Page 172 of Shade
“Come closer?”
Her brow creases. “What do you mean? I’m sitting right next to you.”
My eyes drop to my lap, and I don’t care that there are still people outside and everyone can see us, including my brothers. Like they’d give a fuck though.
“You want me on your lap?”
I give the slightest tip of my head, the best I can with the neck brace on. The damn thing is like wearing a dog collar, and I can’t wait to take it off.
“That doesn’t seem like a good idea. What if I hurt you?”
I wink. “I’m not afraid of pain with my pleasure.”
Scarlet bursts out laughing, remembering my words on the plane to Seattle. Carefully, she straddles me, and it’s a lot like Twister.Put your hand here, no, not there, okay, but don’t move there, that hurts, that’s okay, perfect.
She’s hesitant, stiff, ready to move at any second. I slide my right hand over her hip, up her side and then to her face. “Kiss me.”
“I. . . but everyone’s out there and if Willa sees me. . . .” It’s true, everyone can see us, but I don’t care what they think, or Willa.
I raise my hand and cup the side of her cheek, leaning in the best I can. “I don’t care. Kiss me.”
So she does. With my hands on her hips, her body moves against mine, her soft hands sweeping up my arms to my shoulders and she leans in.
Do you see us there kissing? Are you smiling? I would be if my mouth wasn’t busy.
But do you see me breathing heavily, like a goddamn teenager about to be kissed for the first time and her, a woman who well, wants me?
It isn’t romantic. It’s downright savage.
I let go of everything I’ve been holding onto these last few weeks and kiss her. Everything rises to the surface, displayed in ways I can’t and don’t want to control. She meets me as an equal, touching, kissing, and moving. The feel of her against me consumes me. My hands greedily search and settle on her ass.
I’m operating on pure instinct and want.
Even with all that, there are some limitations physically for me. I can’t turn her over and press her back into the couch. I can’t cover her body with mine or, as much as I want it, to have sex with her. It’s just not happening.
She pulls back first, probably because I wince in pain when I involuntarily try to move my head.
Scarlet freezes, her palms raising, lips bright red from being kissed. “Are you okay?”
I smile. I am now.
Staring at her, I know there are some things I need to clear up. I had to kiss her first. Now that I’ve done that, she deserves to hear what I have to say. “I don’t want to lose you as my friend. I know you still technically work for me, but you’re more than that to me,” I finally admit. “When I saw you talking to Jaime, something inside me snapped. I don’t even know what it was. I can’t remember. But I know I lost it. I wanted to kill him for simply talking to you. . . .”
“I’m sorry.” Her words tremble. Nervously, she touches the bottom of my neck brace, and then her eyes find mine. “But not for talking to Jaime. I’m sorry for not telling you the truth in the beginning.”
“I know. . . . I’m sorry, too. I know I reacted badly.” My voice is tender as I speak and I understand this is the part where we forgive each other. “I just. . . all I had ever known was the unhealthy relationship I had with Rhya, and I didn’t want that with you.”
“Do you regret letting me in?” The words spill from her lips, like she didn’t want to ask, but it sort of slipped out before she could stop them.
My eyes beg her, plead for her to see the truth. “No, that’s not one of my regrets.”
