I choked. “A-Are you?”
“Wait.” He went rigid. “Isthatwhat you were thinking?”
I looked away, my cheeks about to catch fire. I wanted to deny it. To bluster and deflect but my mouth betrayed me. “You did say you wanted to teach me something...”
“And you thought it meant how to fuck me?” He laughed bitterly, crossing his arms even tighter.
“Yes. I mean...no.” Nervousness made me trip over truth. “I mean, if you were going to add onto my duties...I suppose Iwouldneed to be taught.”
God, what are you saying?!
He went fatally, deadly, lethally still. “You’re saying you’re a virgin?”
My head pounded and a wave of vertigo had me wobbling on the spot. “I have zero experience in the bedroom if that’s what you’re asking.” My vision went a little hazy as my mouth decided to get me killed. “Kind of like you, I suppose.”
“What?!”
Oh my God, shut up!
A rush of sickness made me break out in a sweat. “I mean...it makes sense why you haven’t. I get why you haven’t but...if you’ve changed your mind, then—”
“You’ll help relieve me of my celibacy?” he said so quietly, so coldly it crackled with frost.
He’s going to kill me.
Even Whisper pushed himself between us as if trying to defuse the electrical tension.
My eyesight went grey on the edges; I tripped to the couch. Sitting heavily on the arm, I pressed my face into my hands.
It would be better if hedidkill me.
At least then I wouldn’t have to die of embarrassment.
I felt him coming.
Felt the prickle of his energy as it reached out, snatched mine, and twisted us together with stinging chemistry.
“So you’ve avoided me all day—deliberately stayed outside and away from my company—because you think I’m going to drag you into my bed?”
I dared look up.
His face was black as a storm cloud. “Well?”
I didn’t know how long I would be able to withstand his temper and not blackout, but I did my best to be as honest as I could. Honesty was the only thing I had. The only thing that would hopefully save me. “I’ve heard the others gossiping about you. I know they all want to get pregnant and use you. So it makes sense that you flatly refuse to touch them, even though I’m sure you’re lonely.”
“I’d be very,verycareful if I were you,” he breathed, his hands balling by his thighs.
I stupidly didn’t heed that warning, panic making me far too chatty. “Then again, you’ve almost eradicated all those who were trying to hurt you and the ones left behind are.... Well, those are the girls who are willing to look after you in any way you want.”
He physically shuddered as if the thought of letting any of them near him sent his skin crawling.
I hated that his reaction made my heart flutter.
That his revulsion to other women only added to my ridiculous notion that...Iwasdifferent.
God, Rook, will you stop being such an idiot!
“Go on,” he commanded, his chest straining with a harsh breath.
