Page 17 of Hunt Me (The Skulls #1)

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Fauna

I swear I ’ m giving myself whiplash, and the Skull that is humming away to himself down the other end of this open-plan office is the reason.

What — emphasis on the fuck — am I doing?

I ’ m tempting fate, that ’ s what.

One. He is a stranger, someone I haven ’ t even known a day.

Two. He is a Skull, as in the walking nightmares everyone has told us about.

And three. Have I just suddenly forgotten about how the girls are waiting for me? They are relying on me, and I ’ m out here playing a game of chase with a psychopathic killer.

But the image of hot running water washes all those points and more down the drain.

Is it stupid of me to ignore all of the prior warnings about the dangers I am putting myself in?

I mean, the first thing my mum taught me was ‘ don ’ t go with a strange man you don ’ t know.

No matter what nice things he tries to tempt you with . ’

I bet she didn ’ t have in mind that the ‘ nice ’ thing would be a hot shower.

I ’ ve never been good at listening to what others tell me to do. And the thought of hot water cascading down my body has me feeling all tingly and giddy just thinking about it.

Fuck it if he actually follows through on this hot shower business I ’ d be inclined to let him kill me as a thank you.

I ’ ve definitely got issues.

Issues so big I nearly kissed him mask and all. Luckily, a switch in me came on, forcing me to my senses, because if it hadn ’ t, maybe I ’ d have gone through with it. He'd have ripped his mask off as I wrapped my arms around his strong shoulders.

Ergh, I internally swoon.

It ’ s been a while since we last spoke, but I ’ ve managed to catch a few discreet looks Ruaridh ’ s way as he ’ s been working.

His mask has been set aside, allowing me to get a good look at his dark hair and fresh stubble.

The way his shirt bunches up around his biceps and the small grunts he lets out as he does whatever it is over there.

Though the last time I peeked a glance his way, he ’ d caught me. A returning cocky grin he had spread across his face was enough for me to know he ’ d caught me red handed. I ’ d all too quickly turned away to break the searing eye contact between us.

There was no way he could have noticed the way I ’ d clenched my legs in response, but the flush that had spread across my cheeks felt like a dead giveaway.

It ’ s been that long since I ’ ve had anything physical with another. I ’ m not even afraid to admit the clear reactions I ’ m having after being celibate for so long. Well, I ’ m not scared to admit it to myself, but the still-smirking Skull over there is a different story.

Not that we ’ re spoiled for choice out there in the apocalypse, and as much as I find the girls beautiful, I ’ m just not attracted to them in that way. Not that any of them are attracted to me anyway. Amelia and Izzy have some form of a relationship, but that ’ s between them.

Hell, we don ’ t even have the privilege of batteries to waist on vibrators.

So, really, it ’ s pretty understandable that I want to climb Ruaridh like a tree.

I mentally slap myself. That ’ s a big no no you fucking idiot. He ’ s a Skull!

Keep your hands to yourself.

I was given fingers for a reason for fucks sake. Stop being ungrateful.

I look down at my hand and grimace. Long are gone the days of moisturised hands and cute nails. Now, it's dried-out calluses and a coating of substances that I do not want to allow my mind to wander to are caked across both hands, with dirt wedged under my chipped nails.

Once I've had an hour-long scrub, I ’ ll be good as new, rearing to go.

Yes, I smile to myself — great plan Fauna, genius.

Ruaridh lets out a groan from behind me and I can feel as my brain works overtime, ordering each and every cell to abandon all rational thoughts and instead run straight to side with my irrational pussy.

For fucks sake. My own body isn ’ t even on my side.

As if it's trying to prove a point, my head swivels on its own accord — little people pulling the strings like that rat did cooking inside the guy's white hat I remember watching as a kid.

My lips pop open as I take in the sight before me.

Ruaridh is stood at his full height, forearm straining with his finger in his mouth.

Sucking.

Rest in peace to my flaming underwear.

I pull my bottom lip between my teeth, biting down with such force as I watch his brows furrow in what seems like pain.

Then the tip of his finger pops free of those glistening lips, and his tongue darts out to wet them as he inspects what seems like a burn on the tip of his finger.

Ruaridh sighs, shaking his head.

A slight noise escapes from my lips. A squeak, maybe? The way I have my lip pinched between my teeth must have changed something because what the fuck am I doing squeaking at a man, pussy dripping wet because he ’ s burnt his damn finger.

Like really girl, pull yourself together and act like the strong ass bitch you are. Didn ’ t survive all these years of the apocalypse to start getting wet over a guy and a finger in his mouth.

Unfortunately, Ruaridh has the hearing of some form of hybrid human and guess what? He heard me. And, of course, that signature grin he has is back in place as he turns to look at me.

‘ Is my Faun enjoying the view? ’ he asks, voice low and seductive.

I scoff out a ‘ you wish ’ as I walk his way.

If he ’ s burned himself, then that means there's heat, and when there ’ s heat, there ’ s potential for hot water. I almost have a skip in my step at the thought as I hurry my way towards him.

In an attempt to compose myself and regain the respect my body has just lost in front of him, I decide to go for an appropriate jab, and his being a wimp is the perfect opportunity. ‘ Didn ’ t realise Skull ’ s are such big babies, ’ nodding down to his finger.

He chuckles before speaking, his voice low and suggestive. ‘ You have no idea what I ’ m like. What I can be like. ’

Is he flirting with me, or am I just delusional?

A chorus of little voices inside my head all scream yes. And as if he can hear them himself, he arches a brow my way.

He ’ s flirting with me .

It might have been a while… okay, more than a while since I ’ ve seen an attractive man, never mind one I ’ d allowed my mind to wander in the direction of sleeping with. But still, this, whatever is crackling between us, is something.

My mind flashes back to how my heart raced as I took off away from him, running, giggling like a fucking lunatic. For some fucked reason I wasn ’ t scared like I should have been. Maybe that ’ s down to my numbed reactions to danger. Most instances can be put down to that.

When Ruaridh was chasing me, I wasn ’ t numb at all. Everything felt on fire, anticipation thrummed through my veins as I ’ d internally squealed like a loved-up school girl.

Again what the fuck am I doing and who am I? Crushing on a man in the apocalypse, I tut, of all things it had to be a man and not just any basic ass bitch man either it had to be a Skull.

The girls are going to kill me.

We ’ d collectively sworn off men after the last betrayal.

Eloise is still pretty caught up on it. He broke her heart after all.

So Isla and I went ahead and broke his neck in return.

It had took us a couple of days to track the pathetic piece of shit down but in the end it had been worth it.

Of course, Eloise doesn ’ t know that, though.

She hasn ’ t spoken about him since we left to track him, so we decided to leave it until she ’ s ready to talk about it.

‘ You like to be in your head, don ’ t you? ’ Ruaridh ’ s voice pulls me back to the present.

I blink my eyes back into focus and find him standing closer than before, his body slightly hunched as if he ’ s trying to get a better look at me.

If I ’ d thought better of him and didn ’ t know how disgustingly ruthless his people are, I ’ d take his look for concern. He ’ s probably got something in his eye and doesn ’ t want to wipe it out. Toxic masculinity Skull stuff, that ’ s it.

I hum.

‘ Come on then, the waters ready. I was going to tell you, but I assume all your snooping means you already know. ’ He grins, his straight white teeth glinting back at me.

Who knew teeth could make a girl feel all types of things.

I ’ m definitely fucked up in the head.

The bloody apocalypse is turning me crazy.

I half-hum, half-moan in response. I ’ ll put the latter down to the thought of hot water and not the man in front of me.

Luckily, Ruaridh just laughs and walks to the shower curtains across from what must be the boiler he ’ d burnt himself on.

I don ’ t know what I ’ d expected, but it hadn ’ t crossed my mind that I would be showering right next to him.

Fuck.

I can ’ t shower next to this guy. I ’ m not shy about my body; that ship sailed long ago between the girls and me. You don ’ t live with seven women in a tiny shelter for an entire winter and still keep your modesty.

But this guy? This man-made-of-muscle getting naked next to me has my thighs clenching all over again.

Ruaridh must feel my inner turmoil as he glances back at me, chuckling again. I swear all this guy does is laugh at me.

‘ There are separate cubicles, ’ he says and then rips the curtain back to reveal separate showers all divided by blue plastic sheets.

I pull my lower lip between my teeth, taking it all in.

There are five different cubicles, all in a row.

The curtains, or plastic dividers shall I say, are tall enough that his six foot something will not be able to see me over the top, but this still seems like a flimsy barrier between our naked bodies.

That thought should be sending terror through me. But what is actually running through me could not be any different. The wetness between my legs, the hot flush I feel at my cheeks that I ’ m surprised he ’ s not drawn attention to yet definitely do not scream terror or worry.