Page 18 of Ruin

He slanted her a look. “You questionin’ my bag-carrying prowess?”

Amusement danced in her gaze. “Sure am.”

Ruin huffed a laugh, surprising himself. How long had it been since he'd laughed? Too damn long.

“Fine, fine.”

They could always come back to the market after he killed his target and do some more shopping. Outside of weapons, buying shit for himself hadn’t ever been something he enjoyed. But buying things for her? That, he found he enjoyed immensely.

“C’mon. Let’s get some food in you.”

“Mm, yes please. I’m starved.”

They headed toward the cluster of food stalls, the aroma of spiced meats and sizzling vegetables making his mouth water.

Lira lifted her nose into the air, little nostrils flaring adorably. “That smells so good.”

Ruin smirked down at her, the tips of his fangs peeking out. “You flatter me, little bird.”

She gaped up at him for a split second, then bumped her shoulder into his arm with a giggle. “Not you. The food!”

Chuckling, he led her to the vendor who’d caught her nose. They ordered a variety of skewers and flatbreads, dripping with sauces and spices, and an assortment of sweets.

Once their meal was ready, they claimed a table in a quiet, secluded corner on the fringes of the marketplace.

He hoped the food would provide a distraction from the steady thrum of awareness building beneath his skin with every shy yet increasingly heated glance from Lira, every brush of her body against his. Hoped it’d give him time to collect himself.

His hopes were ruthlessly, gloriously squashed when she sat right next to him on the bench, thigh pressed tight to his.

She leaned in close, staring at the food like she was trying to decide what to choose first while he stared at her like he wanted to feast on her instead.

Gods, if this female didn’t have him twisted up.

“What looks good?” he rasped thickly.

She didn’t seem to notice the huskiness in his voice, thank fuck, gaze still locked onto the food. “All of it?”

Chuckling, he slid the stuffedji’labread closer. “Try this. It’s one of my favorites.”

She tore off a chunk, dipped it in the thick spiced sauce, and brought it to her lips. Ruin watched, transfixed, as her lids drooped, pleasure spreading across her face. He damn near groaned out loud when her tongue darted out to catch a stray drop of sauce at the corner of her mouth.

It was tiny, slick, and the single most lurid, erotic shade of pink he’d ever seen in his entire fucking life.

“You like it?” he asked, voice coming out rougher than intended.

“Mmm,” Lira hummed. “I love it. Here, you have to try.”

She tore off a piece and held it up to his lips. Ruin hesitated for the briefest moment before opening. Looping his long black tongue around the bread and her fingers, twice, he slid the bite out of her grip and into his mouth.

Lira zeroed in on his mouth, eyes wide, lips parted, that pretty blush coloring her cheeks once more. It took everything he had to keep from grinning wickedly.

“You’re right. It’s delicious,” he purred.

“Hmm? Yeah,” she murmured, sounding very distracted, gaze still locked on his lips.

By some silent agreement, they continued feeding each other, the tension between them ratcheting up another torturous notch with every bite, every touch.

That tension didn’t ease one fucking bit as they made their way back to the hideout.

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