“Don’t make light of this. Or of that woman. She’s dangerous.”
Deryn cocked her head to the side.
“Somehow I knew she’d get to you. Let me guess, she said something about taking me away from the island. Giving me my just recognition. My deserved attention.”
“Motherfucker! ¡Hija de puta!” Paloma’s voice was loud. Deryn stepped closer.
“Those two are kind of complete opposites? Well, not exactly, but definitely not the same.” The smirk was back on Deryn’s lips.
“Don’t turn this into a joke.” Paloma took a step away from her. Deryn took one toward. Paloma felt her stomach clench—and not in fear, this time.
“It’s not a joke, since it clearly upsets you.” Deryn came closer. Paloma’s breath grew shallow. The room was suddenly much smaller.
“I’m not upset.” It came out shrill, and she didn’t care. Deryn needed to stop this, or… Paloma put her hands on Deryn’s chest, on the pristine white shirt, the starch feeling coarse and enticing under her fingertips. Deryn hummed and took another step. Paloma felt the glass of the windows on her open back, the cold surface a welcome relief. Her skin was on fire. Had, in fact, been on fire since Deryn came into the room. Or maybe since she saw Deryn at the site of the fire months ago…
“All right, you’re not upset. Then what are you?” Deryn’s fingers traced a line from Paloma’s ear to her jaw, then all the way down to the side of the neck where her pulse beat like a caged bird. “What are you, little dove?”
Paloma tried to turn away, to shove Deryn from herself, but somehow her fingers got tangled in the damned suspenders, pulling Deryn even closer. The touch at her neck was making her feral. That sinful mouth just inches from hers, the row of white teeth… So tempting… A pink tongue came out and licked the full lips, and Paloma’s legs nearly buckled.
“Watching you with Dagmar…” Deryn spoke almost in her ear, the whisper caressing her skin. Paloma hated the way Deryn said the name. Like she knew her. Like she… “You appeared to be upset. And you appeared to be afraid. Don’t be.”
Paloma turned her face away but didn’t push Deryn.
“Yes, because I can just decide to stop feeling whatever I’m feeling. Just like that. It doesn’t work that way, Deryn.” The moment the words left her mouth, Paloma knew she had made a strategic mistake. Deryn’s grin was feral.
“Oh, can you not? Can’t you stop wanting someone? Can’t you stop craving someone?” She nuzzled at the base of Paloma’s throat. “Tell me, can you?”
Paloma shook her head from side to side. She wanted, needed, feared. She feared so much. She grabbed Deryn’s bow tie and pulled, desperate now for that mouth.
Except Deryn did not budge. Not even an inch. Paloma huffed out a breath.
“I take it you want me to fuck you, Paloma?” Deryn’s lips caressed the swell of her breast just above the line of the dress.
Paloma bit her lip and said nothing. Deryn was undeterred.
“Do you want me to fuck you because of how scared you are of Dagmar? Of what she threatened to do to me? Because she can’t do anything. And she tried to make you afraid on purpose. So, tell me. Do you want to fuck me because you feel our time is up?” Deryn lifted her face, and their eyes met. Fire on fire.
“Because I will fuck you right here, tear your dress to shreds, turn you around, press you against the glass, and fuck you frombehind till you scream. And all you’ll have to worry about is whether anyone three stories down will look up and see you—naked, being taken from behind, taking me inside so well, screaming your pleasure.”
Paloma slapped a hand over Deryn’s mouth, but she could feel the smile bloom against her skin. The devil danced in the green eyes. Paloma’s thighs trembled. And then Deryn pushed her hips into Paloma’s and…
“Oh my gooood!”
Paloma could trace the hard outline of the strap through the layers of Deryn’s trousers and her dress.
“I saw you run out, and Ceridwen said you needed help?—”
“Deryn! Don’t mention your sister and the strap in the same sentence!” Paloma felt molten, agonizingly turned on, scandalized, hungry, wild…
“She didn’t tell me you might need to be fucked, sweetheart; she told me you might need me. But I knew exactly what you came here for.” Deryn pushed her hips into Paloma’s again. Paloma felt lightheaded. She grabbed Deryn’s face, trying to force the kiss. Deryn wasn’t having it.
“No, no, I need you to say it. Do you want me to fuck you here, in front of all those people down on the patio, while they scream the countdown, as the years turn? Do you want me to push you down to your knees and make you suck my strap? Or do you want me to bend you over, hands on the glass, breasts naked and pressed against the window, and take you from behind, spread your cunt open, and fuck you hard and fast? Hilt deep. Make you take it all. It’s your favorite strap. I ran upstairs and grabbed it from your bedside just now.”
Paloma moaned, powerless, caught, trapped.
“Yes. Yes. Fuck me, Deryn, make me forget. Make me forget about the world. I just want you. But… just…”
Deryn’s smile was tinged with sadness.
