Page 35 of TBR: Dead But Well Read

“Saul.” With a smirk, he added, “Are you ready to admit defeat?”

I’d accepted my loss, but the arrogance on his face ruffled my feathers. “Of course not. I could do this all day.” I faked a long yawn, as though exhausted by the whole affair.

“Is that so?” Using his unsettling reaper speed, Saul lifted me from my seat and spun us around until my back was once more pressed against a wall.

Saul’s mouth brushed mine in a touch so soft I might have imagined it, then moved down my neck. “Tell me the truth.”

This had to be the weirdest interrogational technique ever.

“I feel nothing.” I wasn’t sure if I was denying it out of sheer stubbornness or the thrill of seeing how far I could push him.

“You can try to hide it, but you desire me.” Saul’s chest rumbled with a sound that could have been annoyance or laughter.

His large hand grasped my thigh, sliding me up the wall until he could hook my leg over his hip. When he ground his hard length against me, I barely swallowed my moan.

“Still not my type,” I wheezed past the lump of need that had lodged itself in my throat.

“Such a stubborn little pet,” he growled, his teeth nipping my neck. “One last time. Tell me the truth.”

My body grew wetter at the unspoken ‘or else’ in his command. What the hex was wrong with me?

Monster romance really should come with warning labels, since the journey from enjoying reading smut in the quiet of your bedroom to getting turned on by taunting a sexy reaper was a lot shorter trip than I’d imagined.

“Fine. I lied.” It was time to do the logical thing and admit my defeat with grace and dignity. “I haven’t been a good ghoul.”

Shut the creaking haunted house door!

Why did I say that? And why didn’t I recognize the husky voice coming from my mouth? I was possessed. It was the only thing that made any sense.

“I tried to play nice.” Saul’s tongue swirled up my neck. “Now we’ll do things the hard way.”

Prepared to admit my defeat, my lips parted. “Do your worst.”

Saul’s eyes grew brighter, casting a soft purple glow around us. “As you wish.”

His arm clamped around my waist like a steel band, and the room darkened for a moment, just as it had before I’d ended up here. When the world came back into focus, I found myself flying through the air.

“Oof!” I grunted as I landed on a large bed.

A bed that smelled of a certain sexy reaper.

Crypts!I was in Saul’s bed.

Trembling, I lay still as his large frame moved over me. Once more, he caught my wrists in one of his hands and lifted them above my head. The white shirt slid several inches higher, exposing more of my bare skin.

Dropping lower, but still keeping his full weight off me, Saul kissed my forehead, my cheek, and the tip of my nose. Everywhere except where I wanted to feel his lips. The man was infuriating!

His free hand traveled up my thigh, teasing the sensitive skin of my inner thighs and inching ever closer to the part of me that ached for his touch, regardless of all the reasons I shouldn’t. But just before his fingers reached the apex of my thighs, he stopped.

“Pet, I will ask this only once, so think carefully before you answer.” His breathing was harsh. Or was I just imagining it?

I thought he was going to repeat the same question, but this time, he asked something completely different.

“If you do not want me to touch you, you need to leave now. I will forget our little wager and let you go. But you need to decide now.”

My heart melted at how adorable this big, bad reaper was. Saul could have taken whatever he wanted and sent me off to the beyond with no repercussions. And even though he could see theeffect he had on my body, he wanted to make sure my mind was just as on board.

I didn’t know why he’d been in the tunnels or how he was connected to the murderous reaper, but I knew this man had told me the truth. He hadn’t tried to kill us.

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