Page 74 of Scarred Sins
I quirk an amused brow. “That’s the point. Going easy on me won’t teach me a thing, and you know it. So, stop sulking.’’
“I’m not sulking,’’ he defends, but I swear, I can see a small pout on his lips. “But I would’ve preferred if it were me teaching you.’’
“Didn’t you say you’d teach me how to kill Simmons?”
“Yes.’’
“Then, we can start that tomorrow.’’
“Yeah, with the beating you just received, be lucky if you can get out of bed tomorrow. But once the sore muscles lessen, we’ll start. You can even pick the weapon.’’
I frown. “I could just use a gun?”
“If that’s what you want, then sure. I’ll find a good one for you.’’
I blink. “What does that even mean?”
“Just means that there are different types of guns. I’ll find one that will be easy for you to use, not too heavy and not too big, but still good enough to get the job done.’’
With a deep breath, I sit up, stretching and hearing the slight crack in my back. Arlo’s sitting close to me, almost dangerously close. I can smell his perfume, and if I leaned in just another inch, our noses would be touching.
Breath hitches in my throat when I flicker my eyes to meet his. His pupils are slightly dilated, and the intensity makes my stomach twist. He’s staring at me like he wants to eat me whole, like a predator that’s found its prey, and for the first time in my life, my heart skips a beat at the thought.
I want to be his prey.
“Arlo,’’ I whisper, swallowing thickly.
Something flashes behind his eyes at the sound of my lowered voice, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down a few times. His eyes fall down on my lips before he lifts them to meet mine. Shivers dance down my body when I finally understand what I’m seeing.
This isn’t a simple obsession.
It’s love. And it runs deep. It’s maddening, all-consuming, and destructive. He’s not shy to show me, and his expressive eyes tell me everything I need to know. Right now, I’m certain of one thing – no matter how this entire thing ends, I’m not leaving.
I won’t leave the only man that’s made me feel safe, that made me feel like life is worth living.
“Yes, butterfly?”
His deep voice makes my ears ring. A thrilling sensation runs down my spine, and I’m unable to look away from his eyes. The gorgeous blue sea, the light in my darkness, the depth giving meaning to my life. The words spill out of my mouth before I can prevent them, but I don’t regret them.
“I think,’’ I pause, swallowing a knot in my throat. “I think you’re my kingdom come, too.’’
A deep groan falls from his lips, his body shaking slightly. He’s gripping the towel in his hand, knuckles almost turning white. His hot breath tickles my face, and I don’t even register him coming closer until the tips of our noses touch.
“Blair,please,let me kiss you.’’
“Kiss me.’’
He doesn’t waste a single second. His hand tangles with my messy, disheveled hair at the back, pulling me toward him by the nape of my neck. His soft lips fall on mine, closing the remaining distance between us. A loud gasp slips my lips at the feeling of his mouth passionately dancing with mine.
He pulls me as close as humanly possible, our chests pressed together. He pours all of his affection, all of his desires, into the kiss, molding his lips with mine. My stomach starts doing backflips, butterflies erupting – fuck that – the entire ecosystem blooms in my chest.
My hands tangle with his hair, softly tugging on it as I allow myself to get lost in the moment. Everything else fades away, the darkness, the voices, and all I can focus on is the feeling of his lips on mine. My mind goes blank, too absorbed in the way his tongue flicks over the seam of my mouth, silently begging for entrance.
I part my lips, and Arlomoansinto the kiss. Something in the pit of my stomach twists in the most pleasurable, addictive way at the sound. I swallow his moan, his tongue tasting every inch of my mouth.
Gently, he pushes me back into a lying position, parting my legs with his knee and getting on top of me. He doesn’t break the kiss, his hand still tangled with my hair. The other one travels down to the side of my neck, holding it tenderly.
Yet, the kiss is anything but. It’s filled with everlasting hunger, with the need to consume me and to keep me secured away. His touch, his lips on mine – it all causes a slight moan to slip, and something snaps in Arlo.
