Page 34 of Feral Touch
“What wouldn’t I understand?”
I bit my lip. “My parents didn’t have a lot of money growing up. They worked hard for every little bit they had and they did it all on their own. They never asked for handouts from anyone.”
“It’s not a handout!” Ren's face was lined with frustration. He closed his eyes and visibly forced himself to relax. “Look, let’s forget about all that for now. Can we just talk?”
“We are talking.”
He huffed out an exasperated laugh. “No, we’re arguing. Talk to me about something else. Talk to me about your classes, or your friends, or what you want to do when you grow up.”
“Are you saying I’m not grown up?”
He quirked a smile. “I'll admit you’re probably more mature at your age than I was.”
“You’re only two years older than me. Don’t make it sound like you’re an old man.”
He somehow managed to turn the conversation around. The tension in my chest eased now that we weren’t fighting over the money.
“What about your friends? They’re fans, right?”
“Yeah. They’re the ones who took me to your show.”
“And how have they been reacting to all this?”
“All this?”
He gestured to the two of us. I wanted him to say it out loud, to define what exactly was going on between the two of us, but he didn’t.
“They’ve been great. They’re happy for me. Not jealous at all.”
“They haven’t pestered you for Jayce’s phone number yet?”
I laughed. “No. Meeting you guys after the concert was enough to make them almost explode. I have no idea what would happen if they actually met Jayce in person for more than ten seconds.”
“He does that have effect on women.”
You have that effect on women. I stopped myself before I said that thought out loud. I had calmed down since arriving and began to notice how close Ren was to me. He’d shifted on the sofa and slid across the cushions only a few inches away from me. Our knees were almost touching.
“Ivy.”
I looked up and met Ren’s beautiful brown eyes. They were usually so soft, so full of laughter and kindness. The longer we stared at each other, the darker his eyes became as they burned into me, hard and intense. His eyes were narrowed, hot and heated.
A hand on my leg made me jump, then melt. Ren’s fingers trailed slowly from my ankle up my calf and to the back of my knee. It had been unseasonably warm and I wasn’t wearing tights under my dress. He was touching me, skin to skin.
The feel of those warm fingers ignited something inside me, a pulsing, throbbing ache centering between my legs. His hand was so close, almost between my thighs. With the slightest movement he could—
His fingers moved back down my leg, caressing and stroking. My stomach muscles unclenched and I could breathe again.
Ren repeated the motion, no doubt meaning for it to be soothing, reassuring. Did he have any idea that his touch was turning my insides into jelly?
“I’ve missed you, Ivy.” The words were said casually, but there was a hint of something deeper underneath them.
“I’ve missed you, too.”Why did you leave me?I wanted to ask, but I didn’t want to ruin the moment. I didn’t want him to pull away. I wanted him to continue touching me.
Then he pressed his lips to mine.
CHAPTER 9
THEAIRAROUNDus crackled with electricity. All the hairs on my arms stood on end.
