Page 194 of The Sinner: James

Ghostly flurries move by before swirling into a cone of light.

They’re still arguing, their voices echoing behind the closed door, loud and angry at times or muffled and quiet like now.

The door opens with a bang and slams shut before footsteps trail the corridor and move closer to the room.

A hand slides across my naked body as the mattress dips behind me.

“Hey,” Lex says tenderly.

I roll onto my back and glance at him.

His face is flushed, his eyes burning, a smile clinging to his lips.

Propped on his elbow, he looks at me, his fingers slowly brushing my cheek.

“I’m sorry,” he says, regret flashing through his gaze.

We share a few moments of silence, and my eyes well up.

“Do you want me to go?” I ask, tenderly stroking his hand.

He slowly shakes his head.

“It’s too late for that… I don’t want you to leave,” he murmurs.

“Okay.”

His eyes light up as I push closer and curl my hand around his neck.

He tilts his head down, his lips connecting with mine.

His kiss is soft at first, as I imagined it would be, and then it brims with passion, something I’ve always known he has for me.

His hand goes down my body––his touch is warm and sensual, giving me a taste of something different.

I’ve almost forgotten how it feels.

He buries me in his arms, warming me against his body while I slide my hand inside his towel, peeling it off.

Without a word, he tops me as I open my legs for him, his erection grinding against my clit.

“You like it?” he murmurs against my lips.

“Uh-huh.”

He locks my lips again, and his fingers thread through my hair, his touch arousing me.

Sweet tension swirls between my legs before I get a spike of pleasure.

“I haven’t had someone make love to me in a while...” I say.

“Me neither,” he murmurs, his lips lined with a smile.

I touch his face and kiss him while the main door slams closed.

The sound is harsh and makes me jerk against his chest.

“Don’t worry. He’ll be back,” Lex says against my lips. “It’s only you and me now, baby...” he murmurs, his eyes sparkling with a smile. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

---