Page 27 of Reptile Dysfunction
Something shifts in his expression. “That’s not what I was trained for.”
“Maybe it’s time for new training.” Finding a pot, I set about my gourmet task of opening a can. “Even enforcers need soup sometimes.”
Somehow during our climb, my hair tie disappeared, leaving my hair down around my shoulders.
“Look what your pretty boy did.” I point to my hair, which I’m sure is a mess.
“Sterling!” Thad scolds, but his look of pure appreciation, dark heat simmering behind his eyes, says he’s not too upset with his errant snake.
“Your snakes are getting bold, Gorgon.” Moving to sit beside him while the soup heats, I lean close to let his snakes play with my hair. “Similar to someone who tried to show off on the Reformer.”
“Says the woman who wore knife-blade heels to a public pool.” His hand finds mine, surprisingly gentle for someone so strong. “Why are you really here, Sloane?”
“Because you’re hurt.”
“And?”
“And maybe I like taking care of the scary enforcer who’s not actually scary at all.” Leaning closer, I brush my lips against his jaw. “At least, not to me.”
Saying it out loud makes something flutter in my chest. Dangerous, maybe. But not wrong.
His snakes freeze, then sway in that slow, sinuous pattern I’m starting to recognize—not danger. Desire. Trouble, sure. But only the best kind.
“You should be scared,” his voice is rough as gravel.
“Why?” My fingers trace the tribal tattoos on his arm. “Because you might kiss me again?”
“Because I might not stop at kissing.” His voice drops lower, sending shivers through me. “Because there are things about me, about what I’ve done—”
“I know what you’ve done.” Threading my fingers through his, I meet his gaze steadily. “I’ve read the old reports. The ‘mysterious incidents’ that kept people away from monster territories. The troublemakers who suddenly became model citizens.”
“And that doesn’t bother you?”
“What bothers me is watching you punish yourself for protecting people.” Reaching up, I stroke Sterling’s scales gently. “For being exactly what your community needed. Whatbothcommunities needed.”
His free hand cups my face, thumb tracing my cheekbone. “And what about now? What does the community need now?”
“The truth.” Leaning into his touch, I let myself say what I’ve been thinking. “And maybe… maybe their enforcer needs someone who sees him. Really sees him.”
The kiss, when it comes, is softer than our first. His snakes create a protective curtain around us, some brushing my skin with gentle touches while others make pleased little sounds. Sterling wraps loosely around my throat in what’s becoming his signature move, and I feel Thad smile against my lips.
“He’s marking his territory,” he murmurs.
“Just him?”
His answer is a growl as he pulls me closer and claims my mouth with a hunger that steals my breath. This kiss is different from our others. It’s heat and possession and everything he’s been holding back.
I grip his shoulders and dive deeper into the kiss as I straddle his lap. He groans against my lips, his fingers sliding up my spine, thumbs brushing the sides of my breasts. Sparks scatter beneath my skin, each touch feeding the fire building between us.
His snakes respond like a chorus—brushing against any place they can reach.
Their touches are electric, some trailing down my arms with feather-light caresses while others wind through my hair, creatinga web of sensation that makes my head spin. Sterling tightens possessively around my throat, his scales warming against my pulse point, and I swear I can feel Thad’s heartbeat through the serpent’s body.
The kiss deepens, becoming something primal and desperate. Thad’s tongue sweeps against mine, claiming and exploring while I make soft sounds that seem to drive him wild. His hands grip my hips, grinding me down against the rigid length of him, and the friction makes us both curse into each other’s mouths.
“Sloane,” he growls against my lips, voice rough with need. “You’re going to kill me.”
“Good way to go?” I manage to gasp out, rolling my hips again just to hear that broken sound he makes.
