Page 97 of Unmask
She stepped forward, slow and intentional, her feet silent on the Persian rug, closing the distance between us by inches, until there was barely a breath of space left. Her gaze dropped to my mouth, lingering, before dragging back up to meet my eyes.
My hands itched to reach for her, to tangle in that wild hair and pull her against me, but I forced myself to stay still, to wait and see what game she was playing.
Because this was definitely a game, and I was starting to think I was already losing.
“Kaylor—”
Her name barely made it past my lips before she cut me off, her hands pressing onto my chest as she pushed me deeper against the wall. “You’ve been watching me all day.” I couldsee the flecks of light in her blue eyes, could count the freckles scattered across her nose.
“Because you’re up to something, little raven.”
The admission hung between us, raw and honest. Her pupils dilated slightly, and her tongue darted out to wet her bottom lip. “And if I told you”—she stepped into me, eliminating the last precious inches between us until her chest brushed against mine—“that you’re right? That I am up to something?”
The contact sent fire racing through my veins. The soft cotton of her shirt rubbed against my chest, and I swallowed the growl rising in my throat, the sound vibrating deep in my chest. My hands twitched at my sides, fingers curling into fists as I fought the urge to either push her away from me or pin her against the wall. “Then I’d tell you to start talking. Now.”
She tilted her head, studying me with those knowing eyes. A slow smile crept across her lips. “What if I’m not ready to talk?”
“Then I’d ask what the hell this is,” I snapped, gesturing between us with a jerky motion that betrayed how rattled I was.
“This,” she whispered, rising on her toes so her lips were barely an inch from mine, “is just a girl locking herself in a room with a boy whom she no longer wants to pretend she doesn’t want.” Her fingers found the front of my shirt, fisting the fabric as she watched the array of emotions move into my features.
On one hand, I was desperate to believe her, but another part of me warned that this could be a trap. I’d waited for this moment, waited for her to admit she felt something for me, so long that I couldn’t trust it…trust her…trust myself.
Fuck yeah, I had trust issues, but with Kaylor, I wanted to try. I wanted this to be so real it fucking hurt.
The air between us crackled with a dangerous tension that made smart people do stupid things. I leaned down, my breath stirring the wild strands of her hair. The scent of her shampoofilled my nostrils, making my head spin. “Whatever you’re planning, little raven. I will find out. And when I do?—”
There was no mistaking the way her breath hitched. “You’ll what?” Her eyes darkened, but there was a challenge there too. “Punish me?”
Jesus. She is trying to kill me.
My hands moved without conscious thought, wrapping around her wrists. I peeled her fingers away from my shirt, holding her hands captive between us. Her pulse hammered against my thumbs where they pressed against her skin.
Her expression wavered between excitement and disappointment, but the look was there and gone so quickly I might have imagined it, but I caught it regardless.
I held her gaze, refusing to let her look away. “I don’t want to hurt you.Butdon’t test how far I’ll go if you’re putting yourself in danger.”
For a moment, vulnerability flashed in her eyes. Then her lips curved in a smile again, promising trouble delivered in spades. “It just so happens I’m really good at tests,” she said, her voice carrying that same husky quality that made my knees weak. “Don’t question everything,” she whispered. “For an hour, I just want to pretend like my life isn’t in shambles. I’m not asking you to be my boyfriend.” Her fingers traced the edge of my collar, the light touch sending sparks across my skin. “You want me. I want you. Can’t it be that simple?”
I shook my head. “Nothing about you and me can be simple.”
“Kreed,” she said breathily.
My name, so soft and desperate and full of need, made something primal unfurl in my chest. I closed my eyes for a heartbeat, fighting for control I was rapidly losing. “That’s unfair, little raven, and you know it.”
Her lips curved in a smile. “Looks like I picked up a few things from living with the Raven Crew after all.”
“Not funny.”
“Kreed,” she said again, her fingers tangling into my hair. “Stop stalling and fucking kiss me before someone comes looking for us.”
My fingers settled on her hips. “You sure about this?” I asked, studying her face for any sign of doubt, any speck of uncertainty. “Because once I cross this line, there will be no going back. Not for either of us.”
She nodded. “Yes.” Her free hand came up to rest against my chest, right over my heart, and I wondered if she could feel how it was racing. “I don’t want to think about what you’ve done. Or what I’ve lost. Or what’s waiting for me tomorrow. I want this. I wantyou.”
Something in my chest cracked open.
I didn’t rush. I didn’t throw her against the bookshelves even if every nerve in my body screamed for her. I leaned in slowly, brushing my knuckles along her jaw as I tipped her chin up. Her breath caught as I kissed her.
