Dare Trilogy | Book 3 Editing | ✓

3.24 | Taking Advantage

"Sorry." I said feeling guilty. If I hadn't been so impatient to unbutton and then go to sleep, none of this would have happened.

"It's fine." He said with soft eyes, our previous banter forgotten.

Once that was done, I leaned over him to leave the cotton balls and antiseptic on the desk. Just as I was going to pull back, I glanced at him when his hand rested on my back as if to ensure I wouldn't slip. His eyes captured mine in a breathtaking awe for some reason. The hand on my back left to gather my front layers of hair and tuck it behind my ear.

"Tonight..." He began in a gentle voice as if afraid speaking would shatter some magic. "I have never been more scared in my life."

The spiked drink.

"It felt like my life was slipping out of my hands, and I couldn't do anything about it. Seeing you unable to breathe..."

"Shh," I silenced him, cupping his face and thumb caressing the tear that slipped horizontally out of his eyes. I leaned into his touch to prove to him I was here and alive, "Forget about it. All that matters is now."

"Promise me you'll be more careful." It wasn't an order, but a pleading request that if I didn't agree to, he wouldn't be able to breathe freely.

I pressed an innocent kiss over his lips, "I promise."

"Will you come back to AR?"

He had mentioned me quitting Irani House in anger, but I had thought once he'd calm down, he would forget about it. I understood where he came from. He wanted to protect me from all harm, keep me where I would be safe, but I couldn't hide from the world like that. I could not get him to see reason in his vulnerable state.

"We'll talk tomorrow." I leaned in to kiss him good night, but it didn't stop at that. The kiss deepened and for the few seconds, I let him. This was one thing I couldn't win over him. Not when he was fragile like this. It wasn't heated passion. Yet, it felt sensual as each kiss healed the fears of his heart tonight had gnawed at.

My hands trailed down his torso. They knotted over the fabric where the buttons were still fastened. Try as I might with one hand, I unbuttoned them. With each one, he brought me closer to his body, chest touching, lips meeting stroke after another, his stomach pulling in each time an inch of my finger grazed over his abs.

This was not what I had in mind when I had first starting to free his tie around his neck.

His own fingers dug into my sides, as if, if he didn't, his hands would roam over my body and he'd have no control over them. Just as the last button pulled open, he started to sit up. Within a fraction of a second, he had flipped me on the bed, towering over me. Not once did the kiss break.

A giggle escaped my throat at my head hitting the bed frame. His form of apology was by moving his hand to rub the area on my head. It just was a light tap anyway. It didn't hurt.

I had no idea when his shirt disappeared. I just knew it had when my fingers wound up at the back of his head, trailing down his neck, and his shoulder blades. Starting to get winded, I mumbled heavily against his lips, "Slow down."

I had gotten used to our make out sessions over the past month, but there would always come a point when I'd feel out of breath, sooner than him. That usually marked the end of it and we'd call it a night.

Tonight, it didn't.

He hid his head in my shoulder, leaving a trail of hot kisses as I moved my head to the side, giving him better access. I was faintly aware of my shallow breathing and my lips feeling swollen from all the kissing. I gasped inaudibly at the nibble I felt at the hollow over my collar bone. "Since when are you a biter?"