Page 46 of Jerk

She lets out a sigh when I apply the ointment to the burn. “You’re careful. You never cut me. You never make me bleed. Is… is this something you do with other girls? Some game you play?”

“No.”

“Then what is it?”

I shrug. “I used to hunt with my father.” Her warm skin feels good on my fingers as I rub the ointment into the burn. “He taught me how to skin an animal. It takes a lot of patience.” Her skin is hot under my fingers, spreading through my hand, up my arms.

“Is that what you want to do?Skinme?”

“You know what I want to do.”

“Own me?” She asks it mockingly.

“You like it.” I know she does. I felt it. “Do we need a safe word for next time?”

“Nexttime?”

“How about ‘White Flag’? Whenever you want to surrender, say it, and I’ll be nice.” There’s no oil left on my finger and, at this point, I’m just rubbing her back.

“There won’t be a next time.”

“There will. You’ll piss me off again, and I’ll want to punish you. Wouldn’t want you to be a baby about getting hurt.”

“If you wanted to hurt me, you would.”

“Who says I won’t?” My voice lowers, Hannah’s body stiffening. I notice when she squeezes her thighs together as my lips lower to her skin again. “Who says I won’t still make you plead for mercy?” My lips land on her burn, her skin warm and soft. I don’t miss when her hand turns into a fist, like she’s fighting something. “Except I’m not Vince. I don’t ever give you anything you don’t want.” I kiss her back again, her spine giving me a trail to trace.

“Rye,” she sighs, but I’m not sure if it’s a warning or a plea. I keep going, my kisses leading to her ass. Pushing her shirt up a little more, my lips land on each of her soft, supple cheeks, and it only makes me want to bury my face between them. Hannah’s body tenses and releases with each kiss as my hands come to her ass. The urge to make these cheeks as red as the ones on her faceovertakes me, and I slap my hands against her skin. Her back arches. “Rye…”

“I like when you say the name of who controls you.” My lips hover right above that crease, and maybe I’m still drunk or high, but I want more. “Tell me you want me to stop, and I will.”

Buzzzz! Buzzzz! Buzzzz!

The Jaws theme song plays from her phone, beside us on the island.

Hannah’s head pops up, her shirt slipping down to where my hands grip her ass. My eyes move to the lit-up screen, reading the name.

Mother.

“Shit.” Hannah pulls away as she reaches for her phone. She glances at me, biting her nail. “Ma, hi.”

My muscles are tighter than Coach’s drills as I turn to the stove. I try to keep cool, acting like it’s normal to open a carton of eggs in the Alfonso lake house. Despite the rumble in my stomach, I can’t concentrate on making breakfast. My fists clench against the counter, my jaw tight, my dick hard.

What the fuck wasthat?

Kissing Hannah’s back? Rubbing it?

Caringfor her? When she ruined my life?

“Yes, the lake house was the only place I could go.” Looking over my shoulder, Hannah glances at me, then lowers her voice, but I can still make out the rest of her words. “You kicked me out.” She turns her back to me before her voice rises again. “In thirty minutes? Wh—okay. I’ll see you soon.”

Hannah’s right. Why am I still here?

Why is my heart still pounding?

Why can’t I unclench my jaw?

“Rye?” A finger comes to my shoulder, Hannah tapping it. “We have to clean this up. Now.”