Page 106 of Grace

They say lying never leads to anything good. But I must keep lying, because people would’ve judged me for being with Chase nine years ago—and they’d judge me even harder now, after everything that happened. The worst part is, I think Chase knew the other half of the truth and kept my secret. He didn’t tell anyone. He protected me and took on the role of the villain.

My eyes can’t let go of his face. My heart is beating at a dangerous pace—it wants to burst from everything I’m feeling, because I want to do exactly what I wanted to do that day: sweep that dark lock out of his eyes, cup his face in my hands, and kiss him. Kiss him until I use up all the air in the world, until my lips and tongue go numb, until I’m completely filled with his taste, his scent, his touch. And that’s the real problem. I could kiss him for as long as I could, and it still wouldn’t feel like it was enough. My brain and heart would both drive me to take more, and more, and more—because I can never get enough of Chase Baker.

My mind flies back to the past, to that old, run-down van.

…

“Then the next step is touching…” he continued, placing the tips of his fingers on the pulsing vein at my temple, then slowly tracing them lower. My body froze. Still, he didn’t do anything indecent. All he did was pull me into that dark whirlpool—the very reason I hated him. I was groggy with the heat, my head felt heavy, swimming, buzzing. My heart began to pound harder, and my lungs seemed to crumple in on themselves. Tiny, salty droplets gathered above my upper lip.

His fingers slowly traced a line along the side of my face, my chin, and down my neck, making the area between my legs tighten painfully. I also felt a pleasant warmth and heaviness in my lower belly. I fell into Chase’s deep brown eyes. His lips were getting alarmingly close as he kept caressing me. Goosebumps broke out along my arms while his fingers moved up and down my bare shoulder. My body reacted to every one of his touches.

“Is something wrong?” he asks, brows furrowed.

“No,” I reply firmly, still wriggling in my seat. Oh, God. I just pissed in a scrub near an apiary. Did I…? “Ouch!”

“Grace.” Chase’s eyes hold real, unmistakable worry. I grab my trousers with shaking hands and shove them down fast.

“It stung me,” I stammer. My skin feels like someone pressed a burning piece of coal to it, especially at the base of my thigh.

“Are you allergic?” he asks, tense. He pulls over to the side of the road.

“No,” I moan, pressing my lips into a tight line. Chase traps the bee in his handkerchief. He looks ready to crush it, but I stop him. “Let it go,” I tell him, “and could you please stop looking at me like that?”

“Like what?” he asks, feigning confusion smugly.

“Like what?” I snap. “Like you want to devour me. You don’t have to play these games with me, Baker,” I hiss through clenched teeth. “Don’t play the good guy. We both know you aren’t.”

“Did you think of me when you were masturbating?”

My breath catches in my throat. I’d blush if my skin weren’t burning up already. For a second, I even forget about the bee sting.

My breath catches in my throat. I’d blush if my skin weren’t already burning up. For a second, I even forget about the bee sting.

“I did,” he adds simply.

“Just shut up and drive,” I growl. I try to pull my trousers back on, but he stops me. “Don’t.” He shakes the bee out of the handkerchief, then tears a strip from one of his T-shirts and pours mineral water over it.

“You’re lucky. The stinger’s already out.”

His breath is fire against my lips. His eyes lock on mine. He presses the cold compress to the sting—I flinch, but it still feels good—cooling the swollen skin. Cold water trickles into my panties and drenches them, teasing the spot that’s been throbbing for days.

“Would you like to touch yourself?” he asks me in a deep, husky voice.

“No,” I snap, almost growling.

“It would help with the pain. Having an orgasm can act as a painkiller, too. The endorphins it releases don’t just make you happy—they ease physical pain, too. They flood your body with so much euphoria the pain can’t hold on.”

“I’m good, thanks.”

His offer is tempting and filthy at the same time.

Another drop of water falls on me, making me shiver and dig my nails into the plush upholstery of the car seat. My heartbeat quickens, and my breasts grow heavy. But fuck sexual attraction and fuck Chase Baker.

“Pull back the tentacles of dark power emanating from your aura, Baker!” I command. My breathing is ragged—I close my eyes when another drop of cool water reaches my burning need.

“No one will know,” he murmurs into my ear in his deep, resonant, arousing voice. “You wouldn’t hurt anyone or betray anyone. You have a right to give yourself pleasure if that’s what your body wants.”

I glare at him—and then melt into the car seat when he slips his finger into my panties.