My hand reached out, connecting with the door to push and lock it. The safety chain clattered as I slid it home. I didn’t know if I was locking out potential rapists and murderers or locking Pim inside with one.
Goddammit, get it together.
I massaged my temples as I turned around.
I froze as Pim’s fingers dipped between her cleavage.
I knew what resided there. I hadn’t forgotten about the stolen utensil. Throughout dinner I couldn’t stop looking at her chest and fighting the desperate desire to go hunting for it.
I swallowed as she headed toward the side table by the bathroom door, ready to free the spoon and drop it into the teal bowl sitting on top.
It couldn’t be allowed to cool alone. I needed to feel the heat of her body.
“Wait.” I held up my hand, moving forward stiffly. “Let me.”
Her eyes widened as I stopped in front of her.
With pressed together lips, she nodded slightly and dropped her hands, her chest heaving.
With every muscle braced against my oppressive need, I slowly inserted my fingers down the valley of her hot, perfect breasts.
Jesus Christ…
My eyes snapped closed, flooding with lust. Her skin was so soft. Her breath so delicate. Her invitation too welcoming as my fingertips locked around the spoon.
With a hooded gaze, I tugged gently.
Pim shuddered, her lips parting and the sexiest flush climbing from her chest to her cheeks.
My cock grew so hard, it punched my waistband, desperate to escape and do what I wasn’t man enough to do—to pounce on her and fuck her helpless.
I filled with manic yearning as I tugged again, sliding the spoon from her cleavage and drifting the rounded end around the globes of her flesh.
She shivered as I drew the Japanese character for silence over the hill of her right breast.
Silence for her.
Silence for the faction I’d stupidly signed my life to.
Chinmoku was the Japanese word for silence and I hated how, just like she’d been writing to No One, it had come full circle in ways I’d never expected.
We both trembled as I clutched the still warm spoon in my palm and took a step away from her. I needed some space. I needed to breathe without inhaling the matching scent of longing.
I clutched it tightly. “How do you feel? Taking this?”
Pim raked fingers through her hair, tussling the glossy strands, waking herself up from the sexual trance we’d slipped into. She deleted the sleek delicious creature from dinner, replacing her with a wilder, somehow even more beautiful version. “The spoon?” She blinked as if conversation was the last thing on her mind.
I knew the feeling.
It was why I chose speaking over grabbing her and kissing her senseless—to give us a little more time. “Yes, the spoon. Do you regret taking it?”
“I should. It wasn’t mine to take.”
“You should? Does that mean you don’t?” My mouth twitched into a proud smile. “Are you saying you enjoyed taking it? That you got a thrill?”
She moved around me, heading toward the bed. “Not really.”
“Liar.” I snapped the word in half.
She spread her hands as if seeking forgiveness. “Fine. It…did things to me. It helped, of course, knowing it was one of thousands of spoons and wouldn’t be missed.”
“Ah, the excuses have started.”
She planted hands on her hips. “I’m not excusing my behaviour. I know it was wrong, and I wouldn’t do it again…but it did show me things about myself that I’d lost.”
“Like what?” My interest skyrocketed. My ears begging for scraps.
“Like the knowledge I missed out on a lot of things. That I don’t want to keep missing out because I’m too scared to try.”
I did my best not to read between her lines. Not to hear a sexual invitation.
“That’s the thrill of thievery, Pim. It only gets worse the more you do it.”
She shook her head. “That minor blip of excitement is nothing compared to the thrill I get when—” She cut herself off, eyes glistening with shock that she’d almost slipped and said something she didn’t want me to know.
My obsession with her exploded from manageable to borderline dangerous. “When you what?” Moving toward her, I locked my spine in place when she stepped backward to avoid me. Having her move away did brutal things to my instincts. It made me want to chase, hunt, devour.
“It doesn’t matter.” She dropped her gaze to the rich blue carpet. “Forget it.”
“I don’t forget anything, Pim.” Tossing the spoon on the bed behind her, I crossed my arms. “Tell me.”
She fidgeted on the spot before inhaling sharply. “It wasn’t a thrill compared to the thrill I get when you kiss me…touch me.” Red glowed on her cheeks. “I-I haven’t been kissed much. I didn’t think I’d like it, but you…” Her eyelashes fanned up, letting me stare into shadowy green eyes. “You make it good.”