Page 45 of You, with a View

If we weren’t close, I wouldn’t have heard the tremor in his voice, but we’re practically on top of each other. My eyes fly open. His head is bowed, focused on his work, his thick black lasheslying against the hollow beneath his eyes. A flush spreads across his cheeks.

I swallow, recognizing his fear. I felt it, too, when I was falling. I feel it now, knowing he cares, even if it’s just that he didn’t want me to die on his watch.

“I’m sorry,” I say again.

“I know.”

When he doesn’t go on, I press, “This is the part where you forgive me.”

“And if I don’t?” He lifts his chin, pinning me in place with eyes that are dark, but edged in amusement.

“Then lie so I feel better.”

Theo huffs out a laugh. “I forgive you,” he says, just as he presses the antiseptic wipe against my knee again, adding pressure.

“Shit. Oh fuck,” I hiss out, my eyes watering. “You’re making it hurt on purpose, you asshole.”

“Only if you ask nicely.” His voice is electrified, arcing from his mouth right into the pit of my stomach.

I suck in a breath, picturing his hands on me. Not hurting me, but letting me know he’s there, that he’s got me.

The air changes, storm-like, awareness rolling in on Theo’s hot exhale. For all of the ways we clash, I have no doubt we’d be good together like that, and he knows it, too.

“You’re not supposed to like that,” he growls out, frustrated, his gaze tracing my face like a touch.

Somehow his shirt has made its way into my fists. “Why did you say it, then?”

His gaze flickers up from my mouth. “Because I was trying to be an asshole.”

“You don’thaveto try.”

He’s gotten so close. I don’t know if I pulled him or he camewillingly. He’s between my thighs, but not the way I’d like. The slick material of his joggers brushes up against my skin, his hands shaping the curve of my legs as the antiseptic wipe falls away.

We were doing something before, but I couldn’t say what.

Theo tilts his head. Our noses brush and my stomach spirals so quickly it makes me dizzy. He’s going to kiss me, and I’m going to let him. Some foggy part of me remembers that this is a bad idea. That we don’t like each other, and we had to make a truce to get along.

I don’t think our truce included him running his hands up my thighs, his thumbs tracing the inside with the perfect pressure.

“What’s that game called?” he murmurs. “From last night?”

“Tell Me a Secret,” I manage, my heart in my throat.

His jaw ticks. “So, tell me one.”

I don’t want to admit it, but it’s the elephant in the room. His thumbs are inches from the spot throbbing worse than my knee.

“I wouldn’t stop you if you kissed me right now.” I say it quietly in case he changes his mind, but his eyes darken, pupils dilating. He doesn’t move, though his mouth parts like he can already taste it. “Now you.”

His breath dances over my lips. “If I kissed you right now, I wouldn’t stop.”

My legs flex instinctively, trying to close to relieve some of the ache between them, but Theo’s grip turns even firmer as he dips his head to run his mouth barely,barelyagainst the spot where my jaw meets my ear.

“When you wear your hair up, I can’t stop looking right here,” he whispers against my skin. Another secret revealed, and I didn’t even have to ask. “You’ve never caught me?”

“No,” I moan. “Why are you messing with me right now?”

“Not messing, Shepard.” His nose skims along my cheek untilhis mouth is millimeters from mine. “Let’s call it playing. Isn’t that what we’ve always done with each other?”

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