Page 72 of When Sinners Rise
“No idea. Could be hours. Could be days.”
“I don’t know …”
“Shhh.” He presses his thumb over my lips. I sigh, holding in the sound and closing my eyes. His lips replace his thumb, and he tugs my bottom lip with his as he moves to tilt me, his kiss already knocking me off kilter.
He’s soft and careful — nothing like the way we’ve been towards each other before now. This tears at something in my heart, opening up a crevice that would be so easy to fall into.
My lips push against his, teasing and slow. But too soon, I want more than just a gentle kiss. I want to feel what’s burning under the surface between us. Desperate hands move and run over his chest and wrap around his neck, pulling him to mebecause this is what I need. I need deep and honest with nothing between us but the truth. It’s all out in the open; there’s no deception. That should be terrifying, but in a way, it’s freeing. There’s nothing more to be afraid of. I’ve faced the nightmares, and I’m still standing. Why shouldn’t I enjoy this while I can?
Pressed up against Shaw, I don’t feel lonely or scared.
Our hands roam and the kiss deepens as the simmer between us heats to burning, but he stops and pulls away, snatching my hand in his to head towards the stairs.
“Naja’s in there.” We fumble, moving around on the small landing area, still desperate to keep contact with one another.
We open the next door, but it’s clear this is Father Samuel’s room. We both look at each other and burst into laughter. No. We can’t do that. I shake my head, holding back the giggles.
Behind the third door is the smallest room, with only a small cot bed made up, stuffed against the far wall. Shaw doesn’t stop to assess; he pushes me inside and closes the door before picking up where we got to downstairs. His kiss is more urgent this time, promising more, but there’s no aggression between us. This is desire and feeling coursing through our blood.
My fingers pull at the edges of his shirt, and he starts to tug at my top, too. It’s right there, the push to tear at each other and race to the good part. But Shaw slows his actions, taking his time and stilling my hands. It’s infuriating but only adds to the anticipation. My breath hitches as he finally touches my skin with his fingers. He runs them over my collarbone, pushing the straps of my bra down to expose me to him step by step.
He watches the path his hands take, drinking me in until I’m standing with all my clothes on the floor. This isn’t like anything that’s come before. This is new, tender, with feeling.
“Please, Shaw.” Although I’m not sure if I’m asking for more of him, or for him to put me out of my misery and just take me.
“You’re beautiful, Miri.” His lips seek me out again, kissing my stomach, over my hip and down my thighs. I dig my fingers into his hair as he moves to position himself between my legs. My feet step aside to give him access, and his tongue gets to work, but it’s not enough. It’s only teasing me.
“Shaw!” This time, it’s a plea. He stands and tips me onto the bed before he climbs over me. My legs curl to wrap around his waist, pulling me to him, and his hands brush my forehead so he can look at me – really look at me – before going any further.
My heart is in my throat because this means something between us. There’s no hiding here behind fighting; it’s just us. And as he positions himself between my thighs and pushes forward, I breathe in, savouring the feeling as he does.
He doesn’t rush, even though it’s agonising in a torturous, pleasureful way. We just stay joined as deeply as we can for a second before he pulls out and repeats. We’re quiet, as if we know this isn’t meant to be happening, but we can’t help ourselves, and a part of me relishes that.
My arms hold Shaw to me as he starts to move; his face dips, and his breathing starts to strain. The pressure builds, and I start to rock my hips into him, making sure he hits and rubs in the right spot before he moves and then repeats. Each time, I feel the spark of heat build a fraction more, tempting me with what’s to come.
“God, Miri. This is fucking hard. Being slow like this just makes me want to fuck you more.” I giggle and immediately regret it as I feel my body contract around him. “Jesus!” he cries into the pillow. “Fuck!”
His hips jerk, and he shoves into me, the bed bumping up against the wall. But it’s what we both want. It hits in just theright spot, and I squeeze my legs around him harder, keeping him there.
“Yes, again, Shaw. Please.”
He ignores the noise we start to make and pulls out before pushing back in, hard and sharp, and my eyes roll back as I look up to the ceiling.
“Yes. Again.”
His rhythm sets in, and I can feel my body climb higher and higher. Pleasure winds through my toes and legs, getting me closer and closer to the edge. But just as I think I’m going to come, he pushes up on his arms, tilting his position to grind down against me over and over again. It triggers my orgasm, and I close my eyes as my body tenses and contracts all over.
“Fucking, Christ, yes, Miri. Yes!”
He collapses on top of me, our breathing mingled and desperate, and our hands wander gently. I feel sated and relaxed as the endorphins sweep over me, and then he pulls me tightly against him, cuddling me to him. It’s the safest I’ve felt in a long while. What a thing to think about a man like him after what he’s done. I savour the feeling, though, and after a while of his breath on my shoulder and his arms around me, my eyes drift and sleep claims me.
“Shaw?” The voice brings me around. I could only have been asleep a short while, and as I open my eyes, I see the priest standing just outside the room. Everything rushes back to mind. “Logan’s here.”
CHAPTER TWENTY - SEVEN
SHAW
Just for a moment, we weren’t here, and that asshole wasn’t coming to get her. I look back at Miri and nod, watching her roll out of the bed to start getting dressed. I’m not in the same amount of hurry as she is and fall back on the sheets to stare. She glances at me on and off, a subtle smile my way. Guess it’s the last time I’ll see one of those from her, because after this, it’s all business again, and she’ll be heading home.
