"Fuckbeing yourfriend," he snarls, cradling my face firmly in his hands.
And just like that, he's kissing me.
Ian Boone is kissing me.
My heart breaks free all at once, galloping out of control as his lips command mine, rough and hungry until I part my mouth slightly, inviting more. Ian's groan is the hottest thing I've ever experienced until he rolls and suddenly, I'm pinned beneath him as he continues to devour me.
His tongue tastes mine, gliding over my lower lip before the kiss grows even rougher. My hands develop a mind of their own, smoothing up his back before my fingers tangle desperately in his hair.
When his hips press down against me like he can't help it, my soul almost leaves my body.
Ian is hard.
Really, really hard.
Oh, my gods.
He's attracted to me. If I take off his mytherun right now, what would I feel? Would I find out that my brother's best friend, who's now back from the grave, isactuallyheartsick and obsessed with me?
No. That doesn't make sense. That's?—
"Fuck, I can't get enough of your feelings," Ian whispers against my lips, kissing me again before he begins trailing attentions down my jaw. "But I can feel your disbelief. Don't you get it, Sunshine? Asher was right. I'm so fucking obsessed with you, I'm sick. And you're the only cure."
I'm so dazed and breathless from those unbelievable words that Ian whispers a gentle reminder for me to breathe as he continues to kiss just below my ear, his lips skimming teasinglyalong my neck as his hips press down even harder, his own breathing growing ragged.
I can't think as excitement burns through me until I arch against him, desperate for more of these sensations. I jolt, moaning when Ian's tongue drags up my neck, over my pulse?—
And then he's gone.
The delicious weight of his body pressing mine into the bed vanishes so fast that it takes me a second to notice. I sit up, flustered and breathing hard as I see that Ian is now at the other end of my dim room, pressed against the wall with his eyes squeezed shut. His chest rises and falls rapidly as he fights for air, the same way I am.
"Ian?" I touch the place where he licked my neck as desire screams inside my veins. Did I do something wrong to make him put this much distance between us? "I'm sorry, I?—"
"Stop," he shakes his head, finally opening his eyes to watch me with pure torture on his face. "Don't apologize to me. Ever. I'm the one who almost…I could've just—fuck."
His voice breaks just before my heart does when I see tears on his face. He's shaking.
Do thralls have unstable emotions, too?
"I hate seeing you struggle like this," I murmur, still short of breath as I slide off the bed to approach him. "How can I help?—"
"Don't come any closer to me right now," he warns, shaking his head hard. "Please. I'm fine, Sunshine. Really. I just need to go hunting for a while. I…” His gaze drops to my neck again before he winces. "I'll come back to you as soon as I regain some control. I promise."
Before I can protest, he's gone. I hear the faintest sound of my bedroom window clicking shut before I sit back down on the edge of my bed, my head still spinning.
I just made out with Ian.
I'm so fucking obsessed with you, I'm sick. And you're the only cure.
Holy gods.
I can still feel his hands on my face and his need pressing down hard against me, but it's going to take another minute for what just happened to really sink in.
I'm still in a flustered daze when there's a soft knock at my door.
"Heidi? Are you awake?" Asher whispers in the hall.
I stumble out of bed, moving like I'm in a trance until I get a hold of myself and crack my bedroom door, blinking up at Asher. "Um…yeah?"
