Page 105 of Take My Love

It’s going to be a double coffee kind of day, especially having to go to yoga first before an already hectic day. Amaya and I have to deliver orders to the local stores in town to stock them up with the fall scents. Tomorrow’s the first of September and sales are nearly double than last month.

“I hope you made extra.” Silas’s sleepy voice behind me makes me smile, but I swallow and hide it.

“Workin’ on it,” I tell him, keeping my back to him.

After everything we did, I shouldn’t be this embarrassed to face him, but I’m not usually a hook-up type. And when it has happened in the past, they’d leave right away.

Silas softly brushes the hair off my neck, his fingers skating across my throat, and burning my skin with his touch.

“Mm…” he groans, inching closer before pressing his lips below my ear.

It only lasts half a second before he pulls away, but my heart beats wildly at the subtle graze.

“I like seein’ my marks on you.”

“What?” My eyes pop open, quickly covering the spot with my palm and spinning around. “You gave me a hickey?”

He beams proudly. “Two of ’em from the looks of it. Although I’d have to examine your ass to see if there’s more.”

“Silas!” I push against his chest to look in the mirror. “I gotta go into town today!”

His chuckle echoes behind me.

When I go into the bathroom and look in the mirror, I gasp at the deep purple bruises his wandering mouth left behind.

“Oh my God…”

“Wear a turtleneck,” he muses, leaning against the doorframe.

“In this heat, are you crazy?” I blow out a frustrated breath.

He shrugs. “Concealer?”

“That’ll only make it look more obvious that I’m hidin’ something.” I scrub at my skin as if that’ll erase it. “Ugh, what were you thinkin’?”

“You really wanna know?” His wicked grins assures me I don’t.

“I’m gonna have to wear it down now and that’s gonna suck in this weather.”

“I like your hair down, so it’s a win-win.”

“Silas, I’m serious. This ain’t good. I’m supposed to deliver soaps to retailers today. This is all your fault!”

“It’s a hickey, not a bomb. Relax. No one’s gonna say anythin’.”

I roll my eyes. “You’re so delusional.”

When I go to walk past him, he grabs my arm and pulls me to stand in front of him. “So much attitude for someone who came twice last night.”

My spine straightens, reliving the memories of how good it felt to finally get some relief that wasn’t from my own hand.

But that doesn’t mean he has to rub it in my face and be cocky about it.

“It might be cool for guys to have hickeys but the moment a woman has one, we’re seen as promiscuous and not taken seriously. It’s not a good look for someone who’s supposed to be a professional.”

“Alright, I’m sorry. Next time, I’ll keep my mouth below your neck.”

“There can’t be a next time,” I tell him although my head’s screaming at me.Liar!