Page 81 of Choke

His response dissolves every last ounce of resolve I had. I lift my eyes to meet his; they look black from here, and I lower myself to the floor.

Feel my knees on the carpet.

The way my hands support me.

The feeling of my hair around me, creating a curtain.

Stay present.

“Come to me.”

I start to move slowly, one limb at a time.

Right hand.

Left leg.

Left hand.

All the while keeping my eyes glued to him.

That small and crowded feeling from before is gone, and suddenly, it feels like there’s an ocean between us that I’ll never reach the other side of.

I want to be under him now.

As I approach, he slowly drops into a crouch.

I don’t stop.

I push into his space, my head between his knees, and our eyes locked. His strong hands wrap around my shoulders, and he pulls me up into him, my body flush against his. My nerves explode when his fingers rake up my arm and his cotton shirt brushes my skin. Leaning down, getting so close, he whispers, “Good girl.”

A small whimper claws its way out of my throat.

I sound so fucking desperate.

“You’re the most frustrating thing I’ve ever encountered.”

His hand on my arm tightens, and my stomach drops until he continues, “And the most incredible thing.”

He yanks me up, crushing his mouth to mine. His lips devour me, and his fingers tangle in my hair, a perfect blend of pain and pleasure. His other hand spans my lower back, pressing me into the heat of him.

He’s so much bigger than me.

I feel his hand move to my jaw, and he pulls away. I bite my bottom lip, tasting him there and loving the slightly swollen feeling left by the harshness of his kiss. He rubs his thumb along my jaw, a look of wonder in his eyes, before rubbing the rough pad along my bottom lip.

My heart stutters,

And then, it fractures.

His eyes search mine, and I know—

This is going to hurt.

Adrian

No woman has ever looked at me like this—like she sees me. Like she knows me. And it makes me nervous.

No woman has ever made me nervous.

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