Page 56 of Obsession

My fingers stroked up and down her spine, not to soothe her, but because I had to touch her. Keep feeling her before this all went away. “I’ve done nothing. I’ve kissed someone before, but I didn’t like it, so I never did it again.”

“Wait.” She pushed off my chest, sitting up. I followed, but the distance between us was still too great. Lark squealed as I grabbed her waist and yanked her into my lap. She straddled me as my back hit the headboard.

An overwhelming sense of contentment slammed into me.

I never felt right. Not when other people were around. I was off kilter. Always watching what I said. My mind constantly turning, trying to figure out how to fit in. But I couldn’t, no matter how hard I tried.

Mostly, I’d given up. I enjoyed my own company better. I preferred being alone. Until now.

“You’ve never…” Her voice trailed off, so I filled in the obvious blank.

“Had sex? No.” Her eyebrows shot up her forehead.

“How is that possible? You look like—.” She gestured at my body. “Well, this.”

My head tilted in confusion. My fingers flexed on her hips. My cock hardening as she wiggled around in my lap. “What do you mean?”

She chuckled until she realized my question was genuine. “You’re attractive. Extremely so. Some might even say hot.” A smile broke out across my face as her cheeks blushed. I ran my knuckle along the color, tracing it down her neck. Her pulse jumped, matching my own.

There was something about having her in my lap, half naked, that was almost too much to take. But I didn’t want to let her go. Didn’t care about dealing with my aching cock. Because I loved just holding her like this. Talking. It was so fucking…normal.

“Plus, you have money. Not that it matters to me. But sometimes that’s enough.”

“Yes, but then I open my mouth.” My thumb swept along her bottom lip. It was so soft and perfect. Everything about her was.

“Nathan.” She sighed and the combination of her breath hitting my skin and her saying my name had my chest constricting. I could hear the pity, but it didn’t bother me like when I heard it from other people.

No, it wasn’t pity. It was empathy. She cared. I enjoyed having Lark care about me. Even if I knew it would never be as deeply as I cherished her.

“I try to imitate my brothers. But I don’t think they’re quite normal either.”

Her lip twitched into an almost smile. “They’re not.”

I shrugged. “It never bothered me that I was a virgin. I don’t like to be touched.”

I sucked in a breath as her hands ghosted over my chest. Her skin brushed mine as she slipped the buttons of my shirt through the holes. I savored every accidental touch as she undid them.

My body tingled, but in a pleasant way, as she placed her palms on my bare chest. A smile crossed her face as she slid her hands up. I felt the path like a trail of burning flesh. A brand she was leaving behind. And for the first time, I loved knowing I’d still feel it later.

Her forehead rested against mine as she grasped my face. My hands moved to the nape of her neck, holding her there. The other stroking her lower back. Our gazes collided as we sat there. Touching. Embracing each other.

The room was silent. But the moment felt loud. Life changing. It was the closest I’d ever let anyone be to me. The longest I’d ever let them hold me.

“How come I can touch you?” She whispered and her lyrical voice sunk into me. Embedded itself into my soul.

I gave her the only answer I’d been able to come up with. “You’re different.”

“How?” Her tone echoed my confusion. “Why?”

“I don’t know.” Her soft curls brushed my skin as I shook my head. “I hate people because they’re confusing to me. I can’t be bothered to understand why they do the things they do. Or why certain attitudes and beliefs are acceptable while others aren’t. Why my brothers are considered crazy when all they want to do is protect the people they love.”

My fingers flexed on her body, knowing now she was one of those people. I’d protect her with my life. With everything I had.

“But you, Songbird, I want to figure you out. I want to know why you do things. How I can make you happy. What I feel for you doesn’t make sense. Not in a logical way I can understand. But it’s the most real thing I’ve ever felt.”

32

Lark

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