What am I doing?
What werewedoing?
Rules were being broken. Houses were being betrayed.
Consequences would come. Pain would be endured. But in that moment, I didn’t care.
All I cared about was Jethro’s lips on mine.
He dodged my grasp, then forced himself to stand tall and unmovable. I pressed myself against him, looking up into his gaze. His lips were so close. My heart fluttered like a dying hummingbird, my stomach twisted. So...close.
I couldn’t move.
Jethro didn’t shift back, he stood there, his hips flush against mine. Suddenly, his hands came up, grabbing my waist, holding me in place.
We didn’t speak, only breathed. The truth crackled around us. We knew how dangerous this fight was, how frayed our self-control had become.
We’d been dancing this tango for weeks, and the electricity between us was a lightning storm threatening to incinerate everything in its path.
“Stop. Stop playing me. What did you hope to achieve? That I’d kiss you? Fuck you? Come to care for you? That I’d fall inlovewith you.” Jethro dropped his voice to a whisper. “That I wouldn’t kill you?” He shook his head. “You’re still as clueless as the day I stole you.”
You don’t believe that.
“Prove it.”
His nostrils flared. “I will not.”
Cocking my chin, I anchored myself in as much courage as possible. “Prove it, Jethro. Prove how cold you are by giving me something I desperately need.”
I need to see there is hope. Just a small shred of hope.
“What makes you think I can be manipulated? I don’t care about your needs or desires.”
“Liar,” I whispered. “Youdocare. Otherwise, you wouldn't still be here. You wouldn’t be fighting this.” I rested my hands on his chest, digging my fingernails into his t-shirt. “You would’ve struck me and left if you were anything like you portray.”
I stood on my tiptoes, reaching for his mouth. “I told you, you’re a hypocrite.”
He paused, calculation dark in his eyes. “One kiss?”
I nodded. “One kiss.”
Jethro's control broke. “Just one fucking kiss? Don’t you know what you’re asking from me? I don’t want to fucking kiss you!”
My heart broke. Was I so repulsive he didn’t want his lips anywhere on mine?
I withered in his gaze, falling back to my position of Weaver Whore. But then, I stopped. This was the only time I might get him this undone, this close to snapping. It might be my only hope.
Glaring, I snarled, “Kiss me. Give me one fracture of human company, and I’ll never say another word to you again. I’ll be whatever you want. Just kiss me!”
His eyes narrowed. “You’re an idiot.”
“So you keep telling me.”
“You’re wasting your time.”
“So you keep telling me.”
“I don’t want to kiss you!”
