Page 8

Chapter Eight

She twists me up inside like a pretzel without even being aware of it. Hell, the power this woman has… -Levi

What the hell am I doing? I know better than this. I’ve been doing this long enough to know how to stay hidden anywhere, even in the most obvious of places. Hiding in a crowded club should be beyond easy.

But I couldn’t seem to turn away from her. She’s like a magnet I can’t help but move towards. If I can’t see her, something within me panics. And here I am, looking like a dumbass, because for a moment I wanted her to see me too. I wanted to see if this attraction works both ways, or if I’m the only one that could possibly feel this pull between us. Judging by the way she looked at me, she did feel something. Part of me feels triumph. The idiotic, doesn’t want to keep his job, part.

I turn quickly back to the bar and slam my glass down so that I can get the hell out of dodge. I need to find another place to watch her, a more discreet place, where she doesn’t notice the darkness that follows her everywhere.

“Not much of a drinker, huh?” her sweet voice sends vibrations of lust down my spine. Shit and double shit.

“Nope,” I say and try not to turn around. But I fail, again. I have to look at my girl. See her up close. This may be the closest I ever get to her.

My breath gets caught in my throat when I realize she’s pressed up very fucking close to me. She’s being pushed in even more by the crowd. Her golden hair hangs around her shoulders in waves and that black dress she wears…fuck me, what a dress. I wondered who she wore it for tonight. Wondered if some other guy would get to take it slowly off her delicious body. And wished for that guy to be me.

Her bright blue eyes study me. “Not much of a talker, either?” she smirks and cocks her head to the side as she looks up at me.

Act cool. Act like you don’t give a shit. Those are the thoughts that roll through my head, but I do the exact opposite.

I throw her a short grin back. “Nope, princess. Not much of that either.” Fuck me sideways, I didn’t mean to say all that. And I definitely didn’t mean to call her princess even if I do call her that in my head sometimes.

Her eyes light up at the nickname. “Princess, huh?” She sidles up closer to me and places a hand on my chest. Fuck, her touch feels good. “Does that make you my prince?”

Hell in a handbasket. My cock pulses in my pants. I want this woman more than anything. I’ve watched her enough to know that she doesn’t flirt with everyone. She doesn’t feel this with just anyone.

Mine. Mine. Take what’s mine. I want possession of her more than anything. The fact that I can’t have her makes me want to beat my chest and let out a primal yell.

I lean down and press a small kiss along the shell of her ear. The sharp intake of her breath and the way she trembles against me make me feel like a king. “I’m no kind of prince, sweetheart. More like the evil pirate,” I whisper.

I pull back from her. She watches me closely, lust clearly defined in every pixie feature. The buzzing of my phone stops our staring contest.

“Bye princess,” I say. Time to blend back into the crowd.

I disappear before she can say another word. Disappearing is what I’ve always been good at. The problem is that I don’t want to hide myself anymore. I’m afraid now that I’ve felt the touch of her skin, I’m addicted, and I’ll never be able to truly disappear again. I look back to see a disappointed look on her face. Oh, sweetheart, I wish I could stay and be with you.

Later that night, I can’t settle. I watched her leave the club shortly after our interaction. I watched the way her shoulders drooped as she looked for me and didn’t see me again. I watched my spirited girl lose some of her sparkle. I did that. Guilt feels like lead in my stomach.

I want more. I’ve been so close to my girl. She knows what I look like. I’m wanting things I definitely shouldn’t want. I usually watch her room from afar, but the need to be close to her makes me ache. I need to see her again.

I find myself unable to push away that niggling voice that wants to be near her. I approach her apartment slowly. I hook my leg around the landing and toe my way across the narrow ledge leading around to her side of the apartment. I land on her back patio softly, with nary a thud to announce my arrival. They don’t call me Shadow for nothin’.

I watch her through the window. I hear her soft sigh and the murmurs she emits as she turns fitfully in her sleep. Her long leg sneaks out from under the covers and then finally she wriggles the rest of her body out of the sheets. She always does this. She always pushes aside her covers and sleeps fitfully.

Tonight is different though. Her sighs are more sensual. There’s a small smile that curves her lips.

Her silk nightgown rides up and I tell myself to look away. Her hand strokes along her stomach in her sleep and I groan. Her hand is so close to touching herself, to touching her folds and pleasuring herself.

I shouldn’t watch her like this. I shouldn’t want her this much. My cock is rock hard and painful. I press my hand against my jeans where my hard length begs to be released.

I know I’ll watch her from the abandoned house across the street tonight. I know I’ll think of her as I stroke my cock. I’ll think of her blue eyes gazing up at me as I sink inside of her. When I finally let myself reach an unsatisfying climax, it’ll be her I long to spill my seed into.

I finally turn away from her, letting my body cool. I know I shouldn’t want it, but I can’t stop myself from thinking it. One day. One day I’ll have her.