Page 75 of Delicate Escape

My thumb stilled. “Your brain is trying to grab hold of the truth.” And Brendan fucking Boseman had traumatized her so much that she couldn’t see it clearly.

“Hasn’t anyone ever told a lie about you, but they’re so convincing, you start to believe it yourself?”

My pulse thrummed in my neck, the beat so heavy I could feel each squeeze. I had one of those lies. One that still lived in the recesses of my mind. That I was worthless. But it was tinged with the truth. That I’d been given up, abandoned. Unwanted.

“Yes,” I said, the single syllable more sound than an actual word.

Thea’s expression softened as her hand pressed against my chest. “I don’t want to bring you into that. You’re so…good. Everything I shouldn’t reach for. But I can’t seem to make myself walk away. It’s so selfish. I shouldn’t?—”

I couldn’t let her keep going, couldn’t let those doubts be given voice. So, I stole them right from the air. I closed the tiny distance between us, and my mouth met Thea’s. I took those lies and snuffed them out.

The moment my lips touched hers, Thea’s hand fisted in my tee. She pulled me impossibly closer, and her taste burned into me. Strawberries and mint tea. It was the only thing I wanted to taste for the rest of time.

Thea moaned, her lips parting. My tongue stroked. God, the feel of her mouth. Warm, wet heat. But so fucking soft. Delicate. Just like my Thorn. The strength outside hid the truth beneath: that she was nothing but sweet, soft feeling.

Thea pressed herself harder against me, seeking, searching. The added pressure and contact, the promise of all that was her, had my dick hardening against my jeans.

She moved then, hauling herself up and climbing me like I was a goddamn tree. She wrapped her legs around me as I took her mouth. Heat and need spread between us, fueling each other.

A bird called overhead, loud and close, the sound so intense and abrupt that it had Thea’s head snapping back and her mouth tearing from mine. I watched the realization come over her in phases. Shock, then horror.

Thea released her legs from my waist and dropped to the ground, her fingers flying to her lips. “Oh, God. I’m so sorry. I don’t know?—”

“Pretty sure I’m the one who kissed you,” I said gently.

Thea shook her head rapidly. “But I—Imauledyou.”

My brow arched. “If that’s mauling, sign me up.”

“It’s not funny. I climbed you like some sort of spider monkey. I attacked your mouth.”

I couldn’t help it, I laughed. “And I hope you do it again.”

“Shep,” she snapped.

I moved then, sliding into Thea’s space. “Thorn.” I hooked a finger through the belt loop on her shorts and tugged her closer, searching those hypnotic eyes. Herrealeyes. “He shamed you about sex?”

Her gaze dipped down and to the side.

Bingo. What a prick.

My thumb skated across the front pocket of her shorts. “You wanting me? I’m only going to feel one way about that. Lucky as hell. And grateful. Okay, so that’s two things.”

Those pale green eyes came back to me. “You don’t think it’s…weird?”

“Hell, no,” I clipped. “Just like I fucking loved whatever book it was you were reading. I mean, I don’t know that I’m down for kilt role-play, but the rest? Hot.”

Thea’s lips twitched slightly. “I bet you’d look good in a kilt.”

I barked out a laugh. “There is a lot I would do for you. But wearing a kilt is not one of those things.”

“They make for easy access…”

Jesus.My dick was getting hard again. I pulled Thea into my arms, brushing the hair back from her face. “You wanna try this with me?”

Thea’s breath hitched, but she nodded.

Relief swept through me. “Good. Because I want that. I wantyou. But I also think it’s probably best if we take things slow.” I didn’t miss the disappointment on her face, and I liked that, too. “You’ve been through a lot. It’s going to take time to erase the lies in your head, but we’ll tackle them one by one.”

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