Broken Wings by Alexandrea Weis

flirt with her?”
    “I thought I was helping you!”
    “Get out!” she shouted, pointing outside.
    “No, I won’t leave until we have settled this.” He slammed the front door closed.
    Pamela reached over and placed her hand on the doorknob, but Daniel leaned his body against the door so she could not open it. Pamela stood there for several minutes pulling on the doorknob.
    “Are you finished?” he asked, looking thoroughly amused with her ardent determination.
    Pamela let go of the doorknob and stood back from him, breathing heavily. “I want you out of here. You’re an arrogant, self-centered, conceited bastard.”
    He smiled at her. “Now, are you finished?”
    She stood before him, still breathing hard from her exertions. She was so angry. No one had ever challenged her like this. With wild animals she expected this kind of behavior. Asserting dominance was merely a way to establish their authority. But this was something she had never experienced before. How should she handle this obstinate and difficult man? Her fists curled with frustration and, without thinking, she reached out and punched Daniel as hard as she could in the arm.
    “Ow!” he yelled as he grabbed at his arm.
    “Get out!” she cried and made a move to punch him again.
    But Daniel was too quick for her and reached out and wrapped his arms about her body, pinning her arms beneath his.
    “No punching or kicking.” He leaned in closer to her face. “Biting and scratching, however, are definitely encouraged,” he murmured into her ear.
    Pamela stood encased in his long arms, wiggling with all of her might to free herself. She could not stand the feel of his skin against hers, the smell of his body, or the way his breath teased the sensitive skin along the nape of her neck.
    “Let me go,” she begged, her voice filled with fear.
    “Not yet,” Daniel whispered as he lowered his head to hers. “There’s something I have wanted to do to you for quite some time.”
    Daniel leaned forward and kissed her, hard on the lips. Pamela tried to scream, but his lips stifled her cries. She wanted to flay him alive, but a forgotten cavern inside of her body began to have other ideas. A vibrant and all-consuming flow of electricity shot out around her body. Her legs felt weak, her heart raced, and her toes began to tingle. This was not like the kisses she had shared with Bob. His ardor had seemed to be fanned only when she played the roll of the submissive housewife and catered to his every whim. And even then, his passion reminded her of something similar to warm milk instead of this forbidden absinthe. Pamela felt her defenses weakening, and her body slowly began responding to his.
    Suddenly, he pulled away. He let her go and took a step back from her. Pamela felt her eyes searching his, as if wanting to know what she had done wrong.
    “I’m sorry,” he softly said.
    Pamela studied his face for the slightest hint of what he was thinking, but her own emotions seemed to be clouding her judgment.
    She lowered her eyes to the floor and took a frustrated breath.
    “I’ll go,” he blurted out, and then reached for the door.
    “Wait, Daniel.” She paused and ran her hand along her forehead. “You were right. I was jealous of you spending time with Clarissa today. I’ve always wondered what she had that I lacked, and then today when I saw her hanging all over you…”
    He smiled for her. “So does that mean I can come back and see you again?”
    She tried to frown, unsuccessfully. “You can come back and finish fixing up my house, if we happen to run into — ”
    Daniel’s laugh interrupted her. “Pamela, playing hard to get doesn’t suit you. Next time, just nod.”
    She stepped up beside him at the door. He leaned over and kissed her forehead.
    “I’ll be back in a few days,” he assured her as he opened her door.
    “I’ll be here, Daniel.” She watched as he walked out the door and across the porch.
    He grabbed his white T-shirt