Page 59 of Untouchable

Fuck.

“Katarina—” My hands fall to her hips again, only this time I’m set in my decision to move her. Until my eyes meet hers and the desperation in them makes me wish she was anyone else.

“Please, Ace.”

“I can’t, Katarina.” Dammit, why does she have to look so…broken.

“Why not?” I’ve yet to be able to let her go.

“You wouldn’t understand.”

She offers a small, sad smile. “Try me, I’m pretty smart.”

“You’re off limits, Katarina. Untouchable to anyone who joins Drengr, but most of all to me.”

“Why? Why most of all you?”

I have to look away from her, otherwise I know I’ll give in. “Because if it wasn’t for your dad, I’m not sure where I’d be rightnow. I owe him more than I could even begin to explain, but most of all my loyalty.”

“And you can’t remain loyal to him if you kiss his daughter?” I don’t answer and I see her growing more upset, then her features shift from confused and frustrated, to completely devious. “Would you touch me otherwise? If loyalty weren’t an issue, and I weren’toff limits, would you want me?”

“Katarina—” The pain in my voice is palpable. “Please don’t make me answer that.” She slides herself up in my lap, and even though my hands move quickly, she’s faster—seated on my throbbing erection before I can stop her.

“I won’t. I’ll leave you alone. From now on you’re just as off limits in my mind.” She gets out of the hot tub, and I take my first deep breath since she stripped her clothes off earlier. Then she disappears inside, and I’m left wondering what the harm would have been in kissing her.

The harm wouldn’t be in the kiss, it would be in every disastrous thing you’d do to her afterward.

I’d be inclined to keep her, andthat’swhere the harm lies.

The next morning I’m completely restless. All night I just wanted to go up to Katarina’s bed and slide in next to her. Seeing as how she didn’t come down looking for me, I assume she didn’t have any trouble sleeping. Then the thought occurs to me, she could have very well went to find Bodine instead. After the way our last few rounds of truth or dare went, I wouldn’t be surprised if she went against our agreement for her to come get me. With that, I throw the covers off and head to Bodine’s room. His bed hasn’t been slept in. I’m about to head up to Katarina’s room to see if he’s in there when I see her sitting at the bar in the kitchen. Herhead is resting on the palm of her hand, and she looks like she got about as much sleep as I did.

“Morning, Reaper.” She looks over at me and smiles, her lips together and her features soft.

“Morning.”

“Where are the guys?” She shrugs, moving over to the coffee pot with a mug in her hand.

“I assume they’re still sleeping. Are they not?” She looks over at me and frowns.

“Unless they’re in your bed, they’re not here.” She rolls her eyes and takes a sip of coffee.

“They’re not in my bed, Ace.” I go to apologize for even making the comment when I see something out the back door that derails my train of thought.

“What the hell?.” She spins around to see what I’m looking at and laughs.

“Oh my god!” She rushes over to the back door and slides it open, and I’m two steps behind her the whole way. “What happened to you guys?!” Mikey is wearing a towel around his waist and Bodine is still in his underwear, both of them have grass and dirt all over them.

“You look like you just finished twelve weeks on a survival show.” I snort, looking over the two of them.

“We got lost in the woods, jackass. Hope you two had a good night together. Otherwise, it wasn’t even worth it.” I glance over at Katarina but she doesn’t meet my gaze and I fucking hate it.

“Yeah, our night was fine. Get in here and shower and I’ll get you guys some coffee.” She leads them into the house, and I bite my tongue to keep myself from calling her back here and making her talk to me. Because what would I even say? That I still want her to want me, even though I can’t do a damn thing about it? That’s pathetic, and I’m not in the mood to be pathetic today.

I stay on the back porch, sitting in one of the rocking chairs out here, wondering how the rest of this trip is going to go after last night. With half-truths coming out, and me clearly upsetting Katarina, I’m not very optimistic about how a road trip where she’s practically glued to me the whole time would go. Then she comes outside, hands me a cup of coffee, and sits in the chair next to me. Making me wonder if I’m overthinking this whole thing.

“Thank you,” I tell her, taking a sip of the drink she made me. She doesn’t reply, she simply sits next to me, looking out over the field.

“Why did you sketch me?” The silence is abruptly broken and her head turns in my direction. I swallow hard, deciding not to withhold any more truths from her. Why bother, when she already knows where I stand with the subject ofus.

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