“Yes?” I choke out.
“Are you okay?”
The calmness is like a beacon, bright and airy, drawing me to it. But I feel stuck in place—bound by the sensation of utter dread. One that’s lived in me for much longer than I think I noticed.
“No,” I tell her softly, shaking my head. “No, I’m not okay.”
40
ELLE
“It feelsweird being in here with your permission.”
“Weird?” Sutton’s mouth skims the underside of my jaw, one of his hands on my hip, the other flat against my back, keeping me as close to him as I can get with all my clothes still on.
“Well, it hasn’t been all that long since you were telling me to leave,” I breathe, my fingers tangling in his hair.
The leather couch in his living room is a lot comfier than it looks, which is good, because he hasn’t let me off it since we arrived—separately, so as not to arouse suspicion, even though it was well after ten by the time we got the auditorium cleaned up and the faulty equipment reported.
He clearly wasn’t okay after the incident, but I didn’t want to pry, letting him deal with the shock or memories—whatever the incident triggered within—however he wanted.
Thiswas his choice.
Since the whole Death’s Teeth thing, it’s like he can’t keep himself from touching me when we’re alone. Like he needs some reminder that I’m safe, which would be endearing if I didn’t keep recalling the conversation we had in his office about the apparent danger I’m in.
Theygranted him an extension to make his decision, but I can’t help feeling like a sitting duck still.
“In my defense,” he murmurs, threading his fingers through the ends of my hair, “I was desperately trying to convince myself to stay away from you.”
“You gave in surprisingly quickly.”
“Well, youaremy Maiden now, right? Between us at least. Why not enjoy the reprieve we have at the moment?”
It feels like an oversimplification, but I’m not sure how to tell him that. Sutton’s the kind of person to shut down when threatened, and I don’t want to ruin the progress we’ve made.
“Plus, that Lexington was always circling around you like a hawk, biding his time. I had to swoop in and stake my claim.” He pulls back, looking into my eyes. His are a little unsteady, like he’s got a lot going on in his head, and I wish I could reach in and stall the thoughts for a little.
“Yourclaim? What am I, a piece of property?” I say, leaning in and brushing my lips against his.
“I wouldn’t mind conquering you.” He grins, palming the back of my head and slanting his mouth onto mine.
Turning so I’m straddling him, I swallow every one of his breaths as if it were my own.
My palms flatten against his pecs, sliding up to cup both sides of his neck. His tongue slips inside my mouth, tasting and teasing mine; each flick sends arousal spinning webs through my limbs, making me clench my knees against him.
He lets out a little noise of desperation, his fingers inching beneath my sweater. The backs of his knuckles are cool on my heated flesh as he drags them from left to right, reveling in the way my stomach twitches, before slowly ascending to my breast.
Pushing my top up, he leans in and tugs the cup of my bra down. I exhale shakily as his breath skates across my nipple, hardening it to a fine peak.
“I love how responsive you are,” he mutters, laving the flat of his tongue against me before closing his lips around it and sucking, hard. “Like I can give just the slightest touch and have you aching for more, my needy little temptress.”
Crying out, I arch into him, clutching his head to keep him in place. A shiver races down my spine, pushing me into a brief flash of clarity as he swirls around my sensitive skin, sliding his other hand between my thighs.
“Wait,” I say, grabbing his wrist before he can brush my pussy. My abdomen is tight, trepidation clawing at my muscles. Kissing him, being with him, doesn’t usually feel like this.
The anticipation, the excitement, is off.
Something is wrong.
