Page 52 of What I've Tasted of Desire

I nodded, letting my gaze fall to the blob of Tom’s mucus-y blood still shining red on the ground. “Thanks,” I said quietly. I walked back over to my car, pulled Alex’s backpack out of the trunk, and handed it to Rob.

Rob took the bag without saying a word, but offered me a small smile. I got back in the car and backed out of the driveway. A crimson swarm of explosive feelings simmered in my brain. Hatred for Tom. Anger at myself for upsetting Alex. Frustration that our beautiful idyll of serene lovemaking had come to such an abrupt, painful end. My hands gripped the steering wheel. My face was hot and wet. Feelings of cold, and then flaming hot sensation coursed through my veins, demanding a release.

Well.

I couldn’t make things better with Alex at the moment, but I knewexactlywhat my pent-up rage demanded… the solution toanotherproblem. Icy resolve settled over me. I wetted my lips and took a deep breath as a plan started to bloom in my mind.

Chapter Nineteen

I pulled on a brand-new pair of black latex gloves just as I heard three soft knocks on my front door.

Right on time…

I walked over and squinted through the peephole. I could immediately see his blond hair dancing across his forehead in the light breeze. I opened the door and greeted him with a smile.

“Hi. Thank you for coming all the way out here.” I stepped aside to let him enter and ushered him with my hand.

He smiled back. “Hi! No problem. I was, uh, surprised to hear you had called.”

I didn’t reply to that. He didn’t seem to notice as he looked around the room. “You have a nice house. Did you just move in?”

I closed the door, twisted the lock, and shook my head. “Nope, I’ve lived here for a few years now. Why do you say that?”

“Oh.” His eyes widened a bit. “It’s just that everything is… I guess you’re a minimalist?”

“My boyfriend is an interior designer. He hasn’t gotten around to doing the place yet; his schedule is so booked. I figured I’d just keep it as clean a slate as possible so he would have a blank canvas when he started.”

“That makes sense,” Tiegan said with a nod.

“Can I get you something to drink? Soda? A glass of wine?”

“Uh, yeah… a glass of wine would be nice.”

“Sure thing. Make yourself at home,” I said, gesturing towards the couch. Tiegan took a seat and I walked into the kitchen.

“Mind if I turn on some music?” I called around the corner.

“Not at all.”

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and pulled up Alex’s sleepy playlist to help keep me grounded. I hit shuffle and, after a momentary connection delay, soft music started playing throughout the small speakers in the living room.

I pulled a bottle of Renieri Brunello di Montalcino off the counter and pulled the cork. Opening the cabinet, I selected a stemmed glass, and gave it a small pour of the rich red. In the back of the drawer by the fridge, a small vial was rolling around in the back corner. I unscrewed its stopper and tipped it over the rim of the glass, tapping some of the fine powder into the wine.

I stirred the powder into the wine with my gloved finger before taking the glass into the living room. Tiegan accepted the glass with a smile and immediately took a sip.

“Mmm, this is nice,” he hummed.

I smiled, taking a seat in the recliner opposite where he was sitting on the couch.

“I thought maybe I had done something you didn’t like last time,” he offered, a little bashfully.

“No, no. Not at all. You were perfect. You helped me learn how to become a better lover. I really appreciate that. That’s why I wanted to see you again.”

“I’m really glad to hear that. So, things went well with your special guy?”

I nodded as he took another swallow of the wine. “Yes, they did. Very well, in fact. I anticipate we’ll get married soon.”

“That’s great. Congrats.”

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