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Tahlia was worth the risk.

“Yes.”

“Tahlia isn’t my real name.” She let out a shaky breath.

Hunger hooked deep in my soul. Of course, Tahlia wasn’t her real name, but now I needed to know what it was.

“That’s smart. There are people out there who would take advantage of you. I hope you know I’m not one of them.”

There was a rustle through the screen, and Tahlia took a deep breath.

“Lloyd.”

“Yes?”

“I’m about to ask you something stupid, but do you want me?”

“Always.” My stomach clenched.

6

Tully

Do you want me?

What was I thinking right now? My lungs hurt but I couldn’t manage large breaths. I picked up the jacket Fenella flung at me days ago and scrunched it between my hands. I was supposed to clean it along with her laundry, but couldn’t bring myself to wash the scent off.

Trashy and cheap. She’d sneered at me, and I’d fought the urge to argue with her. If it was so terrible, why did she insist on borrowing anything of mine to begin with? The scents were fading, melding with mine and somehow that made it worse. Teeth aching bubblegum. My fingers grappled with the material, pressing it closer. Sweet, salt, and something fresh that sparked a long-buried memory. Was I imagining things, or was there some hazelnut and coffee as well?

Heat pulsed between my legs, and slick soaked my panties. All I wanted to do was slide under my covers and trace the quivering flesh of my thighs. The brush of my fingers was almost too much, after so long.

“Always,” Lloyd replied.

There was a devotion in his voice that couldn’t be faked. Could it? I wanted to open up to Lloyd and let him help carry my burdens. Everything he’d said earlier just made my insides soft with more longing.

“I think about you all the time,” I admitted.

It was an act of madness. But ever since he broke through my defenses and promised he wanted to get to know me, things changed. I wanted his husky voice to lull me to sleep, to wake in the morning to his blurry, handsome face. The numbness inside had taken over everything, and I didn’t realize until Lloyd made mefeelagain.

“Good thoughts?” I wanted to taste the hitch in his breath from the outside.

I replied, before I could second-guess myself. “Dangerous ones.”

I played with the hem of my plain pajamas and sank into his widening pupils. His pink cheeks would feel good pressed against my skin. Lloyd reached across his bed and pulled a cushion across his groin.

“Tell me. I want to know everything about you,” he said, breathless.

Foolish, reckless thoughts rattled against my skull. Fluttered in my stomach. Seized my lungs. Wasn’t this better than the endless cold nothing I’d been subsisting on? Did it matter if I gave in? As soon as I raised the money, I would be on my way to Astaly, and Lloyd would be a distant memory.

Would it be so bad to give in to my desires? My eyelids flickered, chasing pleasure. I didn’t answer, instead, I slid myfingers between my legs. Heat pulsed through the cotton. I swallowed a moan as I rubbed the heel of my hand on my clit.

This was so stupid. But the sparks built, and I sucked in a sharp breath.

“Fuck. Honey girl. That wasn’t what I meant, don’t start something if—” he bit off with a curse, eyes glued to my hand.

My heel pressed against my tender nub, warring with the need to chase an orgasm and wanting to draw out the perfect torture. Prickles coasted over my skin, and every nerve ending fired. The lingering scents from the jacket set fire to my skin. The flame chased out cobwebs from my insides.

“If what?”