Page 71 of Shadow

I leaned in slowly and brushed my lips against hers. The kiss was sweet. Soft. Tentative.

I pulled away and studied her. She gave me a smile that warmed every fiber of my being.

Screw it.

I went back in for more, this time, deepening the kiss. My dick was hard as hell, but I focused on the way her lips felt against mine. My hand on her waist as I gently tugged her to me. The way my heart flopped in my chest.

I broke the kiss off, breathless, and rested my forehead against hers.

“You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” I whispered as I cradled her face. “You saved me and don’t even know it.”

She shifted forward, her lips meeting mine again. This time, I let her take the lead, her tongue sweeping into my mouth and caressing mine. In this moment, everything felt right.

It was perfect.

But I needed to stop it before I went too far and embarrassed myself again. Not that I was close, but I didn’t want to give my body the chance to betray me.

I broke the kiss off again, my breathing heavy.

“I have to go slow,” I murmured. “I’m scared of what will happen if I let go. I don’t want to have another…accident, but I also don’t want to lose it on you. I struggle to control myself when I’m around you.”

She nodded and pulled away from me, a sweet, innocent expression on her pretty face.

“Fuck, Sirena.” I scrubbed my hand down my face. “I want to be the best version of myself for you. You make me want to be better. I’ve always just gone through the motions of life. Surviving. Hoping for something better.” I took her hands in mine. “Finding you has changed my world.” I brought her hands to my lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

Her cheeks flushed pink, making my heart dance in my chest.

She was so perfect. How the hell I got so lucky, I’d never know, but I wouldn’t waste it. This was my chance to finally have everything I always wanted. I’d be damned if I fucked it up.

The door to the dorm opened, and Asylum stepped inside.

“Hey,” I greeted him.

He cast a quick look at us before taking off his jacket.

“Hey.” He came and sat on the bed next to us and tucked a strand of Sirena’s dark hair behind her ear. “You guys look cozy.”

“We are,” I said, smiling at her. She grinned back at me.

Asylum nodded. “Good. So. The Watchers are having a party at their place tonight. A bid to get Sin to cheer the fuck up and maybe get Cady laid. She’s in a major funk.”

I glanced at Sirena. She frowned at that. Sirena hadn’t really been doing much. She avoided the Watchers and Cady, claiming it was easier for everyone and wasn’t permanent. I had no idea why breaking things off with the Watchers had crossed her mind, but if I had to guess, it was because Sin called it off with her, and she knew it would tear it all apart. To prevent that, she severed the ties so the Watchers wouldn’t fight amongst themselves with one member breaking away.

While I hated that she missed them, I was grateful because it meant she was here with us.

“I thought maybe we could practice some hatchet throwing in the clearing before heading over,” Asylum continued.

Sirena was on her feet in an instant, grabbing her coat.

Asylum let out a bark of laughter at her eagerness, and even I grinned.

Within minutes, we were making our way to the clearing, Sirena wrapped up tightly in her winterwear, her mittened hand in mine.

We got to the clearing, and we set to work setting up some targets for her. We shifted around a few old snowy logs before returning to her.

Asylum handed her the hatchet. We’d been coming here almost every night to watch her learn to throw that damn hatchet. Honestly, she was a natural. Asylum seemed just as surprised by it as I was.

“OK, firefly. Line it up. End over end,” he instructed.

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