Jade,” he said.

She surprised him by cupping his face and staring into his eyes. “I don’t think you’re ugly and I’m not lying. I don’t like lying, and I will not lie to you.”

He found that incredibly hard to believe. Everyone lied. Why did she have to be so different? He didn’t get it. She was infuriating and annoying, and he was getting tired of thinking about her. Gripping the back of her neck, he had to destroy whatever he had built up in his mind, or in her mind. He had to end it.

Slamming his lips down on hers, he expected her to fight to beg him to stop, to demand it. He wanted her to hurt him, reject him, make it easier to forget him.

But she didn’t.

At first, Jade did nothing.

Her hands were still on his face, but she wasn’t kissing him back. He was about to end the kiss when he felt her move. Her hands slid around the back of his neck, and then pulling him against her.

Braxton didn’t hesitate to bring her flush against him. One of his hands still held the back of her neck, the other slowly slid down her body, going toward the curve of her ass, to grip the flesh. He heard her sudden moan. It was nearly a whimper, and then another guttural moan that filled the room. He loved how plump her ass was. She fit against him so right.

He didn’t want to let her go. He loved the shape of her tits as they pressed against his chest. She felt so good.

Sliding his tongue across her lips, he intended to scare her, but now, all he wanted to do was explore her. His cock hardened. It had been a long time since he had a nice, hard fuck.

Jade let out a moan and he broke the kiss, staring into her eyes. Grabbing her hand, he walked her away from the kitchen, going straight to her bedroom.

“What are we doing?” she asked.

“You know what we’re doing.”