Page 49 of Virgin Lust

His body tensed further, and I wondered if he was happy. I wished his bond to my soul shared his emotions with me like he knew mine.

“You mentioned this before.” My voice was steady, but I knew he would still sense my hurt.

He touched my cheek as he leaned in. “Let me claim you as mine, Princess. I don’t know what kind of monster I’ll become without you.” He lifted my chin, and our eyes met. My pulse skyrocketed. “There can be no one else for you.”

My heart pounded against my ribcage. “If your gremlin is right, then it’s not me, but mystenchthat attracts you.”

“What?” Shepherd glowered.

“My lust,” I explained.

“I know what you’re talking about, but I don’t understand why the fuck you’re saying it like that.” His jaw clenched as he grasped the back of my neck and brought us nose to nose. “You are more than your curse, Prudence. Do you hear me?”

Shepherd’s words got through to me. Wow. Butterflies swam in my stomach.That’s it.I was more than my curse. Just like he was more than his self-loathing. My soul reaper… Oh, already, he had no idea how much he’d done for my self-worth.

My hands went to his face, caressing his cheeks. His breath warmed my lips and desire tingled my skin. “And you’re more than your past.”

He froze but didn’t let me go. “Did you trick me into this conversation so you could say that?”

“No, I simply stated the truth.” I smiled. There was something hungry in Shepherd’s grunt right before he crushed his lips over mine. I opened for him instantly and moaned when his tongue delved inside.

Shepherd sighed as he pulled away. “It’s hard not to kiss you when you smile.”

I bumped my nose against his. “And when we’re this close together?”

“That doesn’t help.”

I licked his lips, and he groaned. “You pulled me in first,” I said.

“Don’t change the subject,” Shepherd countered and snatched my arm. “You let Dirk hurt you. Given what he is, you know that will only make him worse.”

“He’s not wrong though. Without the bond and my curse, would you still be here?”

He put distance between us and raised a brow. “Answer me this. Am I more than your fuck boy? Would you have me around if you weren’t cursed?”

My mouth slackened as I pondered his question. How could I know when all I’ve ever known was my curse? Because of my sin, I isolated myself. Maybe, if Lust didn’t exist inside me, I could have been free spirited or something else. Or I’d still be me with my black clothes and guarded heart.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “I don’t know who I’d be without my curse.”

“Did you think of your curse when you kissed me? Or when my face was between your thighs last night?” he asked.

My clit throbbed. “No.”

“You’re life to me. You gave me feelings when I had wished for none. Tell me what to do and I’ll be better.” Covering his eyes, he exhaled softly. “Let me learn about you, because this demon before you has only been existing, waiting to die.”

My heart thrummed as a fuzzy feeling covered me from tip to toe.

Shepherd caressed my cheek. “Until you.”

My throat tickled, and my eyes watered. I couldn’t speak. If I dared blink, I might cry. Although we barely knew one another, in that moment, I felt as if I’d walked beside him for centuries. Because of my soul reaper, I’d never have to keep my feelings bottled in. For that, I’d make sure he enjoyed life.

And without words, I knew he sensed all the emotions coursing through me. He broke the silence by rubbing my shoulder gently. “So don’t be hurt by Dirk’s words. Although he hides it, he wants to get to know you. I’ve known him enough to know what he’s doing. As gremlins, they only know how to be mischievous and mean spirited to gain attention. I won’t let them come around you until they learn to behave.”

My shoulders sagged. “No, forget it. That will make Dirk behave worse.”

“Believe it or not, Dirk has improved since meeting me.”

“You can’t get rid of them, can you?” I asked.

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