Page 33 of Beneath the Surface

Arousal spreads through me like smoke, suffocating my logic. I lean back in, pressing my mouth to hers again, the taste of blood mixing with the sweetness of her breath. She breaks her lips away and moans, the sound a straight shot to my dick, making it throb painfully.

“FuckingChrist,Lily.”

Her body freezes, and the icy tendrils shoot from her and spear me in the chest. She jumps up and I let her, even though every inch of me is begging to pull her back in.

Her fingers press against her mouth. “You can’t just… you don’t get to… ugh!” She grips her hair, the strands mashing against her fingers. “Why would youdothat?”

I smirk, amusement dancing through my chest. “You were a pretty willing participant, little bird.”

“But you’re notmine. Now I’m gonna feel like a home-wrecker when I see Annabelle. You may not think she likes you, but shedoes, Alex.”

Alex. Reality crashes back through me at the name.

“She doesn’t evenknowme,” I snap.

“Oh, and I do?”

Irritation floods my veins.

From her questions.

From the fact that I lost myself in her.

From the fact that I want tokeeplosing myself in her.

I spring from the couch and walk straight into her, pushing until she’s flat against the wall.

My hands come up and grip her face tight, forcing her to meet my eyes. My body is flush against hers, and I swear I can hear her heart racing. I wonder if she can tell that mine’s beating just as fast.

“I. Am. Not. With. Annabelle.” Moving one hand from her jaw, I grab her fingers, pressing them against my chest. “You feel that?”

Her eyes blink rapidly, her breaths coming in short pants as she nods.

“No one haseverdone this to me. Like my body is revolting against me just from being next to you. Just from the fuckingthoughtof touching you.” My thumb rubs against her cheek. “So, no, Lily. Maybe you don’t know me. But you knowthis.” I press her hand harder against me. “And you know you feel it too.”

I dip back down, brushing my lips across hers one last time, before releasing her and turning away to walk out the door.

15

Lily

Chase’s tinkling giggle filters through the air and falls on my ears, my chest warming from the sound. It’s been a little over two weeks since Alex started watching him, and while I’ve been on edge, things have gone better than I expected.

It’s hard for me to let someone in. But Chase… heloveshim. He hasn’t been around many men, or many people in general. The constant knot in the center of my chest tangles him up and forces me to keep him close.

I do the best I can, but it doesn’t stop the regret from slamming into me in the silent moments.

This is good for him.

Alexis good for him.

And that terrifies me, because Alex doesn’t live here.

“How come you never told me that he was watching your kid?” Annabelle asks, her eyes bouncing to the corner booth and back to where we’re doing side work.

The middle of my throat swells with guilt, my lips tingling from the memory of Alex’s lips on mine. I wanted it, which is… surprising, to say the least. Sex has never held much importance for me. When I was young, I didn’t understand why people put so much value on it in the first place. They protected their mythical “virginity” like it was something to be proud of keeping. Like it was shamefulnotto have it.

But I hadn’t had mine in years, and when something is taken before you even know you’re supposed to keep it? Well, that can fuck with your vision a bit. Skew things until up is down and left is right. I never “lost” my virginity, because I never knew to look for it in the first place.

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