Page 33 of The Shadow

“Nah.” The bitterness of the beer on my tongue is a welcome distraction from that unwelcome reality.

“At least it seems she isn’t scared of you anymore if she’s willing to talk to you now.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

He gets the message that it’s not something I want to talk about.

“The meeting with Connor Blake go well?”

“Yeah. He still wants the protection so I told him we’d start it on Monday. I’ll take the first shift.”

“Great, I’ll grab the second and Luka will pick up the third.”

I excuse myself to step into the house and use the restroom, taking my time before walking back outside. Aspen’s back is to me, her dress leaving her shoulders and upper back completely exposed. An image of her on all fours, looking back at me over her shoulder with those freshly bitten lips slightly parted, flashes across my brain. I flinch, looking away from the window with guilt for a brief second. When I look back, she’s turned toward me, walking with her hand outstretched toward the back door of the house.

“Oh, hey.” Her eyes light up with a look of genuine surprise to see me standing inside. “You kind of scared me.” She walks past me, down the hallway toward the bathroom, but I follow her, my hand suddenly at her back, pressing her gently into the bathroom and closing the door behind us.

“What are you doing?” she whispers frantically.

“I just wanted to see how you were doing after last night.” I feel awkward pulling her into the bathroom now. It is an exaggerated gesture just to ask how she’s feeling but that wasn’t really my motivation for dragging her in here. I just want to be near her, to walk up and kiss her or pull her down onto my lap around the table while we talk, the way my friends outside are doing.

“You picked now to talk about that?” Her eyes grow wide. “You could have asked me this morning or on the way over here.”

“You’re right.” I reach behind me and slowly twist the handle on the door, peeking through the crack to make sure nobody is coming down the hallway. “We’ll talk later.”

“Wait.” Her fingers lightly graze my arm. “I’m okay.” She smiles, her top teeth sinking down into her lower lip.

“Just okay?” I give her a questioning look and she lets out a teasing laugh, covering her mouth.

“I feel good…”

“Satisfied?” Here I am again, teasing myself. I should walk back outside right now and discuss this with her later when we’re alone. Her smile fades and her eyelids grow heavy. She slowly shakes her head. “No?” My grip on the doorframe tightens, the ache in my balls almost unbearable. “And what would satisfy you, Aspen?”

She doesn’t reply as she gently scoots herself back onto the bathroom counter. Her eyes remain on mine as she gathers the material of her dress into her hands, bunching it up as she slowly spreads her thighs apart for me.

I pull the door closed, my eyes dropping to her exposed skin. My hand trembles as I gently wrap my fingers around her upper thigh, then place my other hand on the back of her neck as I pull her toward me.

“You have no idea the things I want to do to you.”

Her voice lowers to even more hushed tone as she says, “Take me.”

I squeeze my eyes shut, the restraint it’s taking to hold myself back from doing just that feels supernatural.

“Please.”

“Oh fuck,” I groan. “Now you’re begging me? Are you trying to kill me?” She reaches for me, her hand grabbing my shirt and pulling me toward her until our lips almost touch. “Do you have any idea the self-restraint it’s taking me right now? Even the military didn’t have me this close to breaking.”

“Just kiss me.” Gone is that shy woman from a moment ago, replaced by need.

“Do I need to handle you before we go back out there?” She nods her head slowly. “Put your hands on the counter,” I instruct her. “Don’t move them or I stop.”

She complies, her hands flat against the counter as her chest begins to rise and fall more rapidly with excitement. I slide my hand beneath her dress, pushing her panties to the side.

“Don’t lift your hands and keep your back against the mirror, you understand me?” She nods and I gently push my finger inside her, her already wet pussy quivering around it. “Just like that,” I encourage her as my finger begins to move inside her. I keep the pressure on her clit light while stimulating her G-spot.

I can see it in her eyes already. The way her mouth hangs open as her body surrenders to my touch. “Just two fingers,” I murmur. “That’s all that has you under this spell right now.” I wrap my hand partially around her throat, partially around her jaw as I watch her. “I’m sorry I’m not kissing you but I can’t right now.” I look down, watching my second finger disappear inside her as I add it to the first.

“Why?” Her question is more of a cry.

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