Page 84 of Ruthless Sin
Ten.
I keep counting.
The line of his throat, the hollow at the base of it, the warmth of him there, slow and steady and alive.
His mouth.
I kissed that mouth in the library. He let me pull away first.
His mouth is close to mine right now.
I could close that distance.
I don’t.
Sorok.
Forty.
I don’t kiss him or touch him.
I sit up. Slow. Careful. My body doesn’t want to move and I make it anyway. I slide my legs out from under the covers.
The air is cold against my skin after the warmth of the bed.
I stand.
I walk barefoot into the hallway.
I don’t look back.
Sofia’s light is on.
I’m still steps away when the door opens.
Sofia is in her nightgown. Her hair is down. She looks awake. Not sleepy-awake. Alert-awake.
She sees me.
Her eyes drop to my nightgown. To my bare feet. To the direction I came from.
She doesn’t say anything.
She raises her left hand. Palm out. The gesture that means stop or wait or I see you.
She closes her door.
Slowly. Soft. Until the latch clicks.
The line of light under the gap goes out.
She saw me.
I walk to my room.
I close my door.
Sit on the unmade bed. The comforter is still on the floor.
