Page 135 of On Edge

“I want you to make me come.” I wet my lips with my tongue. “Please.”

He closes his eyes and visibly shudders. His eyes are so intense when he opens them, I can barely breathe. “Now, why would you want that?”

I blush so much my face hurts. “Because no one’s ever…” The shirt has slipped off one shoulder. I can feel the cool air on my skin, feel his eyes tracking the movement. My voice comes out breathier than I intended. “…given me one before.”

My ears feel like they’re burning.

“No one?” He cocks his head.

“Well, myself, but…” I find myself staring at his black t-shirt.Type O Negativein neon green emblazoned across the top of it—Nell’s favorite band.

“Sage.”

“What?”

“Look at me. Because right now, I’m holding back.”

“Then stop holding back.”

“I did that in the tower, and look what happened.”

“I don’t think you killed Nell anymore.”

And deep down, I know that that’s true. But I shove all thoughts of Nell away. I can’t think of her right now. And strangely, she’s deathly quiet.

“You really wantmeto be the first one?”

I bite my lip. I can’t tell him that he already has every night in my dreams. That I’m so wound up, I can’t think straight unless he gets me off here and now. I’m too embarrassed.

“Yes?”

His gaze drops to my bare shoulder, then slowly drags back up to my face. The heat in his eyes makes my stomach flip. “Careful, little finch. You’re playing with fire.”

“Fire doesn’t scare me.”

Something in his expression shifts. His jaw clenches. Then, in one smooth motion, he pulls me flush against him, twisting my arm behind my back so I can’t move. I gasp at the suddencontact; every inch of him pressed against me as the shirt I’m wearing rides up. And when I try to pull away, and I don’t try too hard, he grips harder.

I can feel him, rock-solid through his joggers. The thought that I’m causing him to be like that sends dark pleasure down my spine.

“You want to know what scares me?” His voice is rough, almost harsh.

“What?”

“What I want to do to you. That’s what.”

“Then do it.”

“I won’t be…I can’t be gentle.”

My heart is hammering so much I’m sure he can feel it. His arm around me is unmovable, like steel. I’m not wearing anything under the shirt. He could do whatever he wanted to me right now, and I couldn’t do anything. Where would I run? Where would I go? I’m on an island. I should be afraid, but I’m not. I’m the opposite of that.

“I don’t want you to be.”

He kisses me again, but harder this time. More cruel. His mouth claims mine like he’s done being nice. Every suck takes my breath, every bite bruises. His tongue strokes inside my mouth, and I moan at his taste, kissing him back full of want and need, my hands twist in his shirt, tugging, pulling him closer.

We’re moving. He’s turned me around and is walking me backward, guiding me away from the popping embers, toward the rug where I woke up in his arms.

He pulls back just long enough to look at me, his forehead pressed to mine, my arm still held roughly behind me.