Page 61 of Lured By Shadows

I knew he was going to hold that over me forever.

I reached out and yanked my phone from his hand.

“It was accidental! What happened to ‘I don’t have to apologize, and my touch wasn’t unwelcome?’”

He chuckled, his eyes bright with recognition.

“It’s not. But I do enjoy teasing you. I find you adorable when you flounder in anger and embarrassment.”

I thumped my foot against the ground, arms still crossed tightly over my chest. His teasing made calming down nearly impossible.

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll file a sexual harassment complaint against you?”

Which was, admittedly, harder to threaten while actively blushing.

His eyes flicked up in surprise, but the smile on his lips only widened. Instead of answering, he closed the distance again. The backs of my knees hit the chair before I stumbled down into it. He loomed over me, forcing all the air from my lungs before I could recover properly.

Then he leaned down.

His expression shifted, the teasing softening into something almost affectionate as he looked at me. The sudden change made my body squirm beneath his gaze. Culver moved closer, bracing his hands against either side of the chair before dragging it forward until he stood between my spread legs. I grabbed onto his shoulders without thinking, needing something solid to steady myself.

My nipples were definitely visible through my shirt, and I caught his eyes flicking downward briefly before returning to mine.

“No, I cannot say that I am,” he finally answered, fingers curling around the expensive wood of the chair. “In fact, I know you wouldn’t.”

“You don’t know that,” I growled, tightening my grip on his shoulders, which he barely seemed to notice. “Plus, this is all sexual harassment.”

“It cannot be harassment if you enjoy it.” That felt legally incorrect.

His eyes darkened with something unmistakable. “And want it.”

Fuck. He didn’t know that. And somehow, he absolutely did.

My attention caught briefly on the rosary tucked against his clothing. It shimmered beneath the room’s light, making me wonder if he was religious, if he actually believed in God. The thought lingered quietly in my mind, curious but strangely personal, so I kept it to myself instead of asking.

When I looked around again, I realized everyone had already disappeared from the room, including my own mother.

They had left me here alone with this pervert.

This stupid pervert I was reacting way too strongly toward.

“Do you have any boundaries in your bones?” I grumbled, squirming against his hold while I stayed trapped in the chair.

The answer was clearly no.

He dragged his tongue across his teeth, which looked slightly sharper than I remembered.

“Yes… and no. It depends on the person.”

“So you’re saying you’ve got no boundaries when it comes to me?” I furrowed my brows, and only then did he finally step back.

“Something of the sort.” When he held his hand out, I took it without hesitation.

That seemed to please him, as though I’d just confirmed something he already believed.

“Still, we hardly know each other. And I’m just—” I cut myself off before finishing.

“You keep saying that.” Culver lifted his hand to my cheek. “What is so wrong about this when we are getting to know each other?”