Page 24 of Bound

Get. It. Together.

“We need to talk.”

Topher slowly nodded. “If this is about the kiss—"

I cut him off before he could get the wrong idea. “It can’t happen again.”

“Because you didn’t like kissing me?” He leaned against the wall. “Or because you liked it too much?”

“This isn’t a game, Topher. I’m dangerous.”

“Are you.” There was an edge to his tone. “So how does it typically work with you, then? You pick up some guy at a club, take him home and use him for the night?”

I said nothing. He pushed away from the wall, coming to stand behind me, so close that I could feel the heat of his breath against the nape of my neck. I suppressed a groan, hard and aching in the confines of my jeans.

“You’re usually with humans.”

I dug my nails into my palms, the scent of him this close suddenly making me dizzy. “It’s safer that way. I’m less worried they’ll imprint on me if something goes wrong, if I slip.”

“But you were with Phoenix.”

It wasn’t a question. His voice was dark, possessive. He leaned in, caging me up against the wall, making no secret of the fact that he wanted this, wanted me. My blood roared with a year’s worth of wicked thoughts I’d been suppressing in his presence. My heart slammed in my chest. A slow smile curved across Topher’s lips when I began to pant. Hell, he was enjoying this.

“That was a long time ago,” I gritted out. “And it was a mistake.”

“You and him, or you and me?”

I couldn’t breathe. “I—"

“Or that kiss we shared back in the alley.”

I closed my eyes. “You’re going to be the death of me.”

Topher traced a strand of hair back behind my ear, the barest touch from that single fingertip causing me to break out in gooseflesh where he’d grazed my skin. “Or the fact that I can feel how you’re so hard for me right now you’re about to come in your jeans?”

“Shut up,” I said through clenched teeth, shoving him away.

He smirked when a flush crept into my cheeks. “You think you’re the only one who’s been fighting it? You think I don’t know how much pain you’re in? We’re bonded. Pretty sure I can think of one simple way to relieve the pressure.”

“I can’t sleep with you. Things back in the alley went too far and that’s on me, but you and me hooking up is a line I won’t cross.”

“Because you think you’re the only one who feels this thing between us?”

“Doesn’t matter. We can’t do this. I’m… you’re—”

“I’m what?”

“Off limits.”

“Am I.”

“This is wrong. I won’t… use you.”

“Maybe I don’t mind being used.”

Suddenly all I could see was how dark his pupils were, utterly feral, hungry with need. “I shift every night I’m not working. I lock the windows, pull the blinds, shove that bookcase over there in front of the door just in case. I work out. I meditate. I touch myself. And it’s never enough. Nothing I do is ever enough to get you out of my head.”

“Which is exactly why we can’t do this.”