Eric takes a step towards me, his hand brushing my face, making me tremble. I close my eyes to taste his warmth on my face without unnecessary distractions.
“I don’t want to talk at all.”
I swallow my fear and open my eyes. His own have turned almost black. They have lost their usual sweetness, making way to something that looks a lot like lust.
“What do you want to do, then?” I ask, stupidly.
The corner of Eric’s mouth lifts.
“I don’t want to tell you. I want to just show you.”
“Show me?”
“You’re playing me around, Mr. Quinn.”
“Really? Because it feels like you’re the one who’s playing with me.”
“Trust me, I really wish that were true.”
His hand presses against my cheek, his thumb tracing the shape of my mouth. I part my lips instinctively, and Eric slides his thumb between them. I play at it with my tongue, letting it snake across my bottom lip.
“Just for tonight. Can we pretend this is real just for tonight?”
“I was afraid you’d never ask.”
35Eric
Itake his face between my hands and bring him close to me. I kiss him slowly, once, twice, pressing lightly – lightly enough that Sean can be sure of what he’s doing.
“God, I want to kiss you,” I confess.
“I thought you already were.”
“Not without your consent.”
“Then what are all these?” Sean asks.
“Tasters.”
“I don’t know about you, but these tasters are… How can I put this…?”
“Turning you on?” My voice drops so deep that it almost becomes a whisper in the night.
“Exactly.”
“Do you want me to stop?”
Sean grabs my jumper and pulls me into him. His mouth presses against mine with such urgency that I can’t help but part my lips for him, let him devour me, suffocate me, take this madness transforming itself into something solid and real; something that can’t hurt either of us.
Sean pulls away from me, his hands on my chest, his breathing heavy.
“I don’t know if this is a good idea.”
“To hell with good ideas.”
He smiles, then I’m the one to kiss him. As soon as he notices that my hands are on the buttons of his shirt, Sean falters.
“I don’t know whether we should really go all the way.”
