Page 34 of Through You
His lips turn into a halfhearted smile. “Yes.”
“Did you move past the stage of drawing Pokémons?” I tease, recalling the phase in his childhood when he was obsessed with sketching game characters.
He shoots me a forlorn glance. “That was a different time, so long ago.”
I can’t stop myself from giggling. I’ve annoyed him, and it’s a refreshing change. “Sure, sure.”
“I can show you my most recent drawings whenever you like.
I’ve improved a lot.” He sounds confident.
“I bet you have. You’ve always been clever, picking things up pretty quick.”
He arches a brow. “Is that compliment?”
“Why are you shocked? I always loved your sketches. In fact, you—” I stop myself. I don’t know if I should finish I was about to say.
“You, what?”
“I thought you could have become an artist.”
The look of amusement on his face vanishes, replaced by deep sadness that I’m pained to see.
“We can’t always become who we wish to be.”
“Sorry, I—”
“You don’t need to apologize.” He smiles at me reassuringly but the look of sadness stays. “I’m fine with who I am and what I do now.”
Even though he sounds convinced, I know this is the opposite of the truth. As a kid, not once did he ever mention wanting to become head of Hidalgo Enterprises one day. This makes me see him in a different light. He appears so alone, so unhappy.
It never crossed my mind that the power passed down to him was an unwanted burden placed on his shoulders. I remember his passion and excitement when he talked about his drawings.
Fast-forward to now, when he looks so vulnerable and deprived of affection. Before I can rethink or regret what I am about to do, I place my glass on the table and walk over to him. He unfolds his arms and looks at me, astounded. I wrap my arms around him in a hug, and rest my face on his chest.
“You’ve done a great job.” Although it takes him a few seconds to react, he reciprocates and encircles me in his arms. The sweet scent of his cologne is soothing. I can hear and feel the rapid beats of his heart against my ear. This feels right, even though it likely isn’t. This hug feels wonderful, and I lose track of time. I am enjoying every second of it. When we come apart, my hands linger on his sides and we stay very close. Our eyes communicate the intense emotions surfacing and wrestling between us.
Artemis leans forward, and his lips brush against mine. I pull my face back as quickly as I can. I take a step backward and attempt to leave. He reacts fast, grabbing hold of my wrist and pulling me toward him. Then, with his free hand, he grabs my face and plasters his mouth on mine.
A sudden burst of emotion rushes through me and clouds my reason. I kiss him back with an urgency that astounds me. It’s not a gentle kiss. It’s a fierce kiss loaded with years of longing. Our lips are in sync, moving furiously and passionately. My fingers are tangled in his hair, pulling him closer, while he grips me tightly by the waist. Our breathing becomes heavy and our movements are clumsy as we struggle to keep our passion under control. His scruff rubs against my face every so often, and it feels great. No one has ever kissed me like this. And I have never felt this way before.
Artemis presses his body closer, and my breasts rub against him. Though we are still fully clothed, I can feel the hardness of his body, and the intensity of the sensation is disorienting. His soft, wet lips are sealed to mine. He tastes like whisky. His tongue moves lightly over my lips, teasing, before he continues to kiss me with abandon.
I can’t make myself stop.
He lowers his hands from my waist to my ass, and gives it a squeeze that elicits a moan from me. I feel him getting hard against my stomach. It frightens me how much I want him.
Without breaking our kiss, he lifts and places me on the edge of the kitchen table, positioning himself between my legs. I am drunk with overwhelming desire. Every part of my body feels like a live wire. Artemis has put his hands inside my sweater and caresses my back and the sides of my waist. His fingers leave a delicious warm trail, marking everywhere they touch.
We pull apart by an inch and try to catch our breath. And then we resume our kiss with the same need and intensity. His hands move inside my sweater until they reach my breasts, and squeeze gently. His thumbs slide inside my bra and graze my nipples, triggering another moan. Instinctively, I’ve been rocking my body against his, rubbing myself against his hardness. I’m fully aware that I’m playing with fire, but how could I stop myself at this point?
Artemis unbuttons my pants and before I can react he slides one of his hands inside. I gasp in his mouth the very instant his fingers make intimate contact.
“Fuck, you’re wet,” he grunts against my lips. “Shit. You’re so sexy!”
I am way too aroused and it won’t take his fingers long to make me climax. His tongue is plundering my mouth while his finger is penetrating me. It’s driving me crazy. I hold on to his shoulders. He halts our kiss and intensifies his skillful ministrations deep inside me.
“Open your eyes, Claudia.”
