Page 53 of Savage Cravings

“Like you’ve seen a lot of shit in this world. You’re too young to have that look on your face.”

She scoffed. “I’m not that young.”

“Yeah? How old are you?”

“How old are you?” she asked, bringing my question back to me.

I laughed. Fuck, but she was fun to talk to. “Older than you.”

She huffed through her mouth, not saying anything.

It wasn’t until I pulled back into the motel that she finally spoke again. “I’m twenty-four. I’ll be twenty-five soon.”

I held in a grin, as if her turning twenty-five in a little under two months from now really meant she was old.

“Still just a baby,” I said, parking the car in front of her door.

She briefly glanced at it. I had expected her to jump out of the car as soon as I got her here, but she stayed where she was and turned to me, a small frown on her face.

“Not a baby. Not that young.”

I didn’t laugh, though I wanted to. Surely, she wouldn’t appreciate it. “Really?”

She crossed her arms over her chest, drawing my gaze to those perky tits of hers. Fuck, but my mouth watered just imagining taking a rigid nipple into it and teasing her.

I shifted a little in my seat as she responded to me.

“Really. Besides, age is just a number. It’s as you’ve said. I’ve seen a lot of shit.”

I’d almost forgotten what we were talking about.

I nodded. “In some instances, sure, age is just a number. But in others… sometimes, innocence should be preserved.”

She turned more to me. “Innocence?”

I nodded, moving a little closer to her. “Innocence. Look at you, angel. An epitome of innocence.”

She rolled her eyes but didn’t try to move away from me. Her sweet breath fanned across my face, drawing goose bumps to my skin. If she knew what was good for her, she would get as far away from me as possible.

“You don’t think so?” I asked. “You know, that tough exterior you’ve got will only get you so far. I can see beneath the armor, princess. And what I see is a scared girl, not wanting to be alone and not knowing how to ask me.”

“Ask you what?”

I moved another centimeter closer. A few more, and our lips would touch. “Ask me to stay. Ask me to fight off the demons, even if it’s just for one night.”

“I don’t know you. You don’t know me. I don’t need you to play my knight in shining armor.”

“I’m no one’s knight, baby. But I can help keep the demons away from you. Just ask.”

“How?”

Fuck me.

I grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her into me. Her gasp of surprise was the last thing I heard before my lips slammed against hers. I wasted no time and delved my tongue into her mouth.

Our kiss started out frantic. Demanding. She was tense in my arms but didn’t pull away from me. I felt it the moment she gave in. Her entire body, hersoul,softened. I slowed the kiss and took my time exploring her. My tongue glided over hers, the hot, velvety taste of her consuming my entire being and holding me captive.

If there had ever been a time when I could have let her go, we were past it now.

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