Page 89 of Burning Ember

Her words hit home as they were intended to. My eyes run over her flushed face, her cheekbones, her pert nose, and chin. Now I see all the differences between her and my ex, not the similarities. Doll is soft, warm, and full of life. Dana was hard and cold—like Griz said—she was fighting to hold off the reaper. One rose was black, wilted, and sick. The other is vibrant, healthy, red, and hasn’t even fully bloomed yet.

“At first I couldn’t help but see Dana every time I looked at you. That’s not a problem anymore.” My gaze continues down her slim neck and I wince when I see the small flesh-colored bandage, the one that tells me Doc’s been here to see her.

She snaps her fingers and draws my attention back to her face. Scowling, she asks, “What’s changed?”

Me . . .

I rub my hand over my mouth and then meet her penetrating stare. “You’re not the only one reeling from last night. Believe it or not, I don’t go around hurting women, Doll.”Especially not the ones I respect and am attracted to.

When she doesn’t say anything, I go on. “I know I’ve been a complete asshole, but that stops today. I’m done lettin’ the past cloud my judgment when it comes to you.”

“What about the next time you hear something or have a few drinks and—”

“Not even then.”

“I don’t believe you, Luce.”

The name hits the air and charges it somehow. Impulse takes over and I take rapid strides to eliminate the distance between us. I can’t stand it, being this far from her when she’s throwing that temper around like it’s a whip.

Doll’s breath catches. She backs away.

I’m all primal need as I stalk her. My attempt to have tact and patience is long forgotten.

She nearly trips over her shoes on the floor, but straightens. After sweeping her hair from her eyes, her gaze locks with mine. Her eyes spark with panic, but there’s heat there too. She wants me. Maybe she doesn’t want to want me, but she does all the same.

The knowledge that this undeniable attraction flows both ways makes the last of my control crumble and fall away. This is how it was meant to be the day we met. The day I pinned her against the wall and felt the proof of her reaction to me between her legs. The day she sunk her claws into me and left an impression on me. An impression I haven’t been able to shake.

I should have kissed her then. God knows I wanted to.

She retreats until her back hits the wall behind her. As I close in, she presses her small hands to my chest.

I smirk because does she honestly think that’s going to stop me? She weighs nothing. I could have her over my shoulder and in my room, thrown on my bed and under me in a matter of seconds. I’d have her in a fog in no time. Be balls deep before she could even utter a word. The visual has my cock throbbing. Being inside her would be the sweetest kind of heaven.

“Mav, what are you doing?”

I flash her my devilish grin, one I haven’t used in years. “If you don’t want me to touch you, tell me to stop.”

Unable to contain my own desperation for her, I grab her hands and pin them to the wall beside her head. I stand so close, our body heat bounces off one another. The space in between hot enough to heat a kiln. Her chest rises and falls rapidly. She closes her eyes and turns her head. After raking in a shuddering breath, her voice shakes as she whispers, “Please stop.”

But there’s lust laced through those two words and in the next moment, she licks her lip.

I press my body flush with hers. She bites back a moan. I skim my nose over her ear. “Nah, Doll. Say it like you mean it. If you can honestly tell me you don’t want this, I’ll stop.”

She opens her mouth, but then closes it. Tries again only to swallow thickly.She can’t do it.

Her perfect tits are hitting the top of my abs. My dick is straining against her stomach and her scent surrounds me. She smells like flowers and I need to know if she tastes like them too.

Her breasts are dotted with cinnamon spots. Spots I’m dying to trace and explore with my mouth, but not yet. Instead, I brush my lips over her ear and watch her shiver. Then I trail them softly to her neck and further to her collarbone.

Goosebumps break out all over her skin and she whimpers.

I say gruffly, “Even when looking at you made the pain more real, and had all the memories slammin’ into me, tearin’ me apart, I wanted you. You shifted my world from the moment you walked in to it.”

Her body melts against mine and within seconds she’s putty waiting to be molded any way I need her. I grind my erection into her and she moans. I take her submission as the invitation it is and work my way back up to her ear. “I don’t want to hurt you again, Doll. Hurting you is startin’ to hurt me and I’d rather make you feel good. Make us both feel good. Tell me you want me to.”

I back away for a minute and her body follows mine, seeking it out.

“Tell me,” I say again.