Page 41 of The Devil We Crave
Something I can't identify slithers and coils around my center.
God, he issobeautiful right now. The golden boy stripped of his mask, with such a gorgeous shadow across his face.
He’s intimidating and scary.
But…
My teeth rake over my bottom lip as I look up into his haunting, dark eyes. “Why are you so interested in me?” I ask softly.
Achilles’ brows knit, but he doesn’t answer.
“Are you going to finish your run?” he growls, easing the tension a little.
My shoulders lift. “I…thought I would?”
He nods. “Okay.”
My hands ball nervously at my sides, the nails of my index fingers picking at the cuticles of my thumbs. I shift awkwardly on my feet, suddenly aware of the cool fall air against my bare arms and legs now that I’m not moving.
Achilles cocks his head slightly to the side, his eyes still locked on mine.
“Are you looking for my permission?”
I blush. “No.”
He doesn’t say anything else. So…I guess that’s the conversation, then.
Awkwardly, I walk around him and kick off, shivering as I start to run away, almost like I’m waiting for him to pounce on me.
He starts to jog alongside me.
I stop abruptly.
“What are you doing?” I ask, more forcefully than I intended.
Achilles shrugs, looking at me like I’ve just asked the dumbest question in the history of dumb questions. “You’re not running alone at night.”
I roll my eyes. “Thank you. But I’m fine.”
“You’re welcome. But I’m not going anywhere.”
My brow furrows. “I don’t need a chaperone, Achilles.”
He doesn't reply.
Okay…
Still frowning and a little unclear what’s happening, I turn and start to jog again. Achilles falls into step beside me. I try to ignore his magnetically dark presence, but him being so close to me seems to suck the oxygen out of the air around us.
Abruptly, I stop running.
“What is it?” he growls, skidding to a halt.
“I…” I frown and shake my head. “I can’t do this.”
“Really? You seem to be a pretty good runner.”
“No, I mean…” I glance up at him. “You’re in jeans, a hoodie, and boots.”
