Hopelessly Broken by Tawny Taylor Read Free Book Online Page B

lips and wide eyes invading his thoughts. He couldn’t sleep without the sound of her sweet voice echoing in his dreams. He couldn’t breathe without the scent of her skin teasing his nose and making his blood burn in his veins.
    He’d tried. Oh, how he had tried. He’d prayed for hours after he’d locked himself in his room tonight. He’d begged for help. But none came.
    His control was on the verge of snapping.
    Right now she was on the other side of that door. Her curvy little body a mere handful of steps away. Within reach.
    It was late. Logan was sleeping.
    She wanted him. She’d made sure he knew it.
    Go.
    No. He shouldn’t. He couldn’t.
    Resist, dammit. She deserves so much more than the heartache you would give her.
    He shoved open his door and stepped into the hallway. He dragged in a deep breath. Damn. His body hardened. His muscles tensed.
    She had just showered.
    He imagined her skin glistening, droplets gliding down over the curve of her hip. He started salivating.
    Wet.
    Soft.
    Ready.
    The thread snapped.
     
    Her door swung open and banged against the wall, blam .
    Jenn, standing next to her dresser whirled around. “Aeron?”
    “Dammit, Jenn.” His eyes were wild, dark, feral. Tension pulled at his features, his mouth, his jaw.
    She couldn’t move. She was frozen in place. Like a doe caught in the scope of a hunter’s rifle. “What’s wrong, Aeron?”
    He charged at her like a furious bull, shoving a chair out of the way. He halted inches from her, nose flared, breathing swift.
    Her heart rate spiked. She searched his eyes, trying to push through the dark shadows. “What is it? Are you angry at me?”
    “No.” His hand jerked up, cupped her cheek. And her skin sizzled under his touch. A little jolt of electricity charged through her system, locking her muscles, freezing her in place. She couldn’t move. She didn’t want to move. Her gaze drifted down, to his mouth. That perfect mouth. His lips looked soft yet strong. Would she ever know how they tasted? “I…I’m trying.”
    “Trying to do what?” she whispered.
    “To stay away.”
    “From who?” she asked, thou gh she already knew the answer. All day she’d found herself flirting with him, stealing glances, smiling at him as he played with Logan. And he flirted back for a moment. Everything was wonderful. She felt alive and beautiful and happy. But then he suddenly jerked away, his tone chilly, his eyes like dark river ice. Over and over that cycle repeated until at last he grumbled, “Excuse me,” stomped upstairs and locked himself in his room.
    It was strange and confusing. Why was he acting so hot and cold?
    “You.” His thumb grazed her lip, and a shudder of need quaked through her. She curled her fingers around his wrist, holding onto it to steady herself. Her breath caught in her throat. Need pulsed through her system, firing her nerves like little white-hot firecrackers.
    It was just like her book, exactly like it. She’d never dreamed it could be so wonderfully painful, such longing, such wanting.
    “Why?” she heard herself say. “Why stay away?”
    “Because I have to. Because all I can do is hurt you.” Despite what he was saying, his head tipped, inching closer.
    Was he going to kiss her?
    She let her eyelids drift down and held onto his wrist with an iron-tight grip. Kiss me , every bone in her body demanded. Kiss me now. “I don’t believe you.”
    “You have to.”
    His breath was sweet. Intoxicating. Warm and gentle. The hand flattened against her cheek pulled her forward, easing her toward his waiting lips. Closer. He was coming closer yet. Almost there. His breath was fanning over her mouth.
    But no kiss.
    Seconds throbbed by.
    “Aeron?”
    “Tell me to stop,” he murmured. “Tell me now.”
    “Kiss me, Aeron.” Using the hand gripping his wrist, she pulled until his mouth found hers. The instant her lips made contact with his, it felt as if the world was spinning, whirling, dipping.