Page 132 of On Edge

Troy undressed me.

Visions of his hands on my skin, peeling away wet lace, seeingeverything, flash through my mind. How long was I unconscious? Did I put the shirt on myself? What did he help me with? All I know is that I’m so very naked beneath the shirt.

And in some dark recesses of my mind, I knowwhois spooning me. I can feel every point where we’re touching: his chest against my back, his groin digging at my buttcheeks, his arm heavy around my waist, the steady rhythm of his breathing that somehow matches mine.His hand is tight, tucked against my hip, keeping me close, like it’s where I belong.

I shouldn’t want to stay like this.

But I do.

At that, my entire body burns hot, and my skin feels like it’s on fire.

I can’t stay like this.

How can I feel this safe with someone who tossed me in a lake to die? I need to extract myself and run, but I don’t want to wake him up, and I certainly don’t want him to know I’m awake. Forcing my breathing to slow, I ease out of his grip, but the moment I shift, his fingers tighten under the blanket, stopping me like I’m not supposed to move.

“Where do you think you’re going?” His voice is whiskey smooth, his breath warm against the base of my neck. With him around me like some dark, possessive shadow, my body betrays me, relaxing into his hold even as my mind screams danger.

A dull, sweet ache flutters at the apex my thighs, making me want to press myself closer.

No, no, no.

“I-I need to go…”

“I just saved your life. You need to rest.”

“Please. I have to get up.”

“Not on my watch. You nearly drowned.”

Annoyance whips through me, cutting through the confusing warmth. “But you were the one who threw us into the lake.”

“I did.”

In the casual way he admits it, something twisted in my chest responds to his honesty. At least he’s not lying. But I’m still upset. I wrangle my way out of his iron grip and try to sit up to get away from him, but his arm locks tight. Struggling to get free, we roll, and somehow he ends up on top of me, securing my hands on either side of my head.

He stares down, his eyes never leaving mine. “Stop, just let me explain.”

“You tried to kill me.”

His eyes blaze. “I didn’t mean to?—”

“You threw us off the tower!”

“Because you didn’t believe me.”

“You let go of me in the water!”

“You were heavy and kicking me. And no one forced you to go into the tower in the first place.”

“You chased me!”

He exhales. “Because you made me angry. You drugged me.”

“So you tried to kill us?” In the back of my head, I sound a little frantic.

“Is that what you think I was doing? I was proving a point, and then I was dragging your ass out of the water, giving you the kiss of life.” The furrow on his brow is back with a vengeance.

I glare back. For once, I’m fed up with his bullying. “Is that why your tongue was in my mouth?”