Page 80 of Inside the Sun

"Six years. That’s not so much."

His eyebrow shoots up. "Not so much… in what sense?"

Of course it sounded like I was comparing our ages in that way, like I’m wondering if we’dworktogether. Stupid.

"I just meant… you’re not that much older."

The gardener slowly stands up. Wow, it hits me every time how tall he is. Seven feet? Maybe even seven-one? I have to tilt my head way back to look him in the eye. He looks like the fucking Hulk, massive, towering over me like a tree.

Silence stretches between us. I look up at him and bite my lower lip. His gaze drops to my mouth, and lingers. Then, slowly, it rises back to meet my eyes.

A strange shiver ripples through me. A desperate need to reach out and touch his chest, feel the bulging muscle under my fingers. I want to press my whole body against his, like he’s really a tree that could stand against a hurricane. Something solid that might save me from getting swallowed whole by the void.

I swear he feels it too, that current between us. His eyes drop to my lips again. I part them just slightly, subtly, not tooffer anything, not to suggest, just waiting. Waiting to see what happens. Whatever that may be.

"You shouldn’t be here, that much is clear," he says suddenly. "This place is extremely dangerous." Then, like snapping out of a trance, he adds quickly, "Damn, I have to get back to work."

But I just can’t stop myself.

My hand instinctively reaches out and lands on his bare bicep, exactly on the gyrfalcon tattoo, in a strange attempt to make him stay, to talk more.

His skin is hot! Fuck, it feels so good. A pleasant wave immediately spreads across my body.

The guy freezes mid-move. He does not look at me. His eyes are now on the planter, head bowed. My fingers just rest on his warm, tanned skin, and it’s the best feeling in the world. We are connected, our energy linked, I just know it, as I immerse myself in the bliss of the moment.

In a way, I feel him now better, but differently than before, more intensely. And there it is—his growing desire, his confusion, his inner protest and dilemma.

"You can’t… can’t do this," he whispers, his voice almost vulnerable.

"Do what?"

"Touch me. You can’t!"

But he doesn’t move away, caught with me in this strange spell, this inexplicable chemistry.

My own thoughts drift far too quickly from simply appreciating the innocence and beauty of a human touch to something more sensual, more hungry.

"Hold me… just for a second!" I breathe out, dazed, like I’m high, floating in a sea of pink bubbles.

"I wish I could, but I can’t…" he whispers.

Still, he doesn’t step back. My fingers brush over his burning skin, a red haze descends over me, madness wins. I close the half step between us, my chest pressing against his stomach. His scent floods me, like freshly cut grass and a young, virile alpha. I feel his hand slide along my side, fingers slipping under the hem of my thin green shirt for a second, grazing my abs. My breath catches.

His other hand lifts and settles at the back of my head for a heartbeat, then drifts down to my neck in a gesture every AO knows. Alphas place their hands like that on omegas’ napes. A sharp, electric shiver shoots through me, my forehead leans against his shoulder. I can hear his heart pounding like crazy, and mine syncs with his rhythm; we breathe the same. He pulls me into a brief embrace, but it’s so much more erotic, tight and heated, than comforting. It’s just hunger, sadly it ends… too fast.

Suddenly, he yanks his hands away and takes a sharp step back.

"No. No, no…" he mutters. His pupils are blown wide, his scent thick with arousal. I glance down at his crotch and… damn. I swallow hard. That bulge is enormous! My head spins from the rush of excitement and the sheer insanity of this. It’s reckless, stupid, dangerous. And so good.

"We can’t," he blurts, jaw clenched tight, the muscles twitching. He exhales sharply, like he’s trying to purge the energy crackling between us.

He takes one more step away, breaking our eye contact, quickly nods goodbye, grabs his tools, and rushes off.

Just like that!

Fuck, not again!

Apparently, he’s not going back to work. He heads for the exit. So he just wants to get away from me.

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