Page 105 of Defend Me

Finally, he met my eyes. “You know you’re toxic, right?”

I breathed a laugh. “Maybe, but you’re here, letting me touch you.”

He sighed as I moved my lips across his jaw. “I’m scared you’ll back out again.”

“Stop worrying so much.”

“I can’t.”

“What do you want, Tilian? Throughout all of this, I’ve yet to hear that.”

“You haven’t asked,” he pointed out.

“It’s one of my twenty questions.”

“I like you.”

“I told you not to.”

“Tough.”

I hummed and kissed the curve of his jaw. He muttered a curse as I continued down to his chin.

“If I choose you, what will you do?” he asked.

The question made me tense. When Tilian decided to be bold, he fucking went for it. Any words I could conjure didn’t sound right, so I recalled ones that felt like the truth.

“’If you ever looked at me once with what I know is in you, I would be your slave.’”

“I see you,” he said softly. “I know you’ll fight and try to run. There’s so much inside of you that I don’t even think you understand, but I’m desperate to.”

“You don’t see me. Not yet. You’ve put me on a pedestal, Tilian.”

He shook his head and held onto my wrist to keep my hand on his throat. “You want me to think you’re a monster? If you are, you make cruelty look like divinity. God was the one who did most of the killing in the Bible, so I’m allowed to put you on a pedestal, even if you’re as soulless as you seem to think.”

“Baby…”

“Say it again.”

“Baby,” I repeated.

His lips parted, so I pushed my tongue between them. He waited, following my lead, even as he trembled.

I pulled back and studied his face. Everything about him made me want to jump the rest of the way in, but I didn’t want to rush this.

“Brooks.”

“I want you to take time to think about it before you decide. Really think about it.

When I stepped back, he latched onto my hand. “Stay.”

He surprised me by slipping his fingers into the waistband of my jeans, then he tugged me closer.

“We’re not done talking.”

“Talking,” I repeated.

“If we somehow end up making out, we’ll blame it on your stupid, poetic words.” When I opened my mouth to respond, he nipped at my lower lip. “Stop worrying so much.”

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