Page 11 of The Sinner’s Touch (Manwhore #2)

“There are two bedrooms upstairs.” Kade took several long drinks of water to distract himself from the image her backside presented. “The master has its own bathroom, so if you’d rather take that one, it’s fine. Whatever you didn’t bring, I’m sure Lily has something you can use.”

When she said nothing, he set the bottle on the counter and joined her at the window. “You’re safe here, Angel.”

“Am I?” she whispered.

All the things he wanted to say to her stuck in his throat.

He couldn’t get them out. All he could manage was to breathe in the sweet scent of her.

She smelled like apples. She used to smell like raspberries, but he found this new fragrance just as intoxicating.

He leaned in, inhaling deeply as he met her eyes in the glass reflection.

They were large, luminous, and vulnerable.

“Don’t, Kade.”

The warning was soft, even gentle, but it didn’t stop him.

He moved closer, until her back hit his chest. A small noise escaped her when he buried his nose in her hair, breathing her in.

Flashes of the two of them pulsed against his eyelids.

Them at the beach, her curled up against him while they sat on her front porch swing, the beads of water coating her skin while he took his time washing her in the shower.

He slipped his arms around her and snuggled her into him, his lips grazing her temple.

“Please, don’t.”

The hitch in her voice stopped him. He saw the first tear leak out. Shit. He didn’t mean to make her cry. “I’m sorry, Angel.”

“I think I need to go to bed now.”

Her words sounded wooden, and he moved away from her. “Come on. I’ll show you where it is.” He stopped long enough to pick up her bag then took her upstairs. Thankfully, the master bedroom was the first door he opened. He dropped the bag on the bed then opened a door, thinking it was the bathroom.

But it wasn’t.

He stared, nonplussed.

“Kade?”

He blinked, trying to understand what he was seeing.

The gasp told him Angel had seen it, and he quickly slammed the door. “Maybe you should sleep in the guest room.”

“What the hell is your brother into?”

Kade wanted to unsee the collection of straps, ropes, scarves, and other sexual paraphernalia among what looked to be a vast array of whips. A container labeled “butt plugs” had imprinted itself forever in his memory. Jesus, when had the kid gotten into this scene?

“I knew Nik was a little dark, but I never thought…” Her voice trailed off, and Kade shook his head. He and Nik were going to have a long conversation.

Angel wanted Kade to open the door he’d just slammed shut.

She was curious. She’d never seen anything like that before, and it served to distract her from the numbing fear that seemed to have taken root.

She’d met Lily. The woman did not seem like the type, either, but one never knew.

If that was what made them happy, then she wasn’t going to be all judgy.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know that was in there.”

For the first time all night, a laugh slipped out. He looked so shocked and taken aback. Embarrassed. It was odd to see this side of him. He rarely showed it.

“It’s just toys, Kade.”

“Toys?” he growled. “You’d let someone tie you up and beat you with a whip?”

“That’s not what those are.” She wiggled around him and opened the door.

The whips he referred to were the first things she saw.

She picked one up found the material it was made of soft and supple.

This wasn’t meant to hurt. She doubted it would even sting.

“This is a flogger. It’s for pleasure, not pain. ”

“How do you know what it is?” He sounded suspicious, and she laughed again. Poor man. He was so out of his depth.

“Everyone has read Fifty Shades of Grey , Kincaid.”

He gave her a blank stare. “Not me.”

“Surely you’ve seen the movie?” When he shook his head, she couldn’t fathom it. “Where have you been the last few years?”

“Butt plugs, Angel.” He sounded so disgusted. “The kid has a container of butt plugs. They’re even fucking labeled by size!”

She burst out laughing, which earned her a glare.

“This is not funny.”

“Yes, yes, it is.” She moved out of the closet and collapsed on the bed, laughter bubbling up. “You sound so outraged.”

“This, this is… indecent .”

She’d forgotten how secular in his thinking he could be. “Kade, none of that is indecent. It’s just toys.”

“So, you want me to shove a plug up your ass, Angel baby? Is that what gets you off these days?”

She giggled at his obvious embarrassment. “You’re being a prude, Kade.”

“Prude?” Kade stalked toward her, her laughter dying and morphing into alarm. “I’m a prude, am I?” She scooted backward on the bed to get away, but he caught her foot and dragged her down, his body pinning her in place. “Prude?”

“Let me go, Kade.” Images flooded her vision, of her tied down to the bed, Kade standing over her, doing so many things to her.

She tried to drown them out, but her body was reacting to his, aching to be touched again.

It remembered the feel of his hands tracing slow, lazy circles over every inch of it.

It remembered the delicious ache that came with his kisses.

“I don’t want to.” His lips found her jawline, and she jerked, shocked by the searing heat that invaded her at the simple touch.

He worked his way up to her ear, nibbling on the sensitive lobe.

She’d never gotten them pierced. He’d often teased her about it.

She had an insane fear of needles and had never been able to purposefully stab herself.

His teeth tugged at the lobe, and it went straight down to her girl parts.

Shit, how could he make her respond like this after all these years?

She pushed against him, hard. “Get off, Kade. Now.”

He raised his head and looked down at her. His eyes burned with lust and need. Her breath caught, but she manned up. She wouldn’t let him hurt her again. “Get out.”

Kade let out a strangled breath. She glared up at him like he was some vile bug who needed squashing even as her body arched into his touch.

She hated him. It sobered him.

What the ever-loving fucking hell was he doing?

Damned if he knew.

He pushed off her and walked away, closing the door behind him. Walking away, at least, was something he was good at.

He needed a distraction, so he pulled out his phone and waited for his brother to answer.

“Yo.” Nik’s sleepy voice rolled through the phone. “Everything okay?”

“What the fuck is in your closet, and what the hell is Fifty Shades of Grey ?”