Page 90 of Tore Up

“I think they’re fine,” I told him.

He pressed a kiss to my bare shoulder. “A few need antibiotic cream and bandages.”

Using the towel that he’d dried my hair with, he began to do the same to his, then moved it down his body as I watched, completely transfixed. When he got to his soaked boxers, he pushed them down, and I held my breath as his erection came into view.

He finished drying himself. I didn’t move. He had all my attention. I might have made a sound of protest when he wrapped the towel around his waist.

“I can’t stay focused with you looking at my cock, pretty girl. And your wounds come first.”

He picked me up again, then placed me on the long black marble countertop. His forehead touched mine, and he inhaled, saying nothing, then walked over to open a cabinet, where he took out first aid supplies. He took my scratched leg and placed my ankle on his shoulder while he gently applied cream to the cut, then used a couple of larger Band-Aids to cover it.

“Tell me why you walked off into the woods,” he said, taking my ankle down and covering the deepest wounds with the cream.

He wasn’t going to let this go. I just didn’t want to have to tell him. He wanted me. In my life, the times I had been wanted were brief. Part of me was afraid he’d hear what the women had said and realize they were right. He’d be reminded of who I was. The reason Crosby was dead. Then, I’d lose him, and I hadn’t even truly had him yet.

“Halo.” His tone was firm as he said my name.

I dropped my gaze to my thighs. “I didn’t want to go into the great room because the sex activities had started. So, I was going to go around the side of the house and use the front door. But some other women arrived. I stayed hidden, not wanting to explain what I was doing. And they were talking.” I stopped. If there was a lie I could think of that would make sense, I might have used it. But there wasn’t. Or I couldn’t think of one.

Bane lowered my leg, then picked up my other foot. “And what did they say?” There was a tightness in his tone.

If he wasn’t being so unlike himself right now, I wasn’t sure I could repeat it. But the tender way he was treating me made it easier.

“They were talking about why you were gone. How my being here is a constant reminder of Crosby,” I said. “That you hate me. That I’m a selfish bitch, a hanger-on, and I’m nasty. And that you want to get rid of me, but Than won’t let you because he thinks y’all owe it to Crosby.”

His hand tightened its hold on my foot.

“What did they look like?” His tone was darker.

I lifted my eyes to look at him. His jaw was tight, and his shoulders were rigid.

“I-I don’t know. I didn’t look closely. I was hiding.”

“Did they say anything else?” he asked.

“Just that one of them was your favorite.”

His eyes lifted to meet mine. “Hair color? Anything? Because I have no favorite.”

I shook my head. “I’d heard a car door, then voices. I never tried to see what they looked like.”

He finished with my foot and lowered it. Then closed the space between us and cupped the side of my face with his hand.

“You couldn’t be selfish if you tried. You’re so fucking sweet that I feel guilty for the things I want to do to you,” he said. “And it’s always been me who wanted you here. Even when I thought I hated you, I wanted you here.”

“Okay.” The one word came out like a sigh.

“And I lied just now. Because I do in fact have a favorite, pretty girl. You’ve taken that role.”

His eyes studied my mouth for several seconds, and then he muttered a curse before lowering his lips to mine.

Bane’s body might be solid and hard. His hands might be callous. But the man’s lips were soft as he moved them over mine. His tongue plunged inside the moment I opened for him, and he groaned.

I grabbed on to his shoulders, pressing myself closer to him. My heart was hammering in my chest, and every nerve in my body felt as if it were humming with pleasure. The towel wrapped around me fell away, and a warm, large hand covered a breast, squeezing it. I ran my fingers into his damp hair.

I’d never been kissed like this. It was dizzying.

His lips were gone, and I started to grab him and pull him back when I was lifted off the counter. I wrapped my legs around him, pressing another kiss to his lips as he walked us back into the bedroom. He pulled back and looked at me.

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