Page 105 of Ensnared
He frowns.
As I shower, I can sense him. He’s still in my room. When I step out of the shower and dry off, I can feel that he’s still out there, waiting. I put lotion on myself, giving him time to make the right decision, and then I dress. Still, he hasn’t moved an inch.
When I open the door in my pajama shorts and t-shirt, he’s sitting on the edge of my bed.
“Axel,” I say. “You were not supposed to wait.”
“You never do as you’re told.” He’s smirking. “I thought it was a human thing.”
“I’m going to sleep alone. Having you in here means something to humans, and it’s not something that reflects what we are.”
“But you never did what I asked,” he says, standing.
I sigh. “What’s that?”
“You were supposed to teach me to kiss.” His eyes drop to my mouth again.
“I already told you—that’s not something I can teach. When you feel a certain way about someone, it’s just something that happens.”
“When I think about it, about you feeling that way about someone, it makes me angry.” He steps closer. “Isn’t that meaningful in some way?”
I shove him. “Not at all. You already told me you feel possessive, like you own me.”
“We’re connected,” he says. “You can’t deny that.”
“I’m connected to Gideon by choice,” I snap. “He’s been by my side, protecting me, since we were children.”
Axel grabs the edge of my dresser and squeezes.
It shatters.
Wood shards drift to the ground.
“Look what you did,” I say. “You really need to go while I have a room left to stay in.”
“You said you’d do anything I asked.” Axel doesn’t look like he cares about the dresser at all. “That was part of our deal.”
“So, what? Now part of that deal is teaching you how to kiss?”
He shrugs.
“Alright.” I pick up my hand and turn the back of my hand toward my mouth. “Take your hand like this.” I pucker up my lips and press my mouth against it. I make smoochy sounds. “There. Now you know.”
Axel grabs my wrist, circles it lightly, and drags the back of my hand toward his mouth.
“No,” I say. “Not like that.”
But it’s too late. He’s pressing his mouth against the back of my hand. Every part of my body lights up, and I practically squirm out of my own skin. It’s like someone connected live wires to my entire musculature, and now they’re zapping me.
I’ve never, not once, not ever before felt like this.
“How was that?” He doesn’t release my hand, but he does look right into my eyes. “Am I getting it?”
I drag in a breath. “I mean, it’s fine. I think it’s a good first lesson.”
“So you think I’m ready for this?” He grabs my hip and pulls me closer slowly.
I could pull away.
