Burn (Virtues & Lies 1)

“Why? So you can go back to fraternising with Jack?” The way he says Jack’s name is full of venom and loathing.

I almost tell him that he’s wrong. I don’t want to go back to another guy. I want to stay here, between his hot, hard body and the wall at my back. But as I’m about to make that mistake, my eyes find his and all I can remember is what happened in my father’s office.

“He’s not the enemy,” I tell him, what I intended to be a chuckle comes out as more of a breathy retort. “We were dancing, like—”

“He’s a fucking cockroach, and you’d do well to remember that.” Lowering to mine, his face twists and even with it pinched like that he’s so handsome that I feel myself warm for him.

“I suppose he’s part of the job gone wrong?” I lower my chin and give him my best glower from beneath my lashes.

My father didn’t tell me anything. I’ve barely seen him the last couple of days, and when I have, he’s been on the phone or busy talking to someone else. Christopher hasn’t shown his face at home, opting to stay with Arabella. So really, I’m hoping Leo doesn’t see through my digging and offers me something.

“Manipulation is an art, little girl.”

“Turns out art is my thing, little boy.”

“Call me a little boy again, Cassandra, I dare you.” I thought he was as close as he could get, but as he steps right between my feet. His body comes so flush to mine that my heart loses its shit, going off on an irregular, deep thrum that is so loud in my ears, it’s deafening.

“Little. Leo.” I prod him a little more and his nostrils flare.

You absolute tit.

“Little Leo, full of little secrets.” At this point I might as well keep pushing, if I’m to go down in flames, I may as well make it worth my while.

“You have no idea…”

The tip of his nose strokes up and down the bridge of mine, and the hotter it gets between us, the more my legs open to let him closer. I hate my fucking dress. I hate that the full skirt is forcing space between us when all I want is to feel him everywhere.

Snapping to his, my gaze dances with his and my life, I could get lost in them forever. “Tell me.” I breathe. “Give me an idea.” The heat of my words emanates from his skin as he tilts his face to the side. “Please.”

“Buttercup…” Shuddering at the fe

el of his nose trailing over my cheek I feel as though the wall gives behind me.

The way his exhales fan on my cheek has water filling my mouth and when I lick my lips, I fully expect him to pull away. He doesn’t though.

Leo holds so still and so close that the tip of my tongue skims the dip of his cupid’s bow and I have to brace myself against the wall because everything feels like it’s falling away leaving only me and him.

“I don’t want to hate you.” I whisper, as one of my hands leaves the wall and flattens to his side.

“You should.” Our heavy breaths mingle, and his words prick at me like a thorny rose.

“Why?”

Cupping my nape his hands tilt my face a little higher so that our eyes are level and with every blink our lashes brush together. His lip ghosts over mine and it’s so soft that I really could be imagining it, but I know I’m not when his groan vibrates through me.

“Because…”

“B-because?”

His fingertips dig into my flesh, and I like the pressure more than I think I should. It feels a bit like the pull between us, the ache that won’t let me forget him. And now that Leo’s touched me like this, I don’t know that I’ll ever be able to unfeel him.

“Fuck, you’re even more beautiful this close.” Stuttering at his words my heart clogs up my throat and I can’t catch a single breath.

Unable to remember my name, let alone what exactly we were talking about I allow myself to sink into him. Into his warmth and hard body, into the way his hot breath coats my lips as he slides his lips gently across mine, back and forth, so slowly that, God, I might actually die if he doesn’t just kiss me right the fuck now.

“Do you still hate me, Cassandra?” The pride in his voice rasps into my slightly gaping mouth and all I can taste is his sweetness. It’s all vanilla, cherries, and cloves. Plus his smooth woodsy scent that makes my chest bow to get closer to him.

Do I hate him?