Page 66 of The Hermit

When I try to put some eye drops into my eyes, the small bottle is taken from me, and I hear Dominik say, “Keep your head tilted back.”

“I can do it myself. I don’t need your help.” The words sound distant and foreign.

His blue eyes meet mine, and seeing the desire on his face has my abdomen clenching hard with need.

“Tilt your head back, Grace!”

He steps right up to me, grips a fistful of my hair, and lightly tugs at the strands, and I slowly drift into his arms.

I feel an overwhelming sense of safety as I float through the air, and when I’m placed on a bed, there’s no panic and fear.

Dominik crawls over me, a predatory look on his face.

“I can make you whole again,” he says.

I reach for him, desperate to feel anything but disgust, hatred, and rage.

“I need you,” I whisper.

He pushes my legs open, and when his fingers brush over my soaked panties, I almost come apart from the intense pleasure.

“Oh God,” I whimper.

My entire body comes alive, and as I try to lift my head so I can kiss him, I can’t.

It feels like the bed is holding me down, and I try to fight against it so I can get to Dominik.

My eyes pop open, and breaths explode over my lips. It takes a moment for my vision to focus on Dominik’s face, and just as Ibecome aware that he has me pinned to the bed, he yanks away from me and gets up.

Confused, I quickly sit up, and when I feel residual pleasure tingle between my legs, my lips part in shock.

No. I didn’t.

Dominik sits down on the chair, and leaning forward, he rests his forearms on his thighs, then he asks, “Are you okay?”

“That depends,” I whisper. “Why were you holding me down?”

His voice is deeper than usual when he answers, “You started rubbing yourself against me.”

“Oh God,” I groan.

“Yeah, then you said that, and it was as much as I could take. When I tried to roll you off me, you started fighting me.”

Jesus.

Scurrying off the bed, I say, “I’m so sorry.” I dart for the door, but before I can get to it, Dominik steps in front of me, and I almost plow into his chest.

“It’s okay, Grace,” he says as he reaches for me.

Mortified that I just dry-humped Dominik while having a sex dream about him, I shake my head and step out of his reach.

“Milácik.” His tone is gentle and it has my heart squeezing in my chest. “It’s a good thing. It shows you’re healing.” He tilts his head to catch my eyes. “Okay?”

I nod, then mutter, “I’m embarrassed and just need some time to process it.”

“Why are you embarrassed?”

“You know why,” I snap, still refusing to meet his eyes. “Don’t make me spell it out.”

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