Page 69 of Scarred Souls

“I didn’t do that so you’d return the favor.” He winced and continued avoiding eye contact. “And besides, it’d be…complicated.”

Of course. How stupid of me. “Because I can’t touch you.”

He nodded solemnly.

My hands fidgeted in my lap. “Well…we could try. What if I?—”

“No.” His sharp tone made me flinch. “It’s not going to happen.”

I exhaled deeply, suddenly feeling like the naive girl Vaughn thought I was. But I wasn’t ready for this night to be over. Not yet.

“You don’t have to sleep on the floor. I wouldn’t mind if you?—”

“This isn’t the part where we cuddle and fall asleep together.” He stood quickly and threaded his belt through his jeans.

Ouch.

I tugged the sheet up to my belly, my body colder than it’d been moments ago. “You don’t need to be a jerk about it.”

“Christ. Are you always such a nag after getting off?” Finally, his eyes met mine, dark and menacing.

My spine stiffened. “I wouldn’t know. It’s not like I’ve done this with another person before.”

Vaughn returned my glare. There was anger in the hard set of his jaw, but something told me it wasn’t aimed at me. He was angry with himself. I presumed it was because I’d played him and he’d fallen for it hook, line, and sinker.

His chest heaved once. “Turn the goddamn light out, and go to sleep.”

Grim and all his surliness had returned, along with the unscalable fortresslike walls he kept around himself.

Fine. I wouldn’t push him any further tonight. I should be satisfied with the progress we’d made.

I switched off the lamp before settling on my back once more. Sleep evaded me while a million thoughts whooshed through my mind. Excitement over the memory of Vaughn’s touch and the gratified look in his eyes when he’d made me come. Frustration with how quickly he’d shut down after. Turmoil as I wondered where this would leave us in the morning. Would he be cold and closed off or pretend like nothing had happened?

More than all of that, one question plagued me until I couldn’t stand not knowing a moment longer.

“Vaughn?” I asked quietly.

“Yeah.” His tone was gentler now, like maybe he regretted his biting words earlier.

Titan jumped onto the bed and curled up beside me. I ran my hand over his smooth coat. “Did you mean what you said earlier?”

“I always mean what I say, but which part exactly?”

I rolled to face Vaughn and threw an arm over Titan, drawing him nearer. “Are you really staying?”

He let out a deep sigh. “Not leaving your side until this is over. Not even if you tell me to.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

Good. I didn’t want anyone else watching over me.

“And are you going to give my panties back?”

“Nope,” he replied, popping the P.

My chest warmed, and I smiled.

---