Page 56 of The Unwanted Wife

"I was, but not seriously.” I shift my stance. “I got to keep all of my limbs. But my hearing was impaired."

"Oh." Her eyes grow huge. "Is that why you often stare at my mouth? You’re trying to make up for your loss in hearing by lip reading?"

"That’s part of it. The other part is, I can’t stop thinking of our first kiss."

She draws in a sharp breath.

"Couldn’t forget the shape of your mouth, the softness of your lips, the little whines you made at the back of your throat, the sweetness of your breath, the beat of your heart as it picked up speed, the thrum of your pulse at the base of your throat. The sensation of finding something so precious, so unique, so once-in-a-lifetime was so overwhelming?—"

"—you turned and left me."

I wince. "You were too young."

"I was eighteen."

"You were my best-friend’s sister."

She scoffs. "He’d have come around, like he’s going to do now, when he finds out we’re together."

That familiar flutter of unease slithers through my veins, and I push it away. Now’s not the time to tell her everything. Then when? When I know for sure, she’s so in love with me, it’ll override all other emotions. When I know she won’t want to leave me. When I’m sure she’ll understand why I did what I did. When… I know it’s the right time to tell her the truth, knowing she has the strength to bear it. When she trusts me enough to allow me to support her as she deals with the aftermath of it.

"You were a virgin."

She tips up her chin. "I still am."

"Not for much longer."

She blinks rapidly, then color flushes her cheeks. "If that’s your way of saying you are going to?—"

"Run." I jerk my chin in the direction of the doors leading to the house.

"Excuse me?" She gapes.

"Unless you don’t want to? Unless you want to give in to me without a fight, which I admit, would be a disappointment."

She stares between my eyes, then reaches for the bottle of Champagne and slowly takes a sip. "Is this one of your kinky-fuckery games?"

I bark out a laugh, then take the bottle from her and place it down on the table with a soft thunk. "Does saying those words turn you on?"

"Of course not." She pouts.

“Hmm…” I drag my thumb under my bottom lip. She follows my movements, her breathing growing rapid. I lift the bottle of water to my lips, then pause, "Open your mouth, wife."

She seems like she’s going to refuse, and when she finally complies, I’m sure I’m going to come in my pants. That’s how little control I have around this woman. I take a sip of my water, then beckon her forward. When she leans in, I close the distance to her and spit it into her mouth. She swallows, and her cheeks flush crimson. Then, she licks her lips. I lift my bottle to my mouth again and drain it. When I place it back on the table, she’s watching me with a hint of fear and excitement woven through her gaze.

"This is your last chance."

"For what?"

31

Skylar

"Run. I’ll give you a head start, and when I catch you—and you know I will—you’ll no longer be a virgin, and?—"

Before he can complete his sentence, I jump up to my feet, and race for the doorway leading to the house. He hasn’t shown me around yet, and now, I curse myself for not having insisted he did. Which way do I go? I race across the living room, into the large entry with the high ceilings and a staircase. The staircase. I dart up it… Then realize, too late, I should have gone out the front door. That might have given me a fighting chance. Now, I’m going to be trapped inside the house. Maybe I wanted to be trapped inside so he’d find me?

When he declared I’d no longer be a virgin, I won’t deny, a thrill rushed through me. It seems like I’ve been waiting so long to be in his arms, to have him make love to me… And for it to be on our wedding night…

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