Skins & Needles (COMPLETE)

Nothing Between Part 1

Charlotte

If I had known Arsen would walk in, then I wouldn't have grabbed the knife in the drawer by my front door. Really. But I didn't know, and so when he stepped in, I was already ready with it raised above my head. Upon seeing him, I froze, slackening my grip on the handle and then lowering it slowly.

"Arsen," I gasped, taking a step back and tossing the knife on my kitchen table. "You scared me. Again!"

"Sorry," he muttered, and took a step inside. My heart raced, seeing him there, remembering that I knew now, and I bit the inside of my cheek.

"What are you..." I trailed off and motioned to where he was standing. In my apartment.

"I had a question about..." He pointed to where his fresh tattoo sat beneath his shirt, but then stopped when we met eyes.

"Arsen," I mouthed, and in unison, we moved forward until we were standing there, together in the dim light. There was a brief second of pause when neither of us moved, spoke, or even breathed, but just held gazes, his golden eyes taking my hazel ones captive. And then, the stillness broke.

"Finally," he groaned, and crushed his lips to mine.

Finally.

I made a sound of surprise against his lips, but didn't hesitate for a second to kiss him back. I wanted this. I craved this. And judging by Arsen's ravenous kisses, so did he. I slid my arms up and around his neck, and then moaned when he stooped to pick me up by my thighs. I could feel how turned on he already was, and wrapped my legs tight around his waist to feel him closer.

Arsen's tongue caressed mine in a slow, erotic dance, and I barely heard the door slam when he kicked it shut. I was drowning in him, while at the same time acutely aware of every little thing. The way his hands squeezed my bare thighs under my sundress, one inching up to grip my ass, the way his tongue hooked inside my top lip before he gently nipped at it, the deep, bass sound of his groan when I squeezed my body against his...

"I want you," Arsen breathed, "right now. I need you, Charlotte."

"Then take me," I sighed against his lips. "Please." I need you too.

Arsen pulled away for a moment to see where he was taking us, but then put his lips to my neck, kissing, sucking, gently nipping at the curve. It was absolutely maddening, and had me gripping the back of his head while I made incoherent sounds of pleasure and protest. I felt him sit down on the edge of my bed, but he didn't stop his teasing, even as I pulled at his hair and ground against him. With only my thin underwear and his jeans separating us, I was beginning to lose my mind.

"Charlotte," he hummed against my neck, and moved his hands to my hips to still me.

"Please," I gasped out. On top of my unshakable feelings and intense attraction to Arsen, it had been a decent while since I had been with anyone, and my patience was wearing thin. However, his words cutting through the darkness of my bedroom had me slowing my pace considerably.

"If you were my mate," he said against my skin, "this is where I would mark you."

My heart stuttered and I felt myself freeze. My mind was torn between "if" meaning a possibility that I could be, and "if" meaning I definitely wasn't.

"Does that mean..." I couldn't bring myself to finish the question. Arsen placed one more lingering kiss to my neck and then moved back to look at me where I sat straddling him.

"I'm not sure yet," he said, searching my face. His eyes softened though, and he reached up to brush my cheek with his knuckles. "But I am sure of you, right here, right now, in my arms."