Page 39 of Sin

She jerks her hand back, and shame fills my gut. It’s not her fault that she’s tempting me, and I embarrassed her.

“I know you were only teasing, but you have to understand…”

She swallows. “What?”

I can feel her eyes on me, but I don’t dare look at her. Instead, I focus on the faint glow from the streetlights filtering through the curtains.

“You’re a beautiful girl, and your touch is… It’s too much. Do you understand?”

She’s quiet for a long while, and I try to retreat into my head to escape my growing anxiety.

“I do,” she eventually says, and a jolt rushes through me.

Is she hinting that she wants me too? God, help me. If she does, I don’t know how I’ll resist her.

Chapter Sixteen

Lily

I’m surrounded by warmth. Strong arms are wrapped around my body, and a steady heartbeat thumps against my back. As I nuzzle deeper, the soft rhythm of breathing lulls me back into the darkness.

I jerk awake, gasping as the realization dawns. It’s not just blankets tangled around me, but Ethan’s arms too.

That’s right. I goaded him into sharing this bed, and now we’re cuddling.

And that’s not all.

Something big and hard is pressing against my lower back. Heat pools in my belly. For one irrational moment, I relax against his chest and revel in his warmth.

I need to pull away. Ethan already told me that my touch is too much. His principles are strict—the lines of right and wrong drawn firmly in the sand. I don’t want to betray him by enjoying the warmth of his body when he doesn’t even know what he’s doing.

As gently as I can, I try to wriggle out of his arms. I freeze when he stirs and mumbles something incoherent. A moment later, he draws me back against his chest, his grip firm and unyielding. His deep inhale tugs at my hair, as if he’s savoring my scent.

I’m startled when his hand drifts downward and creeps around my hips. His rough fingers slip underneath my pajama shirt, settling on my belly. Fingers spread wide, pressing me closer still.

Oh fuck. His touch feels damn good. Pressure builds in my tummy, sending electricity into my thighs.

His lips graze my head, and he hums.

I swallow hard. The one thing I want to do right now is slip my fingers into my panties and ease this unbearable ache.

Instead, I lie as stiff as a board for what feels like an eternity. Eventually, the tension starts to seep out of my body as the rhythmic cadence of his breathing lulls my racing thoughts. A soothing wave of calm settles over me.

I’m safe here in his arms.

A moment later, I’m floating, untethered and serene, as I drift back into the darkness.

“Get up, Lily. I already gave you an extra ten minutes. I have to go do my workout now.”

I groan, the sound muffled by my pillow. He gave me ten extra minutes? I don’t even remember waking up. My head is fuzzy and quiet. The desire for more sleep is like a boulder in my head, pulling me down, down…

“Up! You can’t sleep more than eight hours. We’re training your body to sleep at a certain time.”

“Got it. Five more minutes.”

His rumble of laughter warms me. “Okay, I’ll let you cheat this morning, but that’s it. I’ll give you until I get back from my workout. Forty-five minutes. Deal?”

“Deal,” I mumble, my mind already drifting back into the dark haze.

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