Page 102 of Only Ever You

His voice was entirely devastating. It slithered over Faye like silk wrapping her up with a bow, ready to send her off to his bed for more.

She gulped, still trying to catch her breath. If that was atraditionalkiss then Faye was here for it. Always. Every mistletoe kiss from now, for every Christmas after, belonged to him.

“Yes.” A one syllable, breathless answer was all she was capable of, though she wasn’t even sure ifyeswas the right one.

If she’d have said “no” would he have kissed her again? Was it too late to change her mind?

Faye opened her eyes and Bash looked ruined. Flushed. Slightly wild like he had been when he’d caged her to keep her safe. His fervid heart beat against his shirt. Her hands upon his back covered muscles pulled taut with restraint. Although she thought it was far too late to exercise self-control when he’d just devoured her likethatand sent her mind in a dizzy spin to oblivion.

In the darkness, she didn’t feel like they were themselves. These were two different people who weren’t afraid to take what they really, desperately, wanted.

In the corner of her eye, the various sofas loomed and glowed enticingly under the Christmas tree’s twinkling lights. If Bash wanted to maybe lower her down and continue where they’d left off, then she wouldn’t turn him away. But somehow in his eyes which began to focus, she started to believe that that wouldn’t be the case. Another dream to be kept just for herself.

Faye laxed her fisted grip upon his shirt whilst Bash’s fingers gently untangled from her hair and swept along her jaw, a thumb swiping over her lips and down her throat.

He moved back away from under the symbolic weight of the mistletoe and the illusion cracked.

“It’s late,” Bash said as he took another step, his thick voice obviously still affected by what they’d just done. “We need to be up early.”

He curled his fists and picked at his cuticles, and Faye only knew because she couldn’t look him in the eye anymore. A chill crossed over her because without him, his warmth was gone, and she was just a woman standing in a doorway of a cold house in the dead of winter.

“Right. Yeah, of course.” Her voice was stripped back, hoarse, and she wished she was more covered than she was.

If that really was just a kiss for Bash then it was okay. It would have to be okay. He’d kissed lots of women and she would just be another one.

That didn’t stop every step back she took from hurting, like walking on broken eggshells. Faye headed for the stairs with a million different questions swirling through her mind. Somewhere behind her, a switch clicked. What light there had been from the Christmas tree vanished and it was as if they’d never been here at all.

She tiptoed up the stairs on wobbly legs. Her own words about being aroused and being in love being two non-synonymous things rattled around in the back of her lust-addled brain.

In what universe would a kiss so powerful asthatmean nothing?

Bash didn’t follow her right away, which was okay. Separate beds would be great right around now. Faye wondered for a minute if he’d consider sleeping in the empty annexe, or on one of those sofas that’d ominously witnessed what was, hands down, the best make out of her life – whilst simultaneously not wanting him to.

She tried reasoning with herself as she crawled back into bed; they were both consenting adults who had wanted that kiss. They could sleep in the same bed without tempting fate towards anything else tonight.

Turning her bedside lamp off, she closed her eyes, unable to face Bash just yet if he returned. If he did come back and thought she was asleep, then he wouldn’t disturb her.

Two minutes later, Bash’s half of the bed dipped behind her.

He’d stayed.

This whole trip had made whatever feelings there were between them so much more complicated, assuming Bash had feelings for her at all. His hands did one thing, his mouth another, and his words something else entirely.

He was more hot and cold than a British autumn. Kissing her likethat,glancing her over like he did when he thought she wasn’t looking, and then forever saying they were only friends.

What the hell were they doing? But more importantly, how was Faye supposed to fall asleep next to him now andnotdream of his body tangling with hers?

31

BASH

Bash had staredat the wall all night, too abuzz withspoonsto sleep. He was sure Faye hadn’t gotten any either but there’d been zero chance of him rolling over to find out.Nope. He and his body and his restless cock had stayed fervently on their side of the bed all night long.

He never should’ve kissed her. Should never have allowed it to be anything more than a peck. All he’d done was get his own hopes up for something he could never have. He’d been tempted by the fruit and he’d taken it.

But damn it he didn’t regret feeling Faye melt into his arms just once.

Sleeping next to each other afterwards had been a terrible idea too. Because how was he supposed to turn off his memories of her plush lips and her soft hips pressed up against him? It was enough torture to know what she looked like when she didn’t wear anything at all, but to know her in her barest form – the one where emotions slid in – of kissing her as well?

---