Page 122 of Huntress

“I didn’t want you to go with Riven,” she whispered. “I just didn’t want to be selfish. If you could go somewhere safe—”

“Be selfish,” he whispered back.

Elsie sat with that for a moment. She wanted to be selfish and keep him for herself, and maybe they could manage it, if they took precautions.

“We have to be so meticulously careful,” she said aloud. His head tilted to one side, and he waited for her to explain.

“You can never, ever touch me outside of whatever room we’re staying in, not even with your gloves on,” she said, and he bit his lower lip, looking up at her with such wide eyes she wanted to squish him. How was such a dangerous being this damned adorable?

“Even here, when we’re alone, our skin cannot touch. It makes the bond stronger and harder to resist,” she added. “Don’t get grabby, ask permission before trying anything, and all touch must be for comfort only. Enough to appease the worst of the bond’s demands, but no naughty business.”

His mouth fell open for a second, then his lips drew into a frown, his brows scrunching together. “But–”

“No.”

“Even if you ask for it?”

Elsie shook her head. Didn’t he know it was already hard enough to be around him? She knew that every time she couldn’t stop herself from having dirty thoughts about him, his nose picked up the scent.

“I won’t ask for it.”

Saint brought their hands to his cheek, pressing the leather to his skin and closing his eyes. “These are your boundaries.”

“They are.”

“I hate them.”

“It’s the best I can offer until we can get away.”

He stayed where he was for a long moment, then rose up on his knees, hovering over her. “I’ll do as you ask, but I have two requests to make of you.”

“What are they?” she asked, trying not to drown in those beautiful eyes.

“Don’t offer to give me away, not even as a joke. I don’t care who it is, never do it again.” The roughness of his voice had guilt welling up in her chest.

“I really am sorry, Saint. I won’t do it again,” she promised.

“I’ll hold you to it.” He paused, glancing away for a second before locking his gaze back on hers. “Open yourself to me. I can’t feel you anymore, and I want to. It’s lonely, being alone in my head all the time.”

Elsie frowned. The bond really had a chokehold on him. But if she was honest with herself, she’d come to enjoy the brief glimpses into his mind she got now and then.

“Can that second request be an eventuality we work toward? Letting you into my head is too…intimate.”

The block on his side of their bond crashed down, and she was flooded with his emotions. She gasped, and her hand clutched at her chest, eyes wide. Gods, he ached to be closer to her in every way.

“Is this the intimacy you’re afraid of?” he asked, knowing exactly what he was showing her.

His longing affected her more than she was willing to admit. Elsie wanted to grab him and pull him in. She wanted him to hold her, his weight pressing her into the mattress. She wanted his mouth on her skin, and her fingers lost in his curls. How was she supposed to maintain her boundaries if she showed him these things? If he knew how much she wanted to grant his wish?

“Yes,” she whispered. “Maybe a little at a time, when things aren’t as intense between us?”

“Why? The intensity is only going to grow.”

“Yes, but we need to delay that growth as long as we can. And because, it’s embarrassing,” she admitted.

“Oh.” A sharp pang shot through their connection, and he cut it off. Saint started to pull away, but she grabbed the front of his shirt. He followed the tug, moving even closer.

“Wait! It’s because–” She opened her side of their bond, letting him in to see for himself how affected she was by his presence. Gods, all the man had to do was exist, and she wanted him. His pupils dilated, and a soft smile touched his lips. “It’s like this more often than I can deal with these days. I’ve become so needy and pathetic over you, I want you all the fucking time, Saint.”