Page 39 of Whispers of Fire

What about keepin’ her at arm's length then?

Her body is still shaking a bit, but the tears have stopped. Kissing her forehead and sliding my arm up and down her back to soothe her, I try to push back a bit to look at her. Damn, touching her is really becoming a vital need now. I take her chin between my thumb and my index and raise her breathtaking face to me.

“Just wanted to tell ya,” I try with a reassuring smile. Her lips are so close to mine I wish I could fuckin’ devour them. But I hold on. Don’t want to scare her away.

What? Why?

A part of me wants me to scare her, push her boundaries so far so she would never come back and leave my walls in place, far from her full lips and pure heart. But another part tells me to stay and take care of her, to let her break my walls, push the bricks one by one and allow her sweetness into my dark soul.

Our gazes connect, her proximity drawing me in but I know I can't indulge in the temptation. With restraint, I step back, stoking her delicate cheek with my rough hand.

She closes her eyes and relishes in my touch, biting her lip as she smiles.

Good. Thought I’d fucked up for a sec. How can this tiny woman make me so nervous all of a sudden? Damn, and that fuckin’ smile? It shouldn’t be allowed to look that good.

No wonder Skarn chose her for himself. That’s some old lady material I got right in front of me.

Old lady?

My mind makes a double spin at the thought.

When have I ever thought about a woman becoming MY old lady?

It has NEVER happened.

Also, Rose is too pure for my lifestyle. She would run away as soon as she knew what I was really doing.

Right?

How could I tell her, this beautiful angel, that I’m the one doing the dirty work for the club? Sending messages to other gangs when Ares asked me to. Messages in the form of cutting throats and torturing men.

How can I tell her that I actually don't feel anything doing that part?

The dark side of me is numbed by the idea of making my enemies bleed.

No, she wouldn’t wan t anythin’ to do with a man like me, and she would be right. How could an angel like her want to dance with a devil like me?

Tugging a strain of her damp hair behind her ear, I inhale loudly, remembering that she was in my shower a few minutes ago while I was frozen in front of my sink, my knuckles white from pressing the wood countertop with my hand. Thought my teeth would actually break from how clenched my jaw was at the thought of her a few meters from me.

Never thought she would take my invitation to shower here. I mean, not that I’m complaining, but she could have gone home.

Why did she do it?

Can’t even fuckin’ process why she came into my home last night. Was she lookin’ for a shelter away from her nightmares? Or was she lookin’ for me?

The small pressure of somethin’ on my chest takes me out of my thoughts.

What is she-?

Her index draws somethin’ on me. She repeats the patterns a few times before I get it. It’s an question mark that she’s writing. On my fuckin’ chest. I have to take a sec to breathe slowly and gather myself at this fuckin’ adorable gesture.

I could fuckin’ get used to that.

She wonders how I learnt it?

“Watched a few videos while ya were sleeping. Not too bad for a newbie, right?” I smile, taking a sip of my coffee.

She smiles, shaking her head as if she was in awe of what I just told her. Can’t help but stare at her gorgeous angelic face. Fuckin’ love the habit she has to scrunch her nose when she smiles. Wish I could see those pouty lips every fuckin’ day.

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