Page 58 of Red Flag, Green Light

“That’s the best part.”

My breath hitches when he leans in and grazes the birthmark on my cheek with his lips. “Consent is kind of important. Or so they say.”

“Who’sthey?”

He swears. “Who knows? Mentally stable people, probably.”

“Can’t relate.”

“To be certain.” His grip slips lower, strokes my pulse, holds my throat. “All good, little goddess?”

I’m dazed, drifting on a cloud of bad decisions. I’m not sure what’s happening, how we got here, if I’m awake, if I’m dreaming. I thought I was just working, and talking to Rouge, and… I don’t know much. But. I do know one thing. And that one thing leaves my lips in a breathy whisper, “Very good.”

“I don’t want to scare you.”

“Yes, that’s why you brought a lock pick set to the function.”

His lips spread, teeth bared, smile unhinged. “Well, you took my key away. I had to do something.”

“Knock?”

“That’s boring. You hated it.”

It was so,soboring. I hated it so much. “You’re very red, Mars.”

“Like the planet, not the god.” He lowers his forehead to mine and whispers, “Told you.” Moving his hand off my chair, he captures my wrist and presses my palm to his chest, where his heart is thundering. “Can you feel what you’re doing to me?” His grip tightens around my neck, cutting off my air for a second as his thumb digs into my pulse. “Please tell me you aren’t scared. Please tell me your heart’s pounding for the same reason mine is.”

I suck in breath when he lets me and whisper, “I don’t know what this is.”

“A confession.”

I swallow, hard.

“I like you, Ceres. I have from the first moment I saw you. Would you do me the honor of allowing me to be a toxic mess in your presence for as long as you can stand it?”

“I don’t know if you’re toxic enough for m—”

He strangles the words from my tongue. “The answer isyes, love.”

“Love?Isn’t that jumping plot points, kind of significantly?” I croak, drinking down whatever air he lets me have.

“Give a starving man something, please.”

“Pleasestop being so polite.”

He traces the bridge of my nose with the tip of his and exhales a curse. “Do we need a safe word? Already?”

I laugh.

“Come on, Ceres. Humor my attempts at respect.”

“What word will make you comfortable, mas—”

He chokes me. “Don’t you even dare. I will die from a heart attack right here if you—” He swears. “—say that.”

Innocent as a flower, I smile brighter than I have in possibly years.

This time, his swear hits the tip of my nose as he kisses it. “You’re so pretty, Ceres.” His lips lower, taunting mine. “So, sopretty.”

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