“Hey!” I yelp.
“You’ll throw up.” His second kiss at the corner of my lips turns filthy when his tongue swipes away the excess coconut water. “Be good.”
I’m trying so hard. To be good, to survive this place.
More than anything, I’m trying to get him to stay close, not to go away, not even to the table.
Before panic can take root, he’s back carrying the other jar.
“Open up.”
I’m too slow, but it doesn’t matter. My lips part just barely, and he’s already there, pressing a spoonful of mango puree past them. Sweetness floods my mouth.
“Mmm.” I swallow and eye the jar greedily. “More.”
“There you go.” He’s being careful as he feeds me, though his eyes darken every time I swallow. “Beautiful.”
God, I feel so special.
I also feel—no, I know—that this is the first time he’s ever done it, that he wasn’t lying about me being the first person he’s ever cared for.
I’d keep analyzing him, except, ugh. My eyelids. They’re incredibly heavy.
By the sixth bite, my head lolls.
The seventh is still on my tongue when my lashes fall, settling over my eyes.
I think I’m dreaming when I hear him.
“Such a good one,” he whispers, his lips brushing my forehead. “Time to sleep.”
Maybe the rope slackens at my wrists. Maybe Knox’s arms catch me, cradle me against him.
I think he’s taking me with him to the chair. Could be. No way to tell, really, when sleep steals me away.
18
KNOX
Skylar stirs just as the first hints of morning slip into my basement after sleeping peacefully throughout the night.
Me, I’ve been up for hours, long before sunrise, watching over her.
Couldn’t look or focus on anything else while she’s been curled up like this in my lap.
As agonizing as it’s been.
Every tick of the clock physically hurt as I waited for her to wake up. She’s been right here, and I haven’t been able to touch her the way I want to. With my hands, mouth, teeth.
Then again, I can’t really complain. After all, I have her. I’m in heaven.
Even sitting here, in this hard chair, is comfortable with her here.
I get to look at her, to memorize every inch of her face. The twitch of her nose. The pursed lips that look like they’re begging me to kiss her. With every shift of her body, my cock jerks in my jeans.
And thank fuck, the wait is over.
From beneath thick lashes, Skylar blinks up at me. My girl is holding her breath, watching to see what her predator will do next.
