Page 37 of Kat Bethel

Out.

Willow and Esme love you. Aunt Jackie loved you. That monster out there treats you better than any man, because he knows what you’re worth.

The next breath came easier and helped ease the next one. Until I was calm again.

I realized too late that arms were wrapped around me.

My eyes opened and found a blurred shadow in the reflection. I turned to face him, and as I did, the shadows tucked themselves in until they were the shape of the man.

“What are you?”

“So much fire.” His fingers grazed my throat lovingly. “Anyone who makes a tear fall from your eyes will burn.”

“Answer me.” I shoved at him, but my hand went right through. How could he be so solid when he touched me, but I couldn’t get a hand on him?

I reached into my pocket, grabbed a handful of black pepper, then tossed it at his face. It went right through him, landing on the tile like rain.

Another failure.

It made my throat tight again. Was he created just to fuck with me?

“I can ease your pain. The way you ease mine.” His gentle whisper made the morning before fill my mind. He grabbed my chin, pressing me against the sink counter. “Or I can kill your husband. He has no place with you anymore, anyway.”

“I decide that. Not you.” Although it probably needed to be Esme’s decision or something. Someone who wouldn’t let me fold after everything he’d done to me.

“I won’t allow it.” A soft growl filled his words. “He’s a weak man and a weaker husband.”

“For all you know, I deserved to be left.”

“Never,” he whispered in my ear.

The broken part of me quivered under his declaration.

“Stop.” I wasn’t strong enough to keep him at arm’s length.

“No human man could contain you.” He turned my face to whisper in my ear again. “Why should you shrink? You should be with someone who can handle all that fire.”

“Like you?” I tried to sound sarcastic, but it came out breathless.

“Only me.”

His hand traveled down my thigh, and before I thought about it, I braced my leg on the wall, giving him access to me.

Wait, stop.

“My dandelion.” His fingers squeezed the meat of my thigh as his hands came back up.

His lips landed on mine as his fingers rubbed across my clit. This time he didn’t fumble or explore. He knew exactly how to turn me to putty in his hands, confirming that the dream was real, at least to some extent.

I let out a sigh, closed my eyes, and let my head fall back. My hand reached to grab the back of his head, wanting him impossibly closer, but my hand fell to my chest when I failed to touch him.

That was fine.

He was already pressed tight against my overheated skin, cooling me off with the chill that followed him around. All I could feel was him.

Every stroke of his fingers made a knot in my gut grow tighter and tighter. I thrust my hips against his hand, sending myself careening over the edge. The tidal wave of pleasure washed away all the self doubt about whether or not I was good enough.

This monster that could snap me in two thought I was.