Page 69 of Captured By the Scaled Outlaw
“You knew that, and yet you slept with me anyway,” he says, his lips curling.
I turn with a shy smile, a giddy feeling filling me up through my fingertips. “It was a lapse in judgment. I thought we were going to die.”
With an unamused hum, Lowell presses a gentle kiss to my mouth. His lips are just as soft as before, the thin ribbons of skin smooth and cool.
My nose fills with his scent, an aroma so uniquelyLowell.I wish I could bottle it up and bring it back to Nilsan with me. The comfort it elicits is nostalgic and tranquil.
Hands clutch his biceps to steady me as I readily give myself to his kiss. A spark of lust ignites in my core, a moan slipping out each time his tongues licks my bottom lip.
I feel like I’m melting.
How could someone such as him make me feel this way?
Lowell’s movements are careful and drawn out as if he were savoring me like a fine wine. Before, he was aggressive. But now it feels… intimate.
As if we’re lovers.
My face is nearly boiling when Lowell runs a knuckle over my jawline, pulling himself away. I inadvertently groan in protest.
“I pray that in the future, our paths will cross again,” he whispers, a softness I wasn’t prepared for coating his words.
Removing his grip, cold air fills the space until it’s unbearablyuncomfortable.
“For my own safety, I hope not,” I jest, placing my hand over the emptiness his grip left.
If you had asked me a week ago how I felt about the eco-terrorist Lowell, I would have told you he was nothing but an irrational, idiotic, aggressive animal of a man. But now — while he’s still all those things — I understand how complicated his flaws are. Despite it all, he’s a creature who loves animals, is good at braiding hair, enjoys sewing, and sees his overly expressive emotions as nothing but strength.
After everything, the one thing I no longer doubt is my affection for him. Or how much I’ll miss him.
I pull my braid over my shoulder, thumbing over it in remembrance. A nagging feeling tugs at my heart, ripping the slightest hole at the center.
Lowell picks up on this, reaching out to touch me but coming up shy.
“You okay?”
I open my mouth, but quickly snap it shut.
“You look bothered,” Lowell says, concerned. “If this is the last time we see each other, I suggest you come out with it. No sense in holding on to secrets.” His tone is laden with curiosity, his fleshy eyebrow piqued.
“Well…” I mumble quietly, so mortified my voice cracks.
Lowell narrows his eyes. “Huh?”
I clear my throat, covering my face with my hands. Every fiber of my being advises me to stop talking, turn around, and gracefully walk away without complicating the situation further.
But I don’t listen.
I reach out to Lowell’s chest as he follows my hand with an intrigued gaze. Landing on his leather jacket, I grip it softly.
“Despite everything that happened… I’m glad we met,” I begin, my face warming. “I thought I understood the world better than anyone else, and even held my opinion of such things in high regard. But now, I realize how truly intricate every decision can be. I’m grateful.”
The corners of Lowell’s mouth twitch, no doubt suppressing a smirk of superiority. “Ah, my wisdom made an impression on you, huh?”
I roll my eyes with a groan, my face fully flushed. “I’m trying to be sincere, Lowell. Given that you originally intended to kill me, you should be grateful I’m appreciative rather than vengeful.”
Lowell’s teeth glint with a smile. “You’re the one who should be grateful to me, you know.”
I shoot him an aggravated look. “How is that so?”
