Page 41 of Depraved

“I’ve decided to stop pretending I’m sane,” I tease. “I think you like it that you make me crazy.”

She huffs. “You’re infuriating when you smirk at me.”

I chuckle. “You like that, too.”

“You’re more arrogant than you used to be,” she observes. “Has anyone ever told you vanity is an undesirable trait?”

“I’m not vain. I just can’t help feeling like the strongest man in the world when you’re in my arms.”

We enter the ensuite bathroom that’s attached to our bedroom, and I regretfully set her down so I can retrieve the first aid kit from under the sink.

“Take out that contact lens,” she commands. “It’s freaking me out.”

I blink and look in the mirror.

Shit.

She didn’t only recognize me in the woods because of the way I was holding her—like I used to when we were teenagers.

One of my colored contacts was knocked out when she hit me with the clock.

I grimace, but I can’t regret what’s happening between us.

Now that she’s looking at me with full recognition, I never want to hide my true self from her again.

I quickly remove the lens and toss it away.

She’s staring at me with something like awe.

She caresses my cheek, soft fingers tracing the lines of my newly crafted features from the reconstructive surgery.

“It really is you,” she breathes, peering into my eyes.

I press my palm against the back of her hand, trapping her where she’s touching my cheek.

She blinks, but her voice is still breathy when she demands, “Clean that cut and wash the blood off your face. I don’t want you getting an infection.”

“So bossy,” I approve. “Anything you command, I obey.”

She lets out an exasperated sigh and pulls away, but a small smile curves her lush lips. “Stop teasing me and take care of yourself. I’d do it for you, but I don’t really know how.”

I start cleaning the wound. “You like that I obey you, too. You want me to pretend to be in charge, but you love that I’m weak for you.”

She shakes her head, but that smug smile ticks up at the corners.

“It’s been years since we were together. You don’t know anything about what I like.”

I don’t wince when I seal the small cut on my forehead with medical glue. Nothing could hurt me right now.

“You told me all your darkest secrets, remember?” I drawl in the deeper voice I used as Bones. “I know exactly how to make you drop to your knees for me.”

She shivers in wicked delight but taps my nose in reprimand. “See what I mean? Unbearably arrogant.”

I step towards her, trapping her against the counter. Her lips part on a sharp gasp, and her pupils dilate.

“Get undressed,” I order. “I’m not the only one who needs to get cleaned up.”

My blood is drying on her hands and her shoulder. There are a few twigs in her hair from when I pinned her in the dirt.