Page 95 of Wicked Sin

Like I have any choice. He’s carrying me like a rag doll.

He flips on the light, and I bury my face in his neck. It’s too bright, too much. I don’t want to have the conversation we’re about to have, because he’s not actually an asshole, he’s just playing one because it turns me on.

“Taylor,” he murmurs as he sets me on the counter.

I hold on tighter, not letting him go.

He leans into the embrace and sighs. “If you tell me what it was, I can nix it next time.”

Next time. I laugh hollowly. “Will there be a next time?”

“Sure.” He swears under his breath. “Of course. Babe, why wouldn’t there be?”

I lift my head a little because my face is getting hot pressed against his skin. And also, maybe just a little, because I want to see his expression. “I don’t know.”

He scowls at me, and that makes me so happy I can’t even stand it. “Taylor.”

“Luke.”

“Stop that.”

“Stop what?” I grin at him. Sad, scared, dopey. But happy.

“We’re playing with fire here. It’s okay to take it slow and make sure that it’s safe.” He grips my face in one of his hands and squeezes.

I suck in a startled breath.

He smiles. Slow. With intent. “There’s my girl. I like the way you shake, Taylor. I like the way you shiver. Idon’tlike saying the wrong thing and making you freeze up. I want you hot and achy and needy. Not scared in a bad way.” He leans in and grazes his teeth against my jaw before brushing his lips against my ear. “Scared in a good way. Got it?”

“Got it,” I whisper back. “You promise there will be a next time?”

He holds his hand up between us. “Pinky promise.”

Oh, that does weird things to my heart. Weird, good things. I wrap my little finger around his, and we shake on it.

“So what was it?”

“One of the men that fucked me early on, when I was…”Too young. “A teen. He said I had a hot little cunt. To someone else. I don’t really remember.”

He pulls back, his face murderously flushed. “Fuck him. Fuck anyone who ever took a piece of you that wasn’t theirs to take. I’m sorry, baby. Let’s work on the language piece. I’ll make it fucking hot. We’ll reclaim what you want to reclaim, and burn the rest to the ground. Okay?”

I nod.

“I want to hear you say it.”

“Okay,” I whisper.

“Louder, princess. Shout it.”

“Okay,” I say louder. I tip my head back and project it to the ceiling. “Okay!”

He kisses my neck as I shout it over and over again, and then he pats my bum. “Good girl. Now let’s get you upstairs and tucked back into bed.”

I grin. It’s not going to be exactly what we practiced, but it’s still going to be hot.

And there will be a next time.

He pinky promised.

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