Page 3 of Mastered By Lust

“This is who I really am.” He points to his chest. “We don’t know each other well yet, but you know me.”

“But I saw—I saw you. We watchedAcademy of Ghosts.”

Gage nods slowly. “You never saw the series before, I take it. I was surprised you didn’t recognize me when we first met.”

“Do I need to, like, read up on you online?”

“I won’t stop you.” His eyes flash behind his glasses. “But you aren’t going to like what you see if you search my name.”

“Is there anything I need to know? What’s going to surprise me next?”

“We’re just getting to know each other, Leah. Do you want to share all your skeletons with me, right here and right now?”

I suppose I don’t.

What kind of knowledge does he owe me, anyway? We just met, we just talked about having a relationship. We haven’t even been fully intimate. Have we had sex, technically? Does it count if he never comes? I guess it does, but I almost think it should be called “half-sex,” or something else. Maybe there’s a really long German compound word for it, translating to “he gets her off but doesn’t have an orgasm of his own.”

He gestures at my half-packed bag. “Are you still leaving? Because I don’t want you to.”

Leaving means giving up. Being apart. Relationships are fleeting, love isn’t forever. But it should last longer than this, right? I want to know him. I want to love him, someday.

And I’m already falling for him.

He doesn’t want me to go. He said as much. That means there’s some hope for us. We can see this relationship through, from beginning to end.

“I don’t want to leave, either,” I whisper.

Taking a step closer to me, into my personal space, he leans down and kisses the tip of my ear. “Say it louder, little girl.”

I find a stronger voice. “I don’t want to leave.”

“I’m glad to hear it.” He smiles. His hands are warm on my shoulders. “And when you have issues with me in the future—because I’m sure you will—are you going to run from me?”

That rolling, rumbling voice. Low and powerful. It tugs deliciously at my body. I’m surprised he was an actor instead of a musician, because if he sang love songs, entire countries would fall to their knees.

“No, Gage. I won’t run. I’ll talk to you.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.” He’s shown me that he’s safe. I can remember that.

“Good.” His breath ghosts against my ear for a brief moment, then he’s kissing me hard, his lips pressing to mine, his tongue licking forward, coaxing me to open for him.

He pauses the kiss. “I want you to stay, little girl.”

“I want to stay.”

His lips meet mine once more.

I bring up my hands to touch his face, his bristly short beard, then travel down to his shoulders. I cling to him like I’m in danger of floating away, lost at sea.

But I don’t feel lost. Right now, I feel like I’ve found my home.

He pulls back from the kiss, licks his bottom lip as if he’s still tasting me. We’re both panting.

His brown eyes are deep and dark. Mesmerizing. “Do you want this? Do you want more?”

So fucking much. “Yes.”

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