Chapter 19
CHAPTER NINETEEN
RIANN
The weight of Skylar’s words hits me like a freight train. As much as I hate to know she’s struggled with her designation, it’s comforting to know I’m not alone in hating mine—or my lack thereof.
She might not understand exactly what I’m going through, but I know she can empathize to a point. In another life, she might even wish she could trade places with me, to be able to choose a different fate.
A dull ache throbs through my chest at the thought of Skylar being anything other than the stunning, perfect alpha she is.
“You’re right,” I agree, reaching out to tentatively touch her arm.
Electric shocks skitter up my fingers at the contact, and the air between us thickens.
“You’re an alpha, no matter what anyone says, and…
” I hesitate, steeling my confidence. “Your rareness is part of your beauty. I think the fact that you’re a female alpha is amazing. You’re one in a million.”
Her eyes glimmer with something like relief, and her throat bobs with a swallow. “So are you. Only… you’re more like one in eight billion.”
I open my mouth to say something—what, I’m not sure—but Skylar leans forward before I can utter a single noise and catches my mouth with hers. This kiss is slow and calculated, much unlike the feral, hungry tongue tango in her office.
It’s intentional, careful, sweet.
When she pulls away again, I inhale shakily to catch my breath, my lips aching for more of her.
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” Her cheeks are tinged pink, but she hovers there, close enough that I can make out the gold flecks of her dark irises in the dim light. “You probably need space to figure things out, and here I am… complicating things.”
“No, it’s okay.” I shake my head, even though she’s probably right.
We should probably take things slow, keep our distance. Maybe figure out what’s going on with my designation before we cross any more lines, not that there are many left we haven’t crossed. We definitely shouldn’t keep risking her job by getting this close.
But I don’t care.
The incessant tug that keeps dragging me toward her won’t relent, and I know trying to stay away will only make me miserable. I can’t explain it, but whatever this insane attraction between us is, it feels too right to ignore.
Like my screwed up genetics landed me here for a reason.
And that reason is Skylar.
But how can I possibly put that into words? How can I explain how I feel, when I don’t even understand it?
“I don’t want you to hold back.” The words fall out of my mouth before I’ve even processed them. “Whatever this is, whatever is happening between us, I… I want it to keep going. Kiss me, touch me, do whatever you want to me.”
Her dark brows pinch together, her lips pressing into a hard line. “And if you change your mind? If it’s too much?”
“I don’t think that’s going to happen.” A smile curves my lips as I reach to cup her cheek. Her warmth seeps into my fingers, spreading up my arm. “But if it does, I’ll let you know.”
I brush my thumb feather soft over her lips, my core clenching at the way her breath stutters.
“Besides,” I go on, already hating the words before they leave my mouth, “if I’m only here for a few days, I don’t want to leave with any regrets.”
I hate the thought of leaving, especially when I’m laying here with her, but it’s an undeniable truth we’ll have to face sooner or later. I might have a few days left in Boston, a week at most, and I’d hate to live the rest of my life knowing I spent my time trying to stay away from her.
She opens her mouth like she wants to say something, but instead leans forward to close the distance between us again.
Her lips lead mine in a perfectly-choreographed dance as her hand brushes down my back, over my hip, along my thigh.
I lose myself completely, focused solely on the feel of her mouth, the warmth of her skin, and our scents dancing between us.
Hours pass, maybe days, before I settle into the crook of her arm, my eyelids heavy. The rise and fall of her chest is a soothing rhythm that threatens to carry me off to sleep, and I can’t think of a single place I’d rather be.
“It’s getting late,” Skylar mutters, pressing her lips against the top of my head.
I hum a response—at least, I think I do—without opening my eyes. I don’t want her to leave; I want her to stay here with me, curled up next to me under the sheets.
I’m not ready for this to end.
“Riann.”
This time, I manage to pry my eyes open with a pout. “Yeah?”
“Are you going to let me leave?” she asks, keeping her voice low. She brushes my hair back with her fingers.
“Too comfortable.” I shake my head. “You’re just gonna have to stay the night.”
A gentle laugh shakes her chest.
“If that’s the case, you’re gonna have to let me take off my pants.”
My eyes fly open wide to meet her gaze. “Are you serious? What about the sample you wanted? The tests?”
She shrugs. “It can wait until the morning. Forewarning, I’ll have to get up early.”
“Deal.” I drag myself away from her reluctantly so she can shimmy out of her slacks, and she reaches over to turn the lamp off. I click off the television, dousing the room in darkness, then I’m right back in her arms.
“Sweet dreams, preciosa,” she whispers into my hair.
If I wasn’t so tired, I’d tell her that I’m actually dreading sleep. Because nothing in my dreams could be better than this moment with her.
But before I can say another word, darkness drags me under.