Page 45 of Push My Buttons
For a moment, I nearly panicked. Nearly hit the button to end it all. But then something else took over—a wild, reckless confidence I've never felt before. Because they don't know. They have no idea who's behind this mask, who's teasing them, who's making them chase shadows.
The power of that knowledge is intoxicating.
I hear footsteps approaching—lighter than Jace's. Theo. I ready myself, calculating angles and escape routes. But instead of hiding further, I shift slightly, allowing the light to catch on one of my harness straps. A deliberate tell.
Come find me. I dare you.
The footsteps pause, then quicken. He's spotted me. I stay perfectly still, watching as he rounds the corner, oil ball already in hand. His mask catches the dim light, metallic accents gleaming.
"Well, well," he says, voice dropping to that velvet tone I recognize from his flirtations at the café. "Looks like someone's tired of running."
I tilt my head, neither confirming nor denying. Let him think what he wants.
He approaches slowly, predatory grace in every step. "I've been thinking about our little encounter earlier," he continues, tucking the oil ball back into his pouch. "How you left things... unfinished."
I remain motionless as he closes the distance between us, my pulse quickening with each step he takes. This is Theo. But he doesn't know that I know. The thought sends a thrill through me.
"I think," he says, now close enough that I can feel his breath against my mask, "it's time I returned the favor."
His hand shoots out, faster than I anticipated, capturing my wrist. He pulls me forward, off-balance, and uses themomentum to turn me and push me against the nearest wall. His body presses against mine, solid and warm.
"I believe I've earned another patch," he murmurs, his free hand already skimming over the harness straps. But instead of going for something safe like my shoulder or arm, his fingers trail down to a patch positioned just below my breast.
My breath catches as he detaches it slowly, his knuckles brushing against the sensitive underside of my breast as he pulls it away. The exposure makes my skin prickle with awareness.
"Much better," he says, pocketing the patch. But he doesn't step back. Instead, his hand returns to the newly exposed skin, tracing patterns that make my pulse race. "I wonder what other reactions I can get from you."
His fingers drift higher, brushing the edge of another patch—the one covering my nipple. He doesn't remove it, just teases around its edges, making me acutely aware of how easily it could come off. How exposed I would be.
"You like teasing, don't you?" he asks, leaning closer until his mask nearly touches mine. "Building anticipation. Creating hunger." His hand slides down to my hip, then lower, tracing the seam of my thigh where it meets my torso. "But what happens when someone teases you back?"
His fingers find the junction of my thighs, pressing against me through the remaining patch. The pressure is exquisite, making my knees weaken. I grab his shoulders for support, my fingers digging into the tactical material of his outfit.
"That's it," he encourages, voice rough with desire. "Let go. Let me see what's behind all that control."
His movements become more focused, more insistent. He's found exactly the right rhythm, the perfect pressure. Heat builds low in my belly, tension coiling tighter with each skilled circle of his fingers. I'm closer than I should be, faster than I expected. The anonymity of the masks, the forbidden nature ofit all, the knowledge that it's Theo touching me like this—it's all combining into a perfect storm of arousal.
I'm going to come. Right here, against this wall, with his hand between my thighs and his voice in my ear. My breath comes in short, sharp pants behind my mask, my body trembling on the edge of release.
And then—nothing.
He steps back abruptly, leaving me cold and aching. I blink in confusion, my body still thrumming with unfulfilled need.
Theo holds up another patch—one I didn't even feel him remove from my thigh. He twirls it between his fingers, the set of his shoulders screams cocky satisfaction.
"Two for me," he says, voice smug. "Consider it payback for earlier."
I can't help it—I laugh. A soft, shoulder-shaking laugh that bubbles up from somewhere deep inside me. The audacity of it, the perfect turnabout—it's exactly what I would have done in his position.
He tilts his head, clearly surprised by my reaction. "You're not what I expected," he admits, tucking the second patch away. "You're... more."
I use his momentary distraction to slip past him, brushing my hand deliberately against his arousal as I go. A reminder that he's not the only one who can tease. I hear his sharp intake of breath, followed by a low chuckle.
"Oh, we're definitely not finished," he calls after me. "Not even close."
I disappear around the corner, heart racing with exhilaration. That was close—too close. I need a moment to regain my composure, to remember that this is still a game. Still under my control.
I find a small alcove partly hidden by fallen debris and tuck myself into it, taking deep breaths to steady my pulse. My bodyis still on edge from Theo's touch, still aching for completion. I press my thighs together, trying to ease the persistent throb between them.
