Page 73 of True Honey
He chuckled low in his chest, the vibration rumbling against my side. His hand slid up to my neck, thumb brushing over my pulse point. Even the thought of the primitive act had him purring with excitement and I thought I would hate it but seeing him so insanely possessive made me both nervous and excited.
Silas’s smirk deepened, and he pressed a soft kiss to my forehead, “do I like leaving marks on you?Yes.” He admitted without hesitation, his voice low and rough. “I didn’t hurt you did I?”
I shook my head no, not quite ready to admit that I enjoyed the possessive display of affection. He searched my face for an answer, probably seeing right through me but if he did, he said nothing about it.
“You’re quiet,” he said, resting against his pillow.
“Were you serious?” I asked, “about the contract?” I was so quiet, nervous to even broach the subject with him now that we had gotten it all out of our system.
His eyes locked onto mine, the intensity in his gaze making my heart skip a beat. He was silent for so long, his thumb idly tracing patterns on my skin. When he finally spoke, his voice was firm, leaving no room for doubt. “I don’t say things I don’t mean.”
Panic surged but it was different than before.
Were we actually going to do this? Take a run at something that should clearly stay professional? I studied his face, so serious and hanging by a thread for what was next. I brushed my thumb over his bottom lip and he chased it, kissing the pad gently. So patient even if the answer would break his heart.
I was either a massive idiot or the smartest woman in the world. But leaping off the cliff without the confirmation of a parachute was terrifying.
“I’m yours.” I said quietly, finally answering his question from before. He eyed me carefully, like any movement from him might startle me. “But don’t you dare fuck this up Silas Shore.” I scowled with as much fire as I could muster. I knew the likelihood of him screwing up was low. It was me that brought on my concern, scared to do or say the wrong thing but when he looked at me like that… with all the confidence in the world and even more trust. I wanted to try.
His eyes flashed with a mix of amusement and respect at the warnings. He leaned in, his top lip catching my bottom one in a small, languid kiss. “I wouldn’t dream of it,” he paused, his breath hot on my lips as his finger brushed gently against my jaw.
“I should probably go to my room,” I said, only this time I didn’t want to leave.
“Please don’t,” he said so quickly that it shot a searing wave of heat through me that wrapped around my heart and squeezed. His arms were around me and our chests were tight together before I could even try to escape his bed.
“Okay, but you should probably go get my pants before anyone sees them on the kitchen floor…” I pushed my free hand through his hair and kissed the worry line between his eyebrows.
Silas chuckled, a lopsided smile forming as he came down on top of me for another kiss before climbing from bed and leaving me to the silent dread of accidentally breaking his heart.
SHORE
Iwas on cloud nine walking into the hospital the next day. Arlo had called, from El’s phone, to let me know that Cael was out of surgery. I collected some breakfast for them and headed over with my head in the clouds and my thoughts on Drew.
She hadn’t left.
I woke with my nose pressed into the side of her hair and my hands wrapped around her body as she slept soundlessly. It almost pained me to unwind from her but I managed to get out without waking her.
She rolled onto her belly, her hair spread out over my pillows and the sheets slack around her hips. I brushed a knuckle down her spine, taking in the way her breath lulled from my touch before taking a cold shower and getting out the door. But I just wanted to get back to her as soon as I could.
I brought what I could from the office for Ryan, as well as some paperwork to go over for other players that still needed eyes on them. Ella was running appointments when I got there and she let me know she could handle everything, all she asked was that I took care of Cael for her while she did.
An easy enough promise to uphold considering the guilt was still eating at me despite everyone continuously telling me it wasn’t my fault.
There were two voices coming from the room and much to my surprise my mother’s laughter floated down the hallway toward me. I shifted Ryan’s bag on my shoulder, cradling breakfast and work in the other as I wandered through the door.
Cael was asleep in his bed, his arm completely wrapped up and tight to his side. Mom was leaning against the window with a smile, her face looking moredressed down then I’d ever seen her in jeans and a Harbor hoodie I didn’t even know she owned. Her face was flushed from laughing and Ryan was talking in a quiet tone with a soft expression on his tired face.
”Morning…” I announced myself and watched her take a step back from Ryan, her posture straightening out as he cleared his throat. “I brought breakfast but I didn’t realize you’d be here or I would have brought more.”
“She can have mine,” Arlo’s voice directed my attention to a chair out of my sight, forcing me to step further into the room. “Ella made muffins,” he held up his half eaten one.
“I just came to check on you three,” she smiled at me. “I wanted to drop off some heating blankets and things to help with Cael’s recovery.”
Mom was talking but my focus was on Ryan, his hands curled into the seat under him like he was trying to keep still. In seven years of knowing that man, I had never once seen him fidget. A rumble formed in my chest out of nowhere when she touched Ryan’s shoulder gently with her fingers.
“I should get going, give Cael my best.” She grabbed her purse from where it was resting beside a large glass vase of lavender before kissing me on the cheek and excusing herself.
Ryan rose from his chair and grabbed his bag from me as I set down the breakfast on the small table across from Cael’s bed.
