“What if I committed to making sure you felt as good as you could feel tonight?” I murmured.
I watched goosebumps skitter across her skin as I squeezed her hand within mine.
“I just don’t know if I can separate my emotions from everything,” she whispered.
“I’m not asking you to,” I mumbled as my nose trailed softly back up her cheek.
My eyes held her hostage once more.
Hers danced between mine. “What are you saying, Ghost?”
“I’m saying that I want to kiss you.”
“Oh,” she whispered.
My stare dropped to her lips. Those plump, beautiful little lips of hers. I wanted to kiss her until the only thing she knew was breathing the air I afforded her, but that meant removing my mask. Or at the very least, flipping it up.
And I couldn’t let her see that.
Angels deserved better views than that.
“Do you want to kiss me?” I asked as I pulled my stare back up to her eyes.
She licked her lips, and it immediately drew my attention back to her mouth before she responded. “Yes.”
My eyes darted back to hers. “Then close your eyes.”
Her gaze dropped to my mask. “Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Oh.”
I gripped her chin and brought her gaze back to mine. “Just close your eyes for me, Jaz. I’ll take care of everything else.”
“But I want to see you. Please.”
Fucking hell, this woman was going to be the death of me. “Not in public, Jaz.”
Her shoulders sank a bit. “Okay.”
I disappointed her, and I hated myself for it. She deserved more than disappointment. She deserved everything. A commitment. A life she could be proud of. A job she loved. A family that would love her back. I didn’t know the ins and outs of her and her father’s relationship, but something told me Scout was right. That she was nothing more than a good daughter to a man who didn’t deserve it.
I wrapped my arm around her waist and forced her to straighten her back. The confidence was sexy on her. I didn’t want her cowering away from anything ever again. Not as long as I was around. She was too good for that.
Too good for me.
Too good for this world.
And when she closed her eyes, just as the breeze kicked up, I tugged my mask down to my neck, relishing the cool breeze against my tightened skin.
I dropped my mangled lips to hers.
22
JASMINE
I felt the scars when he kissed me. When his lips touched down ever so softly against mine. It was like he was gauging my reaction, figuring out whether or not to pull away. Their rough texture brushed against my lips. Against my cheeks. Against any part of my skin that touched his face.
