He felt that?
“Don’t tell me you’re cold.” I joked as a distraction, pulling the plate back towards me to take a piece of bacon. My hunger had returned.
“No, I just felt a cold patch. It’s weird. I’ve been feeling them everywhere I go. Maybe I should go see a doctor.” He bit the strawberry, juice dripping onto his lips and chin. I stared transfixed, as he licked it up with his tongue.
“I think you’re in fine health.” The truth slipped out uncensored, making Brad and his sister smirk at me in unison.
They were a beautiful pair. Watching them together, her presence unable to be fully appreciated by her brother who clearly loved her, leaked a sadness into the moment. She should be the one here with him, not me. I almost wished I could share my gift with him. Let him know she was still looking out for him.
I cleared my throat, shaking off the regret. “Hurry up. We’ve got a lot of work to do.”
“Says the woman who would’ve kept sleeping if I hadn’t woken her up.”
“I was quite happy to keep sleeping.”
“I could tell.” A flush raged up my neck and face, leaving tingles in its path. Brad’s look held me in its powerful grasp. His lips hinted at a smile. The full force of his desire hit me between my thighs. My body would have readily spent the day doing other things besides painting. I was aware that was where we were heading. Probably sooner than I was ready for. I’d never be able to let him in completely, but he was the only man who’d come close to making me want it all.
He stood and circled towards where I sat, mesmerized. Holding out his hand, he silently asked me to stand. I didn’t think my legs would support my weight. They were shaking that badly. He clasped me by the wrist where my pulse hammered and pulled me to my feet. I couldn’t stop trembling. The tips of his fingers, poking from the cast, brushed my hair away from my face, and came to rest on my collarbone. Fuck. The fire had spread throughout my whole body. I relinquished control over to him. He inched towards me until our bodies were pushed up against each other. There was no hiding my physical reaction to him, nor his reaction to me. It turned me on, knowing I did that to him.
His lips found mine, brushing softly, hesitantly, as if he was afraid I was going to bolt like the gazelle he called me. Silly man. I couldn’t run if I wanted to, and I didn’t want to at all. My lips parted on a sigh. This was what I’d been waiting for. I’ve denied myself for far too long. I pressed more forcefully into him, and wrapped my arms around his neck. I wanted to seal our connection forever. Brad grunted and sank into my mouth, tilting his head to get closer. I tasted maple syrup, and all the treats we’d shared before.
Tantalising Brad.
Brad fisted my hair in his good hand, pulling me closer. If that was even possible. His stubble grazed my jaw and my cheeks in a rough tease. I was running out of air. I had to break the kiss and pull away to regain my sanity.
We both let go, gasping. I took a step back, doubling over to grip my knees. Whoa.
“Holy fuck! I knew it. I fucking knew it!” he said, breathless. “You’re not getting away from me again, Gazelle … You’ve just been caught.”
I continued looking at the wooden decking in my bent position. I agreed with him, and I was pretty bloody excited about the possibilities.
When I straightened up, I saw Tish through the window in the dining room, one brow cocked. “Thought I’d give you some privacy.”
Well, most of the possibilities. If he found out I could see and talk to his dead sister, it was possible he’d never want to speak to me again. My bubble of desire deflated, dropping my shoulders with it. My curse would always come between us. I’d never be able to give all of myself to him. I wanted to cry in protest. It wasn’t Letitia’s fault. It wasn’t anybody’s fault but my own. I was the one that hadn’t learned to deal with my reality. My eyes swung back to Brad, still watching me from under heavy lids, and struggling to compose himself. I needed to find a way, and fast.
“Let’s paint.” Marching past Brad into the house, I didn’t look back when my statement was met with a long silence.
“You’re welcome!” he finally yelled out, before I heard the pop of a paint tin opening.
It was going to be an interesting day.
Brad
Pouring the paint into a small tub seemed so simple, but it was bloody difficult while my muscles were strung so tightly I could barely move. That kiss. I still felt the imprint of her body all over me. I could barely stop myself from going inside, and ravishing her mouth again. She felt it, too, I knew she did. She was vibrating in my arms, devouring my mouth with as much hunger as I had for her. Then I watched as the shadows crowded in, snuffing out the blazing fire we’d ignited.
I was starting to understand the depth of her scars and pain. Watching her in the aftermath of yesterday’s shock scared the shit out of me. She was obviously in some personal hell zone, trapped in her memories of a fucked up past at the hands of that woman. I wanted to hunt her mother down, and make her come back to witness the pain she’d inflicted. I wanted to wring her neck. What the fuck was wrong with her? How could she not love
