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"You didn’t go out?"

I shakethe door "I had no need to"

Dad pours hie and clears his throat "I’ain, Seth"

"Anytime" Seth strolls over to the couches and sits down as Dad waves us both off and disappears into his room

I slowly make my way over to the couches and Seth watches me closely When my eyes meet his, a brilliant, playful smile creeps across his face and when I sit down next to hi ated silence

"I didn’t"

He smiles wider, obviously thrilled by niting the fire I thought I extinguished with the cold shower He caresseseach other’s co the need to have a reason for my displeasure

Seth laughs loudly and the thought of provoking such a beautiful sound froain and again He reaches for"No one would have let hi"

"What did Don want?" He asks, changing the subject abruptly His sh now it seee sex, apparently"

Seth scoffs, his s into slits "Can you believe the fucking balls on that guy?"

I cringe The last thing I want to do is picture Don Russell’s balls "I could never have sex with hi like I should reassure hion tattoo freaks aze It’s fixated on a s to pull it off, but his fingers are too thick

"I’ve never really cared abouthis attention back to ret and I’ about "Mason and now Don It’s all co back to biteI care about I’ to be taken from me I don’t care what happens to me but I care what happens to you I don’t want ood and I don’t want to taint that"

Surely he doesn’t still think I’hty stuff we’ve done? I push the thought to the back of ht now I reach out and rubthe apple of his cheek and then press a tender kiss to his lips I know for certain now that he has feelings for me and I want to nurture them I want to make him feel secure and sure that I would never hurt hioing to pop up next"

"I don’t care"

"You say that now"

"Seth, I mean it I don’t care I know exactly what kind of person you are I knew the moment I saw you"

His sexiness isn’t exactly subtle Of course girls want hirabbing his face between my hands I don’t knohy, but whenever I see him so conflicted I want to help I want todeal So you fight people for a living, who cares? It doesn’t mean you don’t deserve ood"

He shrugs "I want to be with you--actually with you, not this friend’s with benefits crap"

"But?"

A sad smile pulls at his lips "You can’t lose what you don’t have, right?"

I frown "Yes you can We can’t be like this forever There are things that I want in life likethat of you" I recover quickly "And astime with you, I can’t wait around for you to decide if you deserve me or not I need to restart my lifeand the sooner the better"

He nods slowly, avoiding my eyes Underneath me, I can feel him tense and become uncomfortable I exhale and slide off hi

"How do you ever expect to be happy when you won’t allow yourself to have the things you want?"

I have no idea what I’ to pressure him into a relationship I’m not sure I’m ready for?