Page 26 of Obsession & Oath

I find myself standing before her now, leaning heavily against the bars. “And deny you the pleasure of my company?”

“What pleasure?”

“Pleasure, indeed.” A thought hums through me that sparks like a live wire. “I have a question for you.”

The problem is that Carmen has her own kind of gravity. It tugs you in if you get too close, like a star that barely recognizes its ability to shine.

I find myself at its mercy more often than I care to admit. Only, this time, Carmen doesn’t shuffle away as I draw in close. It’s likely that she’s confident that the metal bars will be able to keep me from acting uncouth.

But her face pokes through them defiantly and her chin rests on the cool iron as she looks up at me.

“In your quest to remain the virtuous little debutant that you are,” the question could very well send her running, but there’s a stubbornness in her posture that makes me want to take the risk, “have you ever allowed yourself to experience pleasure?”

Her chin juts out slightly. “I don’t know what you mean.”

“Have you ever touched yourself?”

The words come out softer, breathier, more desperate than I intended.

But I see the way her breath hitches, the flash of panic in her eyes as she glances down at my lips for a fraction of a second. So close now, too close.

All she’d need to do is tilt her pretty little head up. All she needs to do is step away from the bars.

But she does something even worse.

She bites down on her bottom lip.

I grip the bars tightly to stifle the groan that roars in my chest.

“I’ve never,” she whispers. “It was never…I wouldn’t call itpleasure.”

“Perhaps you were doing it wrong.”

Her eyes are glued to my lips now. The tension is so thick I can’t imagine another person existing in the world we both inhabit.

“Perhaps.”

Unable to stop, I close some of the distance, resting my forehead against hers. The contact causes a small whine to escape those pretty, pretty, kissable lips.

I can’t. I can’t do any more than this. It’s impossible. If she wants more…

“Perhaps I could show you,” I make the offer anyway.

There’s a sharp little gasp.

Then her lips press against mine.

And well…

Fuck it.

Chapter8

Carmen

Porca miseria. Ma porca puttana.

Holy shit. Motherfucking bitch.

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