Page 58 of Her Dark Angel

I love your touch, Kinnie. So sweet and gentle.

No, no, no.

I’m not letting this happen. Not again. I’ve worked too hard and come so far to allow what happened to me in the past to win. I can’t let the past win. Never again.

“Kinsley.”

My eyes snap open at the sound of Nash’s deep voice. He’s regarding me with curious eyes, likely wondering what is going on with me. His chest is heaving with each deep breath and his hands are still placed firmly on my ass, reminding me of the position we’re currently in.

“Are you okay?” His voice is quiet and filled with worry, something I’m not used to hearing from his lips. A shaky breath falls from my slightly parted lips when his hand comes up to cup my face. The act is so tender all I can do is stare down at him. “If you want to stop we?—”

“No,” I interject quickly, my throat so dry the words are barely above a whisper. I inhale a deep breath and blow it out slowly. “I’m okay, I promise. I was just…”

I can’t explain the memories trying to force their way out and make their presence known without going into detail about my past.

One of the things Nash and I have in common is we both have secrets from our past we want to keep to ourselves, and this is one of them.

Sensing my reservation, Nash drags his lip ring between his teeth and moves his hand to my waist, guiding me off his lap.

Disappointment unexpectedly washes over me at his dismissal and loss of contact. Of course I fucked this up and ruined the mood because I couldn’t keep the memories under control.

Story of my goddamn life.

“Nash, I’m sorry?—”

“Take your pants off, little devil.”

20

KINSLEY

My eyes widen and my heart just about jumps out of my throat at his words. “W-what?”

Nash leans back against the tiled wall, spreads his long legs in front of him, and nods at the soaked denim clinging to my legs. “I said, take them off.”

All I can do is stare at him while my brain catches up. Nash simply watches me quietly, his eyes boring into mine, allowing me time to make my decision. I have the choice to stop whatever this is right now and walk away without so much as a word, but deep down, I know I can’t.

Something is pulling me toward Nash, like an invisible string tied around my throat, tugging me closer inch by inch. The curiosity to find out what will happen if I do take my pants off far outweighs the voice in my head telling me that this is a bad idea and not at all part of the contract we signed.

Swallowing hard, I lift my shaky fingers to the button on my jeans and pop it open. I step out of my flats, and kick them to the side. Nash’s eyes follow the movement of my hands as I push the heavy material down my legs. It’s a struggle, but I manage to get the jeans off and toss them into a heap on the floor.

Mismatched eyes trail down the length of my body until they reach the black lace underwear hugging my hips. I feel nervous under his intense gaze and can’t help but use my hands to cover my lower half.

Nash’s hands reach out to pull my hands away, his grip firm around my wrists. His tongue darts out to lick his bottom lip as his eyes meet mine. “You’re beautiful, Kin. You should never feel the need to cover yourself in front of me.”

A jolt of heat splashes across my cheeks at his words. I never thought I would hear those words come out of Nash’s mouth, but I must admit that they’re nice to hear.

It’s been a while since I’ve been intimate with a man. Too long to remember.

The demons lurking in my mind make it almost impossible to take that next step for fear they’ll send me into a full-blown panic attack.

But at this moment with Nash gazing at me with such intensity, desire lurking beneath the depths of the ocean and forest in his eyes, the voices of the demons are drowned out.

“Come here.” Nash beckons me toward him with a flick of his hand, and my feet move on their own accord, stepping forward to stand between his spread legs. His hands trail up the side of my thighs and over the curve of my hips until they reach the hem of the light brown sweatshirt hanging from my shoulders. “You won’t be needing this. If I’m shirtless, then it’s only fair that you are too.”

My eyes scan his bare chest and the tattoos covering his skin. I have the strong urge to reach out and touch his skin, to feel the warmth of it beneath my fingertips. But I remain still, wanting to see what he does next.

He’s in control, and I must admit that I quite enjoy it.

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