“Unfortunately, I’ve not been able to go through all of them yet,” he says, ignoring her question. “Who knew a damn school would have such great security? But I will, eventually, so you might as well tell me.”
“I was sick,” I tell him, getting up and dusting myself off. I really need to get back to the school. The last thing in the world I need is to be seen with Skull now. Colin would kill him. I don’t have any doubts.
“Sick, how?” Skull asks, standing.
“You know, that’s a personal question I don’t choose to answer. I stopped meeting you. I may be the young one here, but even I know what that means, Skull.”
“What does it mean, querida?”
“That I’ve moved on…? That I don’t want to see you again…?”
I tried to make my voice sound hard. I know I failed. It sounded weak and unsure because it’s not what I want. I should just tell him about Colin and Matthew. If I do that, then he’ll leave me alone. He’ll see why he must leave me alone. I can’t bring myself to do that. I don’t want to shut the door completely. Not yet. I have to work up the courage for that.
His hand goes around my throat. He’s the second guy in a week to do that. Skull’s hold is much different, though. It’s strong but gentle at the same time. His hold makes my heart beat faster, but not in fear. His thumb brushes back and forth on the pulse point there and he holds me so my gaze locks on his and I can’t look away.
“You’re young, querida, so I will explain this to you one time. I will tell you when we are through. I will tell you when it is done, not the other way around.”
“That’s crazy. You can’t just make those decisions about my life.”
“Aw, but that’s what you were doing to me, si?”
“No! I just decided I didn’t want to date you. You’re all wrong for me.”
“I’ve decided I don’t want to date you, either,” Skull says, and I feel like I’ve been sucker punched. All of the air lodges in my chest and I do my best to hide my reaction.
“You don’t?” I ask, confused and feeling like I want to cry. What I should be doing is celebrating, right?
“No, Beth, I don’t. I want to fuck you. And I’m going to.”
His words leave me speechless… and aroused.
“Skull…” I trail off, because I can’t think of what to say. Not one word.
“I’m going to fuck you hard,” he tells me, and my knees threaten to buckle. “I’m going to fuck you slow.” My nipples harden and my body heats as he continues. “I’m going to fuck you so many times and in so many ways, you won’t remember the name of any of the men who came before me. And woman, any that come after will pale in comparison.”
I should run away now, or call him out on being a conceited bastard… but I do neither of those.
“There hasn’t been anyone else,” I whisper mindlessly, hypnotized by the sweet mixture of his words and the look in his dark eyes. When I tell him I’m a virgin, his look changes. I can almost feel an electric current pass between us.
His hand moves up from my throat to my chin. He drags his thumb along the corner of my mouth and then sweeps under my bottom lip and back again. I try to concentrate on the movement because my heart is hammering like crazy and I feel like I might float away, all because I have somehow captured this man’s attention. I’ve made him… happy. That’s what I see in his face right now: happiness.
I’ve been alone most of my life. I’ve had a lot of reasons to be unhappy. So, I’m familiar with that look. And Skull from the coffee shop? Despite his teasing flirting, he had that look. To see the change in this moment and know that I was the cause, for whatever reason, hits me, and it hits me hard.
“Cristo! You are something else,” he finally says, and then he leans into the side of my neck and whispers softly in my ear. “You’ve stopped breathing, Beth.”
He’s right. But, as I feel the soft trace of his breath against my skin, I still can’t make my lungs drag in air. His hand slides to my side and holds it. His touch seems to brand me and heat me from the inside out. My pulse is hammering in my body, the sound of it echoing in my ears.
“My sweet, delectable Beth… I will fuck you gentle the first time. Exciting you until you scream my name and come over my fingers, and then I will feed your hungry body my cock one slow inch at a time.”
“My house mother says making love out of wedlock is a sin,” I tell him, trying to ignore the dampness in my panties. I’m kind of amazed they haven’t melted yet.