Page 77 of Withered

Just as I pull my hand back, he catches my wrist and opens his eyes. “Got you.”

My eyes widen in fear and shock. “I thought you were asleep.”

“I’m not,” he says, holding my wrist.

Nervous, I pull my bottom lip between my lips, which elicits a faint gasp from Jake. He lets go of my wrist and looks at my lips.

My mind flashes back to when Jake touched me down there, and my body flares with heat. Jake’s forest green eyes are now dazed, telling me he is thinking about it as well. We are the same height now, with him sitting on the couch and me bending over a little.

He raises his hand and tucks my loose hair behind my ear. His hand caresses my cheek, and I place my hand above him, savoring the warmth.

“Can I kiss you?” He asks, leaning closer.

“What if I said no?” I challenge him with my eyebrows raised.

I may be acting cool, but I am brimming with excitement on the inside. I want him to touch me, kiss me, and do whatever he wants. Deep down, I know he’s not who he appears to be.

“Too bad, I don’t care what you say,” he says that and then kisses me.

Kisses me hard, without any warning or waiting for my permission. He grabs my waist and pulls me down into his lap. I place my knees on either side of his and my hands over his neck.

I know his weakness, so I run my fingers through his hair and pull hard at the roots. His throaty groan vibrates through my body, and the kiss becomes more passionate than ever.

He wastes no time and explores my mouth hungrily with his tongue. Our tongues dance in the sweetest way possible, and I’ve been missing this feeling—the feeling of being close to him, missinghim.

His hands enter my top, and I feel his warm fingers on my bare stomach. We pull apart, out of breath, and he uses this exact time to fiddle with the hem of my shirt.

Even though I shouldn’t do it and my mind is constantly telling me to stop, I just can’t. This time, I ignore the voices in my head and go with the flow. I’m not scared.Go big or go home?I guess I’ve made my choice.

Jake tugs the shirt over my head, and I willingly help him get it off faster.

Throwing the shirt down on the floor, he sucks in a breath. “Fuck. Are you planning my murder?”

Confused, I ask him while still breathless. “What?”

I notice his eyes are staring somewhere else, and it hits me that I’m shirtless. I glance down and see for myself. He notices me and places his hand around my waist, trapping me. I quickly cover myself with my hands, and he starts laughing lightly.

“Jesus fucking Christ! Move your hands. I can’t believe you’ve been hiding them this whole time,” he states.

“Are you making fun of me?” I ask him, a little hurt.

“No. I’m not,” he assures me and adds, “You don’t have to hide them. You are flawless. How come you’ve never had a boyfriend? Wait, that means, fucking hell, I’m the first to see you naked.” He smirks.

“Shirtless,” I correct him.

He touches the thin material of the bra. “This sexy, lacy bra barely covers anything.”

My cheeks burn with embarrassment, and I turn away from him, covering myself once again.

He chuckles and turns my face towards his. “I mean it. You are amazing.”

Hearing those words come from him relieves me, and I let go of my hand. His attention falls on my bra again, and I groan, “Stop staring.”

“It’s difficult,” he states that, and I do the one thing that could help me.

I swiftly weave my finger through his hair again and pull his head back, this time a little rougher. His eyes meet mine, and I gaze into those lovely forest-green orbs.

“Eyes up here, Henderson,” I tease him, faking a seductive voice.

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