Page 17 of Dead to Sin
Until a mountain of a man caught Indie’s eye as he walked toward us. The look on her face was a mixture ofglad to see youandoh my god, no.
She popped up from her seat and the hug she gave him was one of deep familiarity. Jealousy prickled at my skin. I wanted her to look at me like that, hug me like that.
It had been a year since our time together. She could be married now for all I knew, and I was still pining after her like a love-struck puppy. What if this was herhusbandchecking in on hiswifegiving her new boss a tour of the town?
She didn’t have a wedding band. I’d looked.
For a fraction of a second, I imagined what it might be like to shove him into the fountain and hold his head under the water as he thra?—
She released him and turned to me, smiling. Her grin was disarming in all the best ways.
“Kiernan, this is Owen. He’s my—” I stood to greet him, holding out my hand to shake his, but we both froze midway because of the panicked look on Indie’s face. “Oh, my god. Owen. There’s Mark. Do something. Anything.Please,” she said in a hushed whisper. Owen’s face morphed from confusion to amusement and then Indie said, “Kiss me.”
My heart dropped into my fucking stomach.
As I scanned the surrounding area, my eyes landed on a tall figure moving towards us. His shuffling gait and leering expression set me on edge and my hand instinctively moved to the small of Indie’s back.
Owen nudged her away from him, toward me. “I amnotkissing you,” he grumbled. “Grow a pair.”
“First of all,” she retorted. “That’s misogynistic. And second of all,I thought you were my friend,” she hissed.
“Iamyour friend. The kind of friend who holds your hair when you puke or like… pisses on you if you’re on fire. But I amnotfucking kissing you.”
Whoever this guy was, I liked him a lot.
“Fuck, he’s coming.” She looked at me with a desperation in her eyes and I had no idea who Mark was or why she thought someone kissing her would ward him away, but all I could think wasabsolutely the fuck not.
The desperation melted away when I pulled her body flush with mine.
I was un-fucking-done when she looked at me like that. The same way she did the night we met.
Like sheneededme, and I didn’t care for what. Whatever she wanted I would give it to her. I didn’t need an explanation. I was hers to do with what she wanted.
“It won’t be the first time,” I said, raising an eyebrow in question.
Her throat bobbed, but she nodded, giving me permission. Owen groaned and I glanced toward him, rolling his eyes.
No. His eyes didn’t roll. They yeeted themselves out of his skull.
And then I kissed her tentatively on the lips. Soft. Sweet. Everything else faded away.
I wanted to maul her.
As my fingers brushed against the side of her neck, she sighed and leaned into me. And for a too brief moment, she kissed me back, giving me more than I'd expected. My insides melted into liquid magma.
She pulled away, her lips slightly parted. But then she shook her head and forced a cough, abruptly ending the moment. The spark in her eyes vanished as she reverted to her friendly demeanor.
Owen looked like he’d rather be anywhere but here, but stepped forward and held out his hand again. This time, I took it and shook it without interruption. “I’m Owen. Indie’s roommate,” he explained.
I willed my face to maintain a neutral expression, but I was a little shocked. At least he didn’t seem to have any kind of romantic interest in her. “Kiernan. Indie’s…”
“Boss,” she finished for me.
I glared at her out of the corner of my eye. “Nice to meet you,” I said to Owen.
“Ditto,” he replied.
“So…” A question lingered in the air.
