Page 46 of A Taste Of Darkness

To my surprise, Sterlie denied my question. “I’d feel safe enough with only you there. The ten guys are just cockblockers.”

Once again, my breath spiraled out of me without my permission. This time, I somehow must’ve swallowed as well and wrong too because I caught myself coughing at her words.

Sterlie stepped closer to me, and with every step she took, the air seemed to get thinner, making it harder and harder to breathe.

There was something different in her eyes tonight, something daring that reached out and wrapped around my neck to choke me. It trembled in my bloodstream and ignited a fire that I’d never tested the waters of before.

As she stood before me, looking up to meet my eyes, I noticed how relaxed she was. I was shaking with nerves, confused, and every nerve inside of my body was ringing with alarm, yet she was as unbothered as ever before.

I tried to play it cool, really, I did, but I wasn’t sure it worked.

Clearing my throat, I found my voice. “Planning to get adventurous, I see.”

Sterlie reached for my hands, and all I could do was watch as they slowly inched closer to her half-naked body. “I believe everyone should get adventurous with an Italian at least once in their life.”

She laid my hands down on her waist and moved closer to me even if I didn’t pull her in. Her towel slipped by at least a few centimeters thanks to the weight and force of my grip on her, but it revealed nothing.

I could feel my heart beating heavily inside of my chest, felt every pump, every skip. She could probably hear it.

“Can I tell you a secret?” she whispered.

“Sure.” I inhaled deeply, or I thought I did, but it wasn’t nearly enough oxygen.

Sterlie got up on her tiptoes, leaning in to whisper in my ear. “I’ve never actually been adventurous with anyone before.”

My eyes snapped to hers in seconds, shocked and a little relieved. I knew I shouldn’t have felt happy about the fact that she was, apparently, still a virgin, but I did.

I knew she wasn’t dating a lot because Flora told me, but I didn’t think she was completely inexperienced. It wasn’t any of my business anyway.

“Then what makes you think you’d get lucky tonight?” I asked.

Sterlie looked up at me once more. “I never said your security cockblocking all these men was a bad thing.” Her smile brightened, almost blinding me. “I’m talking about you, though. It must be devastating for you.”

For me?

My head shook. “I’m only interested in one person, and she’s pretty much unreachable for me.”

Finally, unfortunately, Sterlie stepped back and so my hands left her warm body. Her smile faltered, sympathy coating her beautiful blue eyes. “She’s not that unreachable, Milo. You’re just going to have to put in some work and show her why you’re worth the risk of getting her heart broken.”

25

MR. PROTECTOR

Sterlie Adams

Nothing was familiar to me.

Alright, perhaps it’d be strange if I thought a bar looked familiar to me seeing as the only time I was here, I was a minor. But I thought perhaps on the ride here I’d see corners that evoked something inside of me.

If not a happy memory, perhaps something fearful.

There was nothing. I had zero emotions toward this place. Nothing even piqued my interest except for that bottle of rosé on the shelf behind the bartender who’d been watching me for the past twenty minutes.

Milo was always close by, but he didn’t dance. He peaked over the crowd, and no matter how many times I tried to tell him he was attracting more attention by being the only one not dancing in a crowd of dancing people, he wouldn’t listen.

It didn’t matter. I had a great time either way.

And I liked how attentive he was. He really made sure not a single person dared come near me, and although it probably should’ve made me upset, I loved it. He listened to me, watched me, and smiled at me every now and then before looking around us to check with his security.

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