Page 16 of Spooked
Her words hang between us. I'm acutely aware of her sweet scent—cutting through the old books and wood smoke. Her eyes drop briefly to my mouth and my heart jumps into my throat.
"Ash," I manage to whisper.
She lifts her hand to touch my mouth and I let out a gasp. Her fingertips stroke over my lower lip and I’m lost.
“I'm going to kiss you,” I hear myself murmur. “Unless you tell me not to.”
Her answer is to close the distance between us, her lips meeting mine with unexpected boldness.
I shudder.
She cradles the unmasked side of my face as I sweep my tongue against the seam of her lips. We both moan loudly as our tongues finally meet and explore, slow and deep. I'm ever-aware of the mask between us, the barrier it creates, but she doesn't seem to care.
I pull her up from the chair without breaking the kiss, gathering her body against me as we perch on the side. She feels like heaven, fitting against me so perfectly. Her arms wind around my neck, fingers threading into my hair as she makes a small desperate sound that has my cock raging.
A sudden, piercing wail cuts through the manor, followed by ghostly blue light flooding through the library windows.
"What the hell?" Ash gasps as we break apart, clutching at me.
"Howie!" I turn my head to roar, recognizing the signature effect of his newest creation—the "Banshee's Lament," a combination of sound and light designed for a nearby room.
Ash is flushed and wide-eyed. I can't remember the last time I wanted someone this badly…or if I ever have.
The door to the library bursts open, revealing Howie's excited face. "It works!" he shouts over the wailing. "The backup generator kicked in and triggered the—” He stops abruptly, taking in the scene before him—me still holding Ash, our faces close, bodies entwined. "Oh. Uh. Sorry, boss. I didn't realize you were...uh..."
"Turn. It. Off." I disentangle from Ash slowly.
"Right! Yes! Turning it off!" Howie disappears as quickly as he appeared, and seconds later, the wailing stops, though the blue light continues to pulse through the windows.
Ash steps back, adjusting her top with a nervous laugh. "Howie has impeccable timing."
"He'll be looking for a new job tomorrow," I mutter, running a hand through my hair.
She grins. "Don't be too hard on him. His enthusiasm is endearing." She pauses. "Are you…okay?”
I take a deep breath. Am I okay? It’s the first time I've kissed a woman in ages. The first time I’ve let someone this close to my scars, my vulnerability.
"I am. It was..." I search for the right word. "Unexpected."
She bites her lip, her brow furrowing.
"I mean," I clarify quickly, "I didn't expect to feel...so much."
Her smile returns, warming something inside me that's been cold for much too long.
The blue light finally stops, plunging us back into the warm glow of candles and firelight. Outside, the storm continues to rage, but it seems more distant now, less threatening.
A knock at the door interrupts us again. This time it's Dev, looking concerned.
"Sorry to intrude," they say, gaze darting between us curiously, "but we've got a situation."
"What now?" I ask, unable to keep the edge from my voice.
"The creek's overflowed its banks. We're setting up emergency protocols. You both might want to join us in the kitchen."
"We'll be right there," I say, watching Dev retreat with a nod.
When we're alone again, I turn to Ash. "Well, it seems you're stuck with the Beast for longer than anticipated."
