To be fair, the narrative is not too bad, and the author does talk about the role of memory in triggering recollections. Not that I need that. Some scenes are imprinted in my brain, like that of my father hitting my mother, my father trying to come after Xander, my father tying me up and hitting me and then … Xander in the burning car. Massimo and I dragging him out, stamping out the flames from his jacket, only to find the piece of metal sticking out from his chest… Fuck!
I place the book aside, then rise to my feet. "Dance with me."
"What?" She blinks up from the book she’s been reading. "What did you say?"
"Dance with me." I hold out my hand.
Her gaze widens. "You mean now?"
I stare at her steadily.
"Here?" She glances around us. "There’s no music."
"We’ll create our own music."
She opens her mouth, as if to protest, and I shake my head. "Humor me."
She holds my gaze for a second longer, then slowly nods. She places her book down on the side table, then rises to her feet and puts her hand in mine. I pull her close, and she giggles as she stumbles into me. I place one hand on her hip, the other holding her palm, as I lead her in a slow dance.
Outside, the wind has died down, and the only sound is the crackling of the wood in the fireplace. She rubs her cheek against my shoulder, and the scent of her fills my senses. My dick twitches, and I tighten my grip on her waist. She glances up at me, and her pupils dilate.
"This is a bad idea," she whispers.
"On the contrary." I move my feet in a basic two times four-step, and she follows.
I release my hold on her hip, twirl her around in a circle, and she laughs. "You know how to dance?"
"And more." I haul her close, continuing to move again in the basic steps.
Our gazes clash and hold. I turn her again, then dip her, and she gasps in surprise. I pull her up, her hair flowing around her shoulders. Her cheeks are flushed, golden eyes sparkling. She bites down on her lower lip, and fuck, if I don’t feel the tug all the way down to the crown of my dick.
"You know what I want to do right now?"
"What?"
"I want to replace the grasp of your teeth with mine."
"So do it," she whispers as I come to a complete stop.
I lower my head at the same time she tips hers up. Our lips clash, and then I’m kissing her, biting down on her luscious lower lip, devouring her mouth as I thrust my tongue in between her lips and suck on hers. I bend my knees, grip the backs of her thighs, and lift her up. She wraps her legs around my waist, and I walk us over to the sofa. I place her on it and follow her down. She winds her arms around my neck, and I grab her wrists, forcing them up and above her head. I shackle them there as I grind the throbbing length of my column into her soft core. She moans, and the sound chafes my nerve-endings. My cock thickens further.
I sit back on my heels and take in her flushed features, her shirt gaping in the front to reveal the tops of her gorgeous breasts. "Fuck, you’re beautiful," I growl, then push away to stand on my feet.
"What are you—"
"Run." I jerk my chin in the direction of the door.
"What?" She gapes.
"Run, I’ll even give you a head start."
"I … I’m not sure what you’re trying to do here. I—"
"Five," I begin the countdown.
"Excuse me, you’re crazy if you think I’m going out in the dark."
"Four." I crack my knuckles, and the sound seems to penetrate through the thoughts in her head.