Page 69 of The Other Side of the Mirror

“I’m fine.”

I patted the bed next to me. After a brief moment of hesitation, Bash climbed back in. Still giving me space if I needed it.

“I don’t want to go back to sleep.”

Carefully, I reached up to touch his cheek, and his breath hitched.

Then his mouth fell open as I took the opportunity to trace his face with my fingers, drawing my thumb slowly across his bottom lip. I could tell he wanted to say something, but his mouth snapped shut as my eyes met his. Like he had already read my intention there.

“I want to erase the feeling of his hands on me. And I need it to be my choice.” My voice trembled. “Please.”

I wanted to get rid of that flesh memory, that hopelessness, with someone I innately knew I could trust. With someone whose very presence seemed to soothe the pain inside my heart.

“Eva…” His voice faltered—his expression torn. “You need rest…”

I peeled the robe off my naked body, pushing away so he could see all of me. “I’ve been unconscious for two days. I needyou.”

I didn’t think he was breathing.

“Unless you don’t want?—”

“Of course I do,” Bash said hoarsely.

“Then…”

“Eva.” He said my name like it was the answer to everything. “I need to tell you…”

I pushed a finger against his lips, and he stopped talking, closing his eyes as he took a shuddering breath. When he tried again, his words were warm against my finger.

“Are you sure you want to be…You want me to…” He trailed off, his eyes heavy with desire as he took in my peaked nipples, the curve of my stomach. What lay between my thighs.

“I trust you,” I said, simply.

His swallow was audible as he leaned in toward me.

“Then I’m yours,” he said, so earnestly that it knocked me a little off kilter. “You have no idea how much I’m?—”

I erased that last inch left between us, and our lips met with the same electric shock his touch always left on my skin. And when he kissed me, I felt like I could finally breathe.

It wasn’t like the rough, wanting kiss in the lake. This kiss felt like he could somehow put together the shattered pieces of my heart with each press of his lips against mine. Like he was repeating a promise I wasn’t quite ready for.

It was this sweet, tender kiss that scared me more than anything.

Bash’s mouth trailed down my neck in a way that left me gasping, one hand slowly moving down my back as I arched into his touch. His other hand curled around the base of my neck, knotting into my hair. Then his lips were back on mine. I moaned into his mouth as he kissed me with so much raw passion, my thighs clenched at the ache building in my core.

His lips were soft yet fervent, and I lost myself in them. When he finally broke the kiss, my heart was beating madly. I realized I was straddling his lap; my hips rolling against him as if of their own accord. And yet, I still needed to be closer.

Bash’s brow dipped as he looked at me, eyes bright with something I couldn’t let myself identify yet.

“Please, lay down.” A hint of a smile crossed his lips. “You do need rest.”

Moving off him, I lay on the bed. Watching as he took off his shirt, then pants, both still slightly damp from pulling me from the bath. They fell to the floor with a soft thud, leaving him in only thin black undershorts. My gaze caught on the powerful muscles of his chest, the brush of hair trailing down to his chiseled, solid stomach. Then lower, following the deep vee of muscles to the thick bulge straining below it.

Bash was smirking so smugly I knew he had watched my slow perusal of him. But for once, I didn’t mind him knowing what I was thinking—that I wanted him. Even if I wasn’t ready for him to figure out the rest.

He started to lower himself over me, then quickly rerouted to lay beside me. As if realizing from the look on my face that I wasn’t ready to have anyone pressing me down.

I swallowed hard. I did want this—wanted him, as evidenced by the growing wetness between my legs. Yet the memory of what happened had my heart fluttering like a butterfly in a cage.

---