Page 47 of Finding Emotion

“S-stop,” Skylar told her brain, as she shoved to her feet. She froze, her eyes flicking to the door leading to the suite. Despite taking off her boots, she’d never learned to be quiet. She moved to listen through the crack. None of the lights had been turned on. She’d be able to see it around the edges.

She was fucking hiding again. The idea of it had her fingers clawing at the knob, pulling it open.

No one stood in the main area of the suite. If Damon had returned, he’d gone off to his room.

She shouldn’t even care what he thought. She didn’t, she told herself. “I decided this,” Skylar murmured into the silence. She had control. She’d laughed at Mandy, saying what was said fit right in with her public persona. She would turn it on its head and use it to boost Damon. Six men couldn’t satisfy her, but Damon did or some shit.

Her hands gripped her arms tightly as she crossed to the windows. She squinted toward the ground, trying to ignore her barely-there reflection. The moon was behind the clouds that night instead of filling the room with light. The fluorescent lighting down below seemed faded as well. Everything looked like one dark blob.

She closed her eyes, but then Sorcha’s laughing face filled her mind. “What do you mean, why didn’t I stop them? You were coming like a fucking geyser, Sky, love. Don’t act all embarrassed now.”

Skylar forced her eyes wide again, but the skyline looked even blurrier. That was fine. She didn’t need to see anything.

“Skylar?” Damon’s gentle voice called.

Her throat tightened. He was such a worrier. The last thing she needed was for him to touch her with one of those gentle massages. She was too close to shattering.

“Hey—”

“I’ll handle it,” Skylar choked out. She cleared her throat, not turning. From where he stood, his reflection behind her looked so much more vivid than hers in the glass. “The interview won’t smear your image.” Skylar’s fingers ached from how they clenched. “Hell, you’ll seem even sexier when I’m done. Don’t worry about what she said.”

Damon didn’t touch her like she’d feared. Instead, he moved to the glass, leaning his back against it so he could study her. “What are you talking about? She who?” he asked.

Skylar’s jaw clenched. Despite the dark, she didn’t like the idea of what he’d see if he looked too hard. “Didn’t your manager send the video?” Mandy would have sent it to him earlier.

“I didn’t check.” He crossed his arms over his chest. “I mean, I just got back from the tavern a little while ago.”

And had hopped in the shower, by the dampness of his hair. He didn’t use any cologne, not that she’d noticed. No, Damon just smelled like cotton and sunshine.

“I was hoping you were awake. Our date, talking to you…” He looked out the window. “I had a good time.”

“Oh,” Skylar murmured as her lips curled. Of course, she thought, her cynicism returning as she studied his profile. Damon was too kind to say it, but he was a guy after all. He’d done the song and dance and had expected a different dance in return.

Her arms loosened finally, but they felt like someone else’s as she moved into him, pressing her hands flat against the cool glass. If only the chill would flow through her skin and numb the ache inside. “You took me out expecting a good fuck in return,” she said, the huskiness in her voice more due to the continued tightness of her throat than any interest she had. Still, fucking was always better than thinking.

She slammed her lips onto his. The scrape of teeth couldn’t be helped. She could choose to do this, just like she’d always chosen, but there’d be a little pain to it. He might as well share in that.

To her surprise, he turned his head, breaking the kiss. “Stop, Skylar.”

She blinked, pulling her hands back as she straightened. “What? Too rough?” She shrugged. “That’s the mood I’m in tonight, so be careful what you ask for.”

“I’m not asking for anything.” A frown formed on Damon’s face. “I don’t want to fuck you, Skylar.”

“Oh, sure.” Her laugh raked at her chest, so she shoved at his with one hand while the other went to his jeans. “Let’s see about that.” It was just like him to lie to himself about what he really wanted.

Only he didn’t have an erection. Sure, she felt the length of him under her hand, but that was just him. He wasn’t hard at all.

“Huh. So you don’t want me.” She pulled away, her arms wrapping tight around herself again. Jack had been right. She thought much too highly of herself.

Damon shook his head. “No. I want the hell out of you. Just not sex. Not tonight.”

Skylar scowled at him as her gut twisted. “Stop talking in riddles.”

“You were hurt by something,” Damon murmured.

“Fuck that. I’m not hurt.” Her gut clenched even tighter as she glared at him. The clouds shifted, letting in a splash of moonlight. The blood on his lip was only too obvious. “Oh, shit, but you are.” Her hand reached for him, swiping it away as the acid that had filled her stomach heated. “Sorry.”

“A bite won’t kill me,” Damon said, his lips moving against her finger.

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