Page 152 of Ruin Me Gently

My pulse surged, sharp and erratic like electricity had been shot through my bloodstream.

Oh, God.That voice. I knew that voice.

Every hair on my body stood on end, a full-body static shock rolling through me.

Fuck.Fuck, fuck, fuck.

This wasn’t happening.

I squeezed my eyes shut. The room tilted. Or maybe that was just me.

“Lilith?” The voice came again, closer this time.

Christ, I didn’t want to move, I didn’t want to turn.

But I did. Mechanically. Twisting around like a wind-up doll.

A man stood behind the couch, dark eyes locked onto mine. He squinted slightly, like he was searching my face for something. “Are you okay?”

My stomach twisted into knots so tight I thought I might actually keel over.

I blinked. Once. Twice.

“Mr. Stalker?”

His expression didn’t change. He just stared at me.

“Well,” I huffed out a short breath. “Fuck me, I guess.”

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN

Iwas dead. Deceased.Buried six feet under the fucking ground.

My jaw dropped so hard I physically felt it hitthe floor.

I could see him. I couldactuallysee him.

No coat. No hoodie. No scarf. No blindfold.

Was I a saint in a past life? Did I die heroically saving orphans from a burning building? What the hell did I do to deserve this?

It was the first time I’d ever seen him all at once, and the universe was punishing me for every snide comment I had ever made because—

This man.

His jaw was strong, defined, a blade of bone and shadow, the kind of structure I now knew looked as good as it felt under my tongue. He had a strong nose.

And his lips—oh, hislips.

I’d kissed them before. Multiple times. But Jesus Christ.

Plump, obnoxiously full, the kind of shape that made my thoughts inappropriate at best, criminal at worst.

I could see his stubble. Not just feel it this time—seeit. Dark. Just enough to make my stomach twist painfully, just enough to make my mouth dry.

I had felt that stubble scrape against my skin before, felt the roughness of it against my lips, my neck, my thighs—

I nearly choked on my own thoughts.

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