Page 45 of The Book Reader
He slowly lowers his cup, thinking for a moment before he answers. “I did not.”
I narrow my eyes. Now he wants to be cryptic with his answer to me? The man I sat down to dinner with a bit while ago felt different from the man standing before me now. Heishiding something. Maybe I shouldn’t trust him after all.
“You aren’t going to tell me?”
He makes a show of drinking his coffee slowly, and I wait; I can stay all day if I must. He finally lowers his cup and sighs. “Telling you will not help anything, Ari.”
“How do you know?” I question—more so, demand.
“I just do.” His voice is stern before he strides over to the window. Regretting ever feeling like I could trust him, I stand, give Rex a kiss on the top of his head, and place him on the floor.
“I would like my clothes, and I need you to call me a taxi.” Irritated, I wait for him to answer me. When he doesn’t, I pull in a breath. I turn and rush to the door—if he isn’t going to tell me the truth or give me back my clothes, I guess I’m leaving like this: panty-less and only in his shirt.
Getting close to the door, I’m stopped by a warm chest in front of me. I look up at a very pissed off looking Gaelan, who shimmered to stand in front of me to stop me from leaving, both of our chests heaving with anger.
“Don’t go,” he growls at me. I step away from him.
“Why? So, you can avoid answering any of my questions?” I snap at him. I knew the day at my family memorial that I had seen him before. He has been in my dreams.
He closes his eyes, and I can see his muscles tighten before he looks at me. His eyes glow so blue, my breath escapes me. The black, swirling tattoo covers his body like smoke rising over his skin. “I can dream walk.”
“As in, you can go into people’s dreams and manipulate them?”
“It’s more than that.” He steps forward, but I step back away from him again, my eyes slowly taking in his body, his eyes, the tone of his voice, and then those damn dimples.
“Someone’s sweetest dream or worst nightmare,” I whisper to myself before it hits me, making me gasp. “You were in my dreams, you—you called me Rose, Gaelan?” In my dreams, hewould tell me to findhim, to— “You want this book too?” I can’t believe that I fell for this, the sexy, hot man that I thought was interested in me… of course, he isn’t. He only wanted the book. He steps closer to me, and I hold my hand up. “Don’t.”
He doesn’t listen, just keeps moving toward me. “Let me explain.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “Go on then.”
His nostrils flare, and his eyes travel down my body, his lips parting in anticipation, his voice growing darker. “If you stand like that, I’m not going to explain shit, I’m just going to fuck you again.”
Looking down, I realize crossing my arms caused the shirt to ride up, and Gaelan is getting a full view of my lower half. I can’t help the smile that crosses my lips as I slowly lower my arms. “Better?”
“No.” His jaw twitches with the single syllable.
He strides over to me, crowding me against the window. His dominant presence beats against me, making me submit to him even if I don’t want to. Something about him just calls out to my body. He presses me against the window. The cool glass is making me shiver. I look up into his eyes and try not to melt with how good he smells, or the feeling of his hard body pressing against mine. He licks his lips, and I can feel how much he wants to kiss me, how much he wantsme.
“Start talking, Gaelan, or I’m leaving,” I try to be firm, but my voice comes out shaky, betraying my feelings—making my want of this man crystal clear.
He smirks again before lowering and whispering against my lips, “Close your eyes.”
I go to shake my head, but he stops me by pressing his body closer, and I can feel his erection against me. I pull in a breath and close my eyes slowly. “Now, I want you to clear your mind.I’m going to show you something, but I need you to trust me and let me in.”
Trust him?A loaded thought, one that makes me nervous now. However, despite his dodging my questions, I do trust him. I nod, scared that if I open my mouth, I’ll tell him as much, and telling him seems more meaningful than my simple nod right now.
I feel his breath fan over my neck just as his lips suck on my delicate skin. “I’m going to bite you, my Rose, I need you to bite me at the same time, just a little. So, you can feel my truth.”
I get wet at his words. The thought of biting him turns me on so much. I’ve never been a biter when it comes to sex, but something about him makes me want to devour him.
“Rex, leave us,” Gaelan grits, before he turns my head into his neck. I can feel his teeth, and just when I open my mouth to speak, I feel a sharp sting in my flesh as he sinks his teeth into my skin. I cry out, my body shaking in his hold.
“Gaelan… please—” I kiss his neck and bite down. I break the skin, and as soon as the blood starts to flow into my mouth, a feeling like electricity rushes through me—I feel him, his truth. I think his wishes and wants are rushing over me like a warm breeze on a summer's day. That relaxed feeling that tells you deep down that everything is going to be okay, and it set my body on fire, bringing so much of my soul alive again. All of these feelings are telling me that he wants to keep me safe, to protect me. Then, a flash of something else I’m not ready to believe, not prepared to feel, crosses me, and I pull back from his neck.
He kisses the skin softly, then lifts his head. I look into his eyes, the blue in them is like fire now as it swirls and twirls around his pupil. “Tell me, my Rose, what did you feel?” He licks his lips, cleaning them of my blood,
“Your truth.” I stare into his eyes, my words coming out in a whisper, “You want to protect me, to keep me safe.”
