Page 108 of Fury

He stretched his arms out over the back of the bench, his long legs before him. “Good-bye, gorgeous.”

Ten days later in themiddle of the night, Turo showed up at where I’d been staying, a friend’s small photography studio.

He placed a padded envelope on the metal console table. “New name, social, driver’s license.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

He scanned the room, an eyebrow lifting at the sight of the light stands and filters. Lightboxes, a drafting table, a backdrop screen, a desktop computer. The futon sofa where I’d been sleeping the past two weeks. His gaze returned to me and grew heavy. I held my breath as we stared at each other in silence.

“Can I have a drink?” he asked.

“There’s vodka.”

“Vodka, then.”

I poured him the liquor in a glass tumbler. He took a drink and handed it to me. I took a sip. He took back the glass and finished it, putting it back on the counter, his oddly colored eyes on me.

“When are you leaving?” he asked.

“In a couple of days.”

“Do you need—”

“No.” I smiled. “But thank you.”

His forehead creased. “Where are you going?”

“Greenland.”

His eyes flared, his head rocked back and he laughed, a deep rolling rumble of a laugh. Something in my chest tightened. This was a side of him I’d never seen before. Warm. Human.

“I’m going to miss you,” he said.

“We barely know each other. What’s there to miss, Turo?”

“This.”

In a sudden movement, he yanked on the belt of my kimono and dropped it to the floor. A rush of cool air whispered over my now visible bare skin.

“Oh, this,” he repeated, his voice low.

“Turo—”

He took in a deep breath, his jaw tight, his heady gaze burning over my chest. “I’m going to miss you.” He took another step closer toward me, his hair in his eyes. He’d let it grow out. Shadows fell over his cheekbones. A knight borne of the darkness, walking in shadows.

“My angel, never wanted anything for herself.” His cool hand cupped a breast, and I let out a short gasp. His lips parted, the amber in his intent eyes now molten in the glow from the desk lamp I’d put on when he’d knocked on the door. His thumb stroked over a curve, and his breath caught.

“Turo.”

“I can’t not touch you anymore,” he breathed.

He got on his knees before me, and my insides plunged like a stone under water. He gently swept my silk kimono away from my nakedness, and his breath caught. His cool hands dragged up and down the sides of my hips, my thighs.

“Ciara used to tell me you never had a boyfriend, didn’t do hook-ups.” He planted a kiss on my left thigh, my right. “I watched you. She was right. No boyfriends, no hookups. Yet you always look so fucking hungry underneath your cool facade.” His gleaming eyes hung on mine, his one hand circling my leg. “Let me give you what you need tonight. Just this once. For goodbye.”

A large thumb grazed the sensitive flesh between my legs, and my body seized. He licked his lips. “Only if you let me.” He bent and feathered kisses over my lower tummy, his eyes closing for a moment. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”

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