Page 78 of Crave

I don’t want her panicking.

ENZO

Fine.

She opens up with her face glowing, her silky hair wrapped around some weird contraption over her head, and in a white robe.

Shit, I can see her nipples through the material.

I clear my throat and grin at her.

“I, umm, excuse the state of me.” She gestures down at her outfit and hair.

“Beautiful always, Lara.” I mean it. Like I do every time she asks if she looks okay in her clothes, or if it seems like she’s gained a few pounds.

Same answer because it’s always true. No matter what, no woman has ever come close to Lara.

She tips her chin down, making me shake my head.

“Why do you never believe me?” I say, stepping in front of her.

Her breath catches as I grip her chin between my thumb and finger bringing her blue eyes to mine, pushing her back so she is against the wall.

I stare at her lips but drag my eyes away to focus on her.

“You trust me with your life, right? You always have, always will?” I ask sternly.

I never bring this harsher side out in front of her. I try to hide it from her, keep her away from the dark that plagues me.

“You know I do, more than anyone else.”

“But you don’t trust my words? When I say you’re beautiful, I mean it. I may be many things, Lara. A liar is not one of them, especially to you.”

She opens her mouth and snaps it shut.

Cute. This is the first time I’ve had her speechless.

“Come on, say it, I know you want to.”

That smile that makes my heart race flashes across her face and I relax slightly.

“You said one kiss wouldn’t change anything between us. You lied.”

Our noses touch, her lips just a breath away from my own.

As our eyes lock, time stops around us.

And then I get a flash image of Nikolai slicing my head off with a machete. I can’t protect her if I’m six feet under.

I close my eyes.

Dammit. I did lie. One kiss did ruin everything. It made me realize the truth that I buried away.

But I can’t pull away if it causes her so much pain.

So I do the only thing I know how to do.

“Tell me that you stocked up my sweet jar,” I say with a smirk.

---