Page 275 of Sorrow & Strangers

“Or when I can feel how wet the front of my pants are from your need? Friends is not the word I would use in this moment.”

I flush with embarrassment. “Fuck. I can clean them . . .” I move to sit up, but accidentally brush my hand over his cock, feeling the moisture I’ve left there.

The stranger grabs my hand. “You are in very dangerous territory,” he says, that addictive danger I love, lining his voice.

“Can I help?” I ask.

“It’s impossible to hear you ask that when all I can think about is how it felt when your lips were wrapped around my cock,” he growls, and I can barely breathe, the memory playing in my own mind. “Tell me to take you back.”

“Fuck. We need to go,” I grate out.

He snarls but rolls out of bed, lifting me to my feet before opening another portal back to our meadow.

Chapter One Hundred Twelve

Summer

With my eyes still adjusting from the blindfold as I walk through campus, the early morning sun nearly blinds me. I am disgusted with myself for being so weak when it comes to him, and I can’t even blame him. All that just happened because of me. I promised him I would spill his blood, but that was before I felt how deeply I missed him. I’d reflected a lot while we were apart, and with every day, my fury with him eased. Because with every day that I didn’t hear from him, I got more and more jealous. What if he were with another female? Touching her, kissing her, fucking her.

Even now rage bubbles inside me at the thought. Honestly, I know that if I found out that he was with someone else, I would do more than break her arm, and I hate that about myself.

I spend the whole morning trying not to think of him, and by the time lunch comes around, I’m relieved to see Max sitting at the table. I’m excited to settle into my more rational self as I sit next to him.

Max smiles at me. “So,” he begins, dread filling me for whatever is coming. “Rafe is missing. And so is Mira.”

I sigh. “He said he was going to be patient.”

Max nods. “But he’s stupid and in love.” Max takes a bite of his sandwich. “Hopefully, she’s smart.”

“One can hope. Have you seen Alice?”

“Leo neither,” Max says, shaking his head.

“Fuck it. I’m going to cut this afternoon. I’m not in the mood,” I say, slumping a little.

Max snorts. “What a star student.”

I quirk a brow at him.

“Want a ditch partner?” Max asks with a cocky smirk.

My lips twitch. “Let’s go.”

Max stands and offers me his hand, dragging me out of the cafeteria and leading me to his place. We’re mostly silent on the walk. It’s not comfortable like it used to be with Connor, but it’s companionable. The second the door to his apartment is open, he pulls me close. His mouth covers mine, and I return the kiss easily as he backs me into the room and kicks the door closed behind him.

Max yanks at his tie and shrugs off his jacket, deepening the kiss. Suddenly, thoughts of the stranger flash into my mind, and I jerk back.

Max freezes midway through unbuttoning his shirt. “What is it?”

I shake my head, trying to banish the stranger from my mind. Smiling at Max, I kiss him again, enjoying the taste of his moan. He pushes my blazer aside before starting on my necktie. I curl my fingers into the waistband of his slacks and pull him against me. Max cups my thighs and lifts me, carrying me across the room. He drops me onto the mattress, and I laugh as I bounce lightly against the springs. Max follows me down, and I open my thighs for him, bringing my knees to his hips as he settles on top of me.

I moan, but then thoughts of the stranger flood my mind again, his hands, his lips, how his weight felt against me this morning. I turn away from the kiss again, but Max doesn’t seem to notice. He trails his lips down my neck, and I tilt my head for him, but my mind is still on the stranger. I stare up at the ceiling, playing out what would have happened if we hadn’t stopped.

Max glides his hands up my thighs, and his fingers tangle in the lace of my panties, about to pull them down.

“Max, wait,” I say. I can’t do this, not when I’m thinking of him. Shit, why can’t I stop thinking about him?

Max stops immediately and looks down at me, his face etched in concern.