Page 36

She brushes her fingers over my five o’clock shadow. “Don’t think about the past. Just stay here with me.”

I’ve dismembered bodies. Watched them dissolve in acid.

A desperate expression flashes over her face, and she shakes her head again. “What can I do to help?”

There’s so much you could do, but it wouldn’t be fair to you.

I lift Annie off her feet and set her down on the table again. She opens her legs so I can stand between them, and I brace my hands on either side of her hips, resting my forehead on her shoulder.

I should pull away and put distance between us again, but instead, I turn my face and inhale the warm scent of her skin. My lips brush against the side of her neck, and it has her grabbing hold of my biceps.

Annie turns her head slightly and presses a kiss near my mouth. Our eyes lock, and when I see the pleading look in hers, my hands dart up, gripping the sides of her head.

My breaths speed up as an urgent need to feel something good floods me. Anything to replace the vast, dark emptiness in my soul.

Her hands move over my shoulders and settle on my chest. Being touched by her ignites the fire I doused and ignored for weeks.

“Owen.”

I hate the fake name on her lips. I want to erase it so I’m all she thinks about. Not this ridiculous act I’ve been failing to sell.

My head turns another fraction, our mouths so close our breaths mingle. Her chest rises and falls fast, and her fingers curl into my shirt.

My mouth crashes against Annie’s, and my body forces hers to bend backward. I wrap one of my arms around her for support, and when her lips part with a moan, my tongue invades her mouth, stroking hard.

She tastes like cherry from the lollipop she had, the sweetness fitting her perfectly and giving me an instant sugar rush.

When my teeth drag over her bottom lip, our eyes connect again for a second.

That’s all it takes.

One taste.

One second.

My hand moves up to her hair, and I grip a fistful as I begin to devour her. I lay claim to every inch of her mouth and inhale all her moans and gasps.

I take. I take. I take.

After minutes of feasting on her swollen lips and sweet tongue, I still haven’t had my fill, and a ravenous growl rumbles from my chest.

I shove Annie back onto the table, but her hands push against my chest. “Wait!”

The single word bursts from her, and I instantly free her and move backward until I hit the dryers behind me.

Breathless, my eyes burn on Annie as she sits up, looking way too fucking sexy with her legs still spread.

“I just wanted to slow down a little. You didn’t have to move away from me.”

“Yes, I did.” My voice is dark, my true violent nature skirting around the edges.

Knowing I’ll fuck her if I stick around for another second, I leave my laundry behind and rush out of the room. I take the stairs two at a time, and only once I slam my door shut behind me do I stop.

Then the realization of what I just did hits fucking hard.

I crossed the line with Annie.

I kissed her, and that will give her hope for something more with me.