Page 34 of Touch Me

“It's not pity.” She steps closer. “It’s empathy.”

“Well, I don’t want that either.”

“Okay,” she whispers. “What do you want?”

“I don’t know.” I turn, shifting my gaze until I'm staring at concerned green eyes and beautiful soft skin. “I know I want you to stay.”

“Even if that increases your chances of... discomfort?”

“Well, now that you know, it should be easier to avoid.”

“Right.” She purses her lips and nods. “Can we negotiate the terms?”

I can’t help the tug of a grin pulling at my lips. “You have conditions?”

“Just three.” She holds up three fingers and smirks. “Not that I have grounds to barter, considering I’m staying here rent-free, but still.”

“You’ve thought of three conditions already?” I sigh. “Fine, hit me.”

“First, you don’t get to run away and hide anymore. Not only does avoidance not help the situation, but this is your home.”

“You’re right. I can handle that one.” I hold up one finger, conceding and giving her a point. “What else?”

“Second, if at any time my being here causes too much disruption, you tell me. You’ve done me a huge favor, and I couldn’t handle it if I caused you any pain or discomfort.” She rocks back and forth on her heels and tugs at her hoodie. “Be honest with me. I can find another place to stay.”

I hold up another finger and smile. “Okay.”

Never gonna happen.

“Last, I’m willing to help. With,” she makes a few wild circles with her hands in between us, “you know, the touching.” A blush paints her face and she drops her gaze as she wrings her hands. “If and when you feel like you might want to try, you tell me. If that doesn’t happen, that's fine.” She clasps her hands behind her and rocks back on her heels again—God, she’s fucking adorable.“Just, uh, tell me if you do.” Her eyes dart around the room before she sits back down on the couch.

I train my eyes on hers, noting the flicker of something like nervousness within them. We hold each other’s gaze for a silent minute. Images of her hand in mine flash before me. My face buried in her neck. Her sitting atop me with her hands pushing on my chest.

I groan deep in my throat and she tries to hide a grin. “Deal.”

“Okay then. Well, since I’ve been sitting in the dark for hours waiting for you to emerge from your cave, I’m going to bed.”

She stands and reaches her arms over her head, stretching with a noise that sounds too much like a moan and goes straight to my dick. With her tits pushed out and her back arched, I can almost picture what she would look like under me with my cock buried in her lush body.

“Right. Goodnight,” I mumble, eyes trained on the floor.

She stifles a yawn as she walks past me. “Goodnight.”

“Hey, Cassie?”

“Yeah?” She pauses to look back at me from the hallway.

“Uh, thanks, you know, for listening,” I say, meeting her eyes for a split second.

“Of course.” She smiles and disappears down the hallway.

I've got a choice to make. Either I give this touching thing a shot or tell her to leave. She has a point. Overexposure has helped me overcome some of the other obstacles. But the other issues don’t cause me nearly as much distress. The images of her beneath me flit through my mind and my dick definitely wants me to give it a try. But if it doesn’t work, she has to leave. Just the thought of her being right here with no chance of ever touching her is torture. If she leaves, I’ll continue to lead the life I had set out for. Here, in this apartment, by myself.

But, damn, if she doesn’t make me want to try.

TEN

SPREAD OUT LIKE A SUNDAY BRUNCH

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