Candlemoth: A Holy City Romance by Pauline West Read Free Book Online Page B

low voice.  The sound of his voice was electric-  my breasts sharpened instantly.  I turned away, embarrassed already at my lack of control around him.  My lingerie stroked me teasingly, making things even worse. 
    I ached for him to touch me. 
    “We aren’t meeting.  I’m working,” I said, trying to sound cool and indifferent, even as the X- rated images began to flash up on the screen in my mind.  “Listen, it’s sweet, whatever it is you’re trying to do, giving me some extra hours or whatever.  But I’m not interested in you, ok?” 
    But I still couldn’t meet his eyes for fear that I’d give myself away. 
    “You know something, Lily?” Ry said, striding across the kitchen.  He slid easily between me and the kitchen counter.  “Anyone ever told you you’re a terrible liar?” he whispered, propping his hand behind him on the counter so that his muscles bulged erotically.  For the first time, I noticed the edge of a black tattoo on his bicep.  
    “I’m not lying…”
    A thrill lit through me at Ry’s closeness even as I flinched away from him.  My breasts ached for his touch so much that I actually gave a startled cry as I butted up against the kitchen island behind me. 
    My panties were drenched wet as I looked at him.  The heavy strength in his arms.  I thought about what he was capable of doing to me, how he could throw me around like a doll, and I could smell my own desire for him. 
    I realized suddenly he could probably smell me too.  Like a dog in heat. 
    Ry took a step closer, trapping me once more.  “You can say all the words you want, but your eyes and your mouth and… the rest of you… are telling me another story.” 
    Silence cupped around us like the captured roar of a seashell. 
    He wet his lips and then bit his tongue gently between his teeth, gazing at me hotly.  I couldn’t take my eyes off the wet tip of his tongue caught there between his teeth. 
    “Be honest,” he murmured.  “Neither of us has been able to stop thinking about the other since the moment we met.”  He raked his hand through his hair, flustered, his face reddening slightly.  “I can’t stop thinking about you.  I’m going crazy.”
                  I shook my head.  “Look, let’s get something straight.  I had a weak moment the night I met you.  But you and I, we don’t live in the same stratosphere, okay?  And- you have a girlfriend!”
                  There.  I’d said it.  Mostly to remind myself.  For a moment the words hung in the air between us like a scarlet banner.
    Ry looked confused.  “No, I don’t,” he said, finally.
                  “That blonde girl, last night…?” I prompted.
                  “Oh. Madison,” he said.  “Christ, not you, too.”  Ry leaned back against the counter, catching hold of its edge with his hands.  He swung forwards slightly, exasperated.  “My whole life I’ve been hearing about Madison, how she and I should hook up, get married, blah blah blah.  My family loves her, her family loves me.  Shit, Madison loves me.  She acts like we’re already married!  But,” Ry cut one of his hands through the air, “there is no me and Madison.  I promise you, Lily.”
    “I don’t care, anyway. I don’t want to know anything, about you and Madison or Muffy or whatever-”    
                  “Muffy, that’s pretty good,” Ry said, laughing.  “She does look like a Muffy.  Or whatever, whoever, huh?  You couldn’t care less, right?”
    “You say that like you don’t believe me,” I said.
    “Trust me.  I know enough about girls to know when somebody wants me,” Ry said, arching a thick eyebrow. 
    A corner of me caught fire.  The fucking asshole! 
    I remembered Beren’s story about the strippers.  About champagne and cocaine, and who knows what else.  How could I keep conveniently forgetting these things?  He made me so horny I was