“Whoa,” I say. “Whoa, whoa—hey!”
We’re notnotalone, but the salle is huge, huge andechoey, and I am not…
She looks up. And damn, but that’s a nice angle.
One I haven’t seen her from before.
I swallow.
“C’mere,” I say, softer, extending my hand. “Get up.”
“Why?”
“Just…come on.” I offer my hand again. “You don’t have to.”
Her eyes narrow again. Her lips all scrunched. Pouting? “I know I don’thaveto.”
She fingers my fly.
Christ. I clamp my fingers over my mouth, adrenaline dumping into my bloodstream as I watch her undo the button, tug down the zipper.
Because a sexually liberated Gwenna Vale is not something I’m prepared to handle.
Not something I really deserve.
“Hey,” I say—shout, as she’s pushing down the waist of my jeans. “Hey!”
Now she pulls back. “You want me to stop?” Her tone is serious now—like she’ll call it off.
No, I think.No, no, of course I don’t.
I shake my head. “Not—it’s not that. It’s just?—”
“Oh.” Her eyes flash. “It’s just that you’ll lose all respect for me if I do this.”
Goddammit. I vigorously shake my head, swiping an arm through the air for good measure. “No. Absolutely not.”
“Then?” She runs a fingertip down my hip. Towards my inner thigh. “What?”
I have lost the faculty of speech. “Um…”
You can’twantto do this, Gwenna.
Not for me.
That’s what.
“Kai.” Her voice goes soft. Dangerous. And just a little too curious. “When was the last time someone did something nice for you?”
“Uh.”You want me to round up to the nearest decade?I think. I have no idea. Not recently. I hedge. “I mean, I’m here, aren’t I? Fancy shit, fancy life.”
“Not likethat.” There’s a tiny edge of exasperation in her voice now. And god damn, those eyes of hers. “Not with strings attached. Just…you know. Because.”
She lifts up on her knees just enough to kiss the edge of my hip.
Fuck.
“I can’t…” I manage aloud. Can’t what? Can’t remember? Can’t do this?
