Page 27 of The NemeSis
Beth: Prove me wrong. Pay attention to how he acts around you. Maybe nobody else noticed it. Everyone was drinking so much. I noticed because I didn’t want to drink too much in case I needed to help get you home safely.
Me: I love you for that, but you’re wrong.
Beth:
Beth: You forget, I remember the crush you had when you were a teenager.
Me: Delete the messages!
I clearour text message thread and know she’ll do the same. I’ve never had someone read my messages. It doesn’t mean I’m not paranoid about anyone else finding out my secret.
Nobody can ever know I had a crush on my stepbrother. I was just a kid; it was a silly little crush. It didn’t mean anything.
Right?
Me: Please leave your review notes on my desk, or forward them to me if they’re on your laptop.
Beth: Already done.
The last fewminutes of class seem to drag on as I wait for it to be over. I’ve never skipped class and I don’t intend to make a habit of it. School is expensive, even if we have the money for me to take my time, I refuse to take advantage of my family like that.
As soon as the professor dismisses us, I’m running out the door. This building isn’t too far from the sorority house. I walk fast to get to my little car, throw my bag in the passenger seat and leave campus.
Fourteen minutes with no traffic. That’s got to be a record. I find a spot in the parking garage and take the private elevator up to the seventh floor. I walk down the short hall and knock on the door.
I hear a thud and cursing on the other side of the door. My hand grips the handle of my bag over my shoulder as I wait. I’m ready to smile and beg for help when he opens the door.
“Hey,” Ares’ voice comes out more gravely than normal. Husky, like he just rolled out of bed.
My eyes take him in slowly. Down. Up. And again. I swallow. His bare chest is covered with tattoos that connect and go down his arms and up his neck. Muscles that I find myself wanting to run my fingers along. Joggers hang dangerously low on his hips, showcasing the v. I’ve never had the urge to drop to my knees before, warmth spreads inside of me.
When my eyes are back up to meet his, he’s smirking. I’ve been caught. Oh my gosh, I was caught checking out my stepbrother. This is so wrong.
“I’m sorry. This was a bad idea.” I shake my head and turn to leave.
“Kyra.” His hand reaches out and grabs my arm. He pulls me into the condo and closes the door.
My back hits the door in my attempt to walk back out. I close my eyes. “I’m so sorry. I’ll leave and we can pretend that didn’t happen.”
I feel his breath at my neck, then my ear. A soft rumbling growl comes out of him. What is happening?
“Too late, princess.” His nose runs along my jaw. “I thought it would be easier after a night of sleep. But all I could think about was you.”
“Me?” My eyes open and I instantly regret it. He crowds me. My hands move to push him back and leave, but my hands freeze instead. I shouldn’t be touching him, not when every thought I have about him is of forbidden desire. But I’m frozen in place.
“You’re taking up space in my dreams.” His gravelly voice sends delicious shivers through me. It’s strained and gritty.
“I—”
“You woke me up from the best dream. I was pissed that the dream got cut short right when it was getting good.” His breath is still at my ear, his body leans in closer. “I was ready to give whoever was at the door a piece of my mind, but then I saw who it was. You can wake me up anytime.”
One of his arms caging me in drops, and his hand runs down my arm and back up again. His hand is gentle as it caresses up and across my shoulder, then neck. His fingers move to the back of my head and weave themselves into my hair, tugging my head to the side.
A whimper escapes me. “What are you doing?”
His lips press a kiss to my neck. “Why do you always smell like that?”
“What?”
