Page 57 of Serpent & Saviors

“Or sleep a little longer, whatever you need.”

I lay there for another half-hour before I forced myself up. After showering, I put on the ridiculously huge robe again and got ready for the day. I couldn’t stop staring at my face in the mirror as I put my makeup on.

My cheeks hurt from smiling. Out of the corner of my eye, I caught sight of Andrew shirtless after he’d come back from the gym downstairs. I tilted my head and let my mouth curve just enough to be a challenge.

Then I dragged my eyes over him and let them linger. The corner of his mouth twitched, and his expression shifted. A heartbeat later, he stepped over, closing the distance, confidence rolling off him like heat.

Without saying a word, he walked up behind me and brushed my hair over my shoulder. His normally gentle facial expressions changed almost overnight, it seemed. His eyes—deep blue pools of understanding—filled with a darkened, steely gaze. A commanding gaze.

My heart picked up speed as I tried to read him. One hand snaked around my stomach—the other he used to gather my hair—then he pulled my head over, exposing my neck. Our eyes locked in the mirror. He was a man on a mission.

I shivered in his arms. As he kissed my neck, his hand moved down from my stomach to cup my pussy. He grabbed it possessively, causing me to suck in a deep breath. His thumb actively rubbed against the scar he’d marked over.

He was claiming me again, reminding me I now wore his mark. Instinctively, my tired pussy rocked forward, seeking stimulation even though he’d taken care of me a little bit ago. In the blink of an eye, his hand let go of my hair and gripped my throat. My eyes widened. His hand engulfed my neck, and he gave me a gentle squeeze.

Whispering in my ear, he said, “Wear a dress for me.”

And then he let go and walked over to the shower. Gulping, I nodded before walking back to our room. What was happening between us? I wouldn’t say I was falling for him because in so many ways, I’d fallen years ago.

Of course, it was only a concept of him—a pretend version I had created. We’d only spent a few hours together back then, and he was unconscious for most of it. But I hadn’t even really come close to nailing him. He was so much more than I had ever dreamed.

My eyes flicked over to his side of the bed, where the note rested. The cookies were long gone. Pangs of guilt gnawed at my stomach as I eyed the folded paper. Even though I knew virtually nothing about her, betraying her weighed on my conscience.

Did it weigh on him, too?

I flopped down on the bed as doubts and fears swirled in my mind. I could ask him straight out. But I feared his answer. This complexity of the emotions was foreign to me. I never thought I’d be in this place.

I was the other woman.

“That’s a serious face,” Andrew said, startling me.

I jolted as a heat rushed to my cheeks. I dragged myself up onto my elbows. My spine straightened as I pushed my hair back from my face. “I didn’t realize my face was talking. I was just thinking, is all.”

He leaned against the doorframe, arms loose at his sides, expression open and faintly amused. One brow lifted, and a curiosity burned behind his gaze. “Yeah, what about?”

The urge to pinch my thighs was strong, but I took two cleansing breaths. It was strange—being this relaxed with a man.

“Tori, I asked you a question.”

“It’s just that—I don’t know that much about you. I mean, you shared some things at your Nana’s house, but I don’t know…” My voice trailed off.

“Is that all?”

My head whipped up. The softness in his face caught me off-guard. It was as if my seriousness was endearing rather than inconvenient. I wasn’t used to being seen and not judged for it. Emotions kept my words from forming, so I nodded instead.

“Well,” he said, that dimple flexing in his cheek as he grinned, “then it looks like part of our day will be getting to know one another a little…deeper.”

His hand slid to the back of his neck, fingers rubbing there as confusion set in. Now his turn to look lost in whatever storm was brewing inside him.

It was too cute, and I couldn’t let the moment pass. “That’s a serious face,” I mimicked, as a deeply concerning look crept in.

A quiet huff of laughter left him. “I was trying to figure out how best to separate the counselor from the Dom in me. This is unfamiliar territory, truth be told.”

“Hmm.” I tilted my head, pretending to consider that. “The struggle sounds real. Decisions, decisions.” A slow smile curved my lips. “Will you counsel me or dominate me? Looks like you’re the one with options today. Choose wisely.”

His eyes sharpened. “Is that a threat?”

I gasped softly, clutching my chest in mock offence. “No, Sir, I wouldn’t dream of threatening you.”