Page 152 of His White Moonlight
Pulse racing, barely able to breathe, I gripped his forearms for support as his hands caged my sides, keeping me upright.
He growled and licked my skin like I’d licked his sandwich.
I shivered.
“Why are you fighting this?Me?”
Sanity returned.
“I can smell how much you?—”
“Is the timer running?Does this count as a hug?”
He growled in frustration and pulled back to glare at me.
“I’m not the problem, Bennett.You are.You’re not following the rulesyouset for the deal we made.”
“Why does everything have to be a deal?”
“Because that’s the only way for me to fight for the life I want to live,” I said, throwing his words back at him.“And next time you do anything without starting a timer, I’m going to be rude.Probably with a knee.Definitely with a fist.Are we clear?”
He pulled his lips back in a silent snarl that I didn’t think was entirely directed at me, but more at the situation and my stubbornness.
“I think I need Miranda’s help getting ready after all.”
He took a deep breath and slowly let it out.“No.I’m okay.We’re okay.Let’s watch a movie.”
He reached for my hand and started threading his fingers through mine.He immediately let go with another scowl.I wanted to grin at the fact that he was listening for a change.
“I won’t take what you aren’t willing to give,” he said, catching the look on my face.“Ever, Wrenly.”
“Thank you.”
We settled in on the couch downstairs and started the movie.He didn’t try to hold my hand or hug me, but he did tug my feet into his lap.Since the last foot rub had been nice and I knew I’d torture my feet later with heels, I allowed it as I focused on the movie.
His fingers melted the tension I didn’t know I carried, and I found myself relaxing in a way I’d never managed before, not even while running.My heart gave an odd skipped-beat thump, and I lifted my hand to rub my chest.
“Are you all right?”Bennett asked.
“Yeah.Just a weird heartbeat.”
His hand drifted up to my calf, rubbing the muscle there.It felt so damn good.He slowly worked his way up to my knee, then returned to my Achilles to work the path up a second time.His fingers feathered over the skin behind my knee when he reached the top.
My heart gave another odd skipped-beat thump.
Without looking away from the movie, I said, “Don’t make me break a toe trying to kick you in the face.”
He didn’t say anything as he removed his touch and switched to my other foot.
By the time the movie ended, my legs were pudding, and Bennett’s fingers had teased every inch of skin behind both knees.Complete relaxation in exchange for some roaming fingers felt like a fair trade.
I knew Bennett didn’t mind.I could feel the tremble in his fingers as they skated over my skin.
“Thank you for watching a movie with me,” I said.“And for the foot massage.”
“You’re welcome.”
I attempted to lift my legs from his lap, but he caught my ankles and tugged so hard that I slid down from my reclined position to lying flat.He was on top of me a second later, his pupils completely dilated and a wild look in his eyes.
