Page 10 of Tempted

“No, of course not. It’s sweet of you toadmit that I affect you, too.”

“That’s what you call it? ‘Affect’?”

He takes my hand, presses it to his crotch,and I curl my fingers around what feels like a steel pole.Doeshe always get this hard? Or is it just with me?I’d like tothink that, but I highly doubt it.

“You feel that?” He asks. “You turn my dickinto a fuckin’ brick wall. All I want to do is fuck you until youcome, screaming my name, then change positions and start all over.So, yeah, you ‘affect’ me.”

I swallow hard, sliding my fingers up anddown his dick. We stare into each other’s eyes until somethingsnaps inside him and he grabs my hand.

“I know it’s your favorite color and all, butI don’t need the blue balls. You have any idea how much that shithurts?”

“Well, I can’t experience it but I know itinvolves pain and fluid congestion in the testicles, so it can’t bepleasant.”

“The fuck, Raven?” His eyes widen in shock.“How the fuck do you knowexactlywhat it is?”

“I told you, I read a lot.”

“And why the fuck are you reading aboutballs?”

I raise a shoulder in a shrug and drop mygaze. It’s not like I had a mother to teach me anything. Daddywould never talk about that stuff with me and Lonnie barely talkedto me at all. How else was I going to learn? “I didn’t really haveanyone to talk to, ask questions. I turned to books instead.”

I hear him take a deep breath before he pullsme into his arms, cradling my head on his chest. I throw my arm andleg over him and settle in against him.

“It’s okay, doll. You have me now.”

I haven’t felt as at peace in a long time asI do in this very moment. I have him. I have him, and that meansI’m no longer alone.I have him. He holds me in his arms andwe lie there for a long time, not saying anything, just beingtogether. That is until my growling stomach interrupts our quietcompanionship.

“Hungry?” He asks, and I can hear the smilein his voice.

“Starving. What’s for breakfast?”

“I wish it was your pussy.”

“And Mr. Dirty Mouth is back.”

“He never left, baby doll. I’m gonna take ashower then get you something to eat.”

“Okay.”

He adjusts himself as he walks to his chestof drawers. As I watch him choose boxers, the scene between him andthe sheriff replays in my mind. I have so many questions about lastnight and this morning. Why were those men chasing us? Who werethey? Are there others? Will they come after us, too? Where did thebodies go?

“Gage?”

“Hmm?”

“Who were those men from last night?”

“I don’t know, but I’ll find out.”

“What happened to the...the bodies?”

“Don’t worry your pretty little head aboutthat.”

“But –”

“Raven,” he cuts me off. “I can’t tell you,so stop asking. Besides, the less you know, the better.”

“Gage, I’m scared.”