The air stills as we face one another. The only sound’s the crackling of the fire, and the only light is the orange glow that flickers on Feylin’s shirt.
I’m staring at his collar. I cannot, Iwill notlook into his eyes. My heart’s already broken. Looking at him will only break and enrage me more.
Yes, I could tell him where I got the book, but he won’t care. It won’t matter, and to be honest, I’m so damn angry, so betrayed.
This—us, we were never real. Our relationship was always a lie.
He shifts his weight, and I’m pulled from my thoughts. Right. This has to be done.
He’s obviously waiting for me to start. He’s giving this to me on my own terms, and if I want it to be done, I need to get it over with.
My hands slide to my back, to unzip the gown, and then stop. No. My dress shouldn’t come off first.
If this is the only time we’re going to do this, even though at this moment I hate him, this will be done right.
My hands tremble as I lift them. He’s wearing a silver tie, matching the flecks in his eyes. Feylin stiffens as I pull the tie loose and slide it through the buttoned collar.
I reach up to unbutton his shirt, but my fingers brush the bare skin of his throat. My entire body clenches, and the knot in my stomach loosens as desire coils in my belly.
I slowly make my way down the shirt and gently pull it from his trousers. Then I pick up his right arm and undo the cuff link before doing the same to his left, dropping both into his pants’ pocket.
I slide my hands up his undershirt, admiring the dips and swells of muscles that clench under my touch.
When I reach his shoulders, the feel of his naked flesh stirs a tsunami of desire inside me, nearly making my legs fold. I grip his shoulders to steady myself as he inhales a sharp breath. His throat bobs, which gives me a small nugget of satisfaction, and with painful slowness I rake my hands down his arms, tugging off his shirt as I go.
When his shirt falls away, I take the time to admire his body. There’s a small circular scar on his right shoulder—an archery accident, he’d told me. I trace it with my finger as his stomach quivers.
My fingers run down his biceps to his forearms and then to his undershirt, which I gently tug up and over his head.
My gaze drinks in his bare chest, and my eyes nearly spill tears at the sight of his beauty. He is, without a doubt, the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen.
And he’s mine for only this moment.
Even though I despise him.
He steps closer, pressing his chest to mine, and letting me feel his erection as it strains against his pants and presses into my belly. Yes, I know how Feylin thinks, how he likes to tease.
This entire situation muddies my mind. I hate him. I wanthim. I want to be as far away from his as possible, but I want him inside me at the same time.
He feels it, too. I know he does.
His finger traces the sweetheart neckline of my dress, dipping into the V between my breasts. My nipples tighten as a shiver tingles down my spine. I drag my teeth over my bottom lip to ground me.
He reaches around, and for a moment it seems like he’s going to hug me, but then the sound of my zipper unwinding mingles with the crackling fire, and my tight chest tightens more.
As soon as the zipper’s undone, my dress cascades to the floor, pooling around my feet. The backless bra that I’m wearing keeps a chill from sweeping over me, even though it feels like I’m exposed.
Then we’re standing, half naked, both of us, in the study, and even through the crackle of lust, an undercurrent of hesitation winds through the room.
But I don’t have to ponder it long because with a finger, Feylin tips my chin up, and I let him.
When our gazes collide, the air’s knocked from my lungs. Pain, lust, confusion, all of it fills his eyes, same as I’m sure it does in mine.
This morning I stood on the precipice of love, and now I’m broken apart.
I don’t want to think about it anymore. It’s unbearable. So before there’s too much time to think about what I’m doing, I push up on my tiptoes and press my lips to his.
An explosion of hurt and want and longing fill this kiss. Feylin greedily takes my mouth and gives back, his lips crushing mine as they silently scream of betrayal.
