Page 57 of Nemesis
Her body tensed at my proximity, her fingers wrapping tightly against the edge of the counter. Logically, I knew I should’ve stepped away after putting the cup down, but my actions hadn’t been ruled by logic for a long time, especially when it involved her.
I wished I knew why this otherwise complete stranger made me feel so much. So overwhelmingly so that I wouldn’t even be able to tell you why I did what I did next.
Instead of stepping away, I crowded her, planting my hands on either side of her hips, caging her in against the counter. My heart slammed against my ribs, my gaze focusing on the sliver of bare skin peeking through her hair at the nape of her neck, goose bumps slowly prickling across her skin.
My gaze followed the trail, looking down to see the swell of breasts rising rapidly.
Maybe it was the gravitational pull I felt toward her, drawing me in against my better judgment. Or maybe it was simply because I was desperate to feel closer to anything that reminded me of Sofia.
Her breathing turned heavy as she landed back on her heels with a soft thump. “Thank you,” she said quietly, bowing her head down.
I clenched my jaw, willing my body to stay in place instead of erasing the distance between us and pressing my body further into hers.
She was a married woman, my brain clearly knew that, but desire to claim her wrapped around my senses, threatening to take over. There was no point in denying that I felt something for her despite all my efforts not to.
My eyes shut, the intrusive thoughts of her body flushed against mine overwhelming me. My arms strained against the counter as I bent my head down next to her head, breathing in a shaky inhale.
“You’re welcome,” I said breathlessly against her ear.
She was sporting a new smell and it hit my senses, wrapping around them and tugging at something buried deep within me. She usually wore the same overpowering fragrance, but this wasdifferent.
I paused and inhaled deeper. Her skin had the faintest hint of somethingfamiliar.
I was about to step away and return to cooking, when a sense of déjà vu suddenly washed over me, poking what seemed like a distant memory.
Her smell. Her very distinct warm smell. That soft hidden place behind her ear that used to be my favorite place to kiss.
The blood pumping through my veins stalled and time slowed down, anchoring me into paralysis. I could barely move, transfixed in the memories the scent pushed to the forefront of my mind, creating warped visuals of all the moments I smelled it, touched it,tasted it.
My hands went numb from how tight I was holding on to the counter.
Scent was a powerful memory trigger and my mind was on fire with the memories of who this scent belonged to.
Sofia Herrera.
CHAPTER24
SOFIA
Itried to move away from him, but his hands stood firm on either side of me, trapping me. My breath thickened in my lungs at the feel of his hard body brushing against mine, the oxygen lodging in my throat on its way up.
My heart pumped faster, the blood in my veins humming, his intoxicating presence sending mixed signals between my brain and body in response. I swallowed hard against the lump that formed, trying to ground myself before I faced him.
I spun around, the movement putting a slight distance between us, and my gaze lifted to his face. That’s when I saw the change. The previous embarrassment from his earlier perusal was long gone now, a dangerous stillness replacing it.
His expression turned me to stone.
At first, neither of us spoke and we didn't look away from each other. The connection was weighed down, tying us together, just like it had all these years ago when our gazes collided for the first time in a hospital room.
I needed to look away, to distract his attention from focusing on me too closely. I opened my mouth to speak, but he cut me off before I could even get a word out.
“Who are you?” His question came out in a simple and cool tone, a complete contrast to how his body was vibrating with rage. I could even feel the wheels in his head spinning frantically as he studied my face closely.
His words stilled my blood, my body going stiff as my heart dropped into my stomach. I frowned, trying to morph my features into annoyance rather than fear. “What’s gotten into you?”
He moved closer, his anger rolling off of him in waves. “I said, who are you?” he demanded, his tone firmer this time.
“You’re being ridiculous. You know exactly who I am,” I snapped, fending off his interrogation.
