Page 78 of Haunted Spurs

"Well?" he presses, undeterred, completely ignoring my attempt to sidestep. His thumb moves, caressing my bare shoulder.

I drop my gaze to the duvet.

"I guess you can laugh at me now," I whisper.

Ron's hand stops. His playful expression vanishes instantly. "Why on earth would I laugh at you, Selene?"

I bite my lower lip, hating feeling so exposed. "Because... I mean, I'm pathetic enough to have never had that done to me before."

A heavy silence falls between us.

Then, Ron props himself up on his side. He cups my chin with two fingers, forcing me to lift my face to meet his gaze.

"If anything," he says, his voice low and hardened with palpable contempt, "the real pathetic ones are the men you've been with until now. They have absolutely no idea what they missed out on."

His thumb caresses my cheekbone.

"And besides..." he murmurs, a lopsided smirk pulling at his lips again, "in a way, I'm incredibly happy that I was the first and only one to make you feel like that. I don't like to share."

My lips part, my heart skipping a beat.

"You're definitely way too soft and sweet to say something like that and sound believable, new-cowboy."

His smile turns into a feral grin. "Wait until you see me if someone touches my woman, and then we'll talk."

Thump.

A sharp, powerful hit right to the center of my heart.

My woman.

I know it's not true. I know I'm not his woman. But... it feels amazingly good to feel like I am. Even if it's just for tonight. For this single night in the dark, I want to be his woman.

Suddenly, Ron moves.

He pulls me against him, grabbing me by the waist, pressing my back flush against his chest and wrapping his arms around my stomach, tucking me perfectly against him.

I gasp in surprise, his warm breath tickling the nape of my neck.

"W-what are you doing?" I stammer, my body a bundle of nerves.

"Getting my cuddles," he murmurs, burying his face in my hair, squeezing me a little tighter against him.

And in the rain-cradled silence, our unwritten pact is made. I don't dare point out that he's the one clearly cuddling me. And he, for his part, has the good sense and tact not to point out that I'm not pushing him away at all. That I broke my own rule and am abandoning myself to the heat of his skin without putting up the slightest resistance.

And we fall asleep like that. Tangled together.

Or, at least... I do.

24

Who Has the Best Ass?

Selene

I'm leaning against the marble island, surrounded by Carolina, Indya, and Emma. Usually, I abhor group settings. I always feel like a mismatched puzzle piece, perpetually out of place amidst the female dynamics of giggles and shared secrets. And yet... miraculously, taking a sip of water from my glass, I realize just how comfortable I'm actually starting to feel with them.

They are weird. Totally weird, and... maybe that helps.