Wicked Game 02 - Something Wicked
Page 27
“Here’s two pence. For your trouble.”
“Are you mad?” Ellie sputtered out as she turned. “It was just an apple!” But when she set her eyes on the man next to her she immediately felt less rambunctious. “Oh.”
Standing beside her, with a grin so wide that her eyes ached from the smugness, was the man with the soft, green eyes.
“No. Take that back.” Ellie reached towards the vendor’s hand but he promptly snatched it away.
“Oh no you don’t. I told you I’d get my payment somehow.”
“But that’s four times the amount you’re charging!”
“Actually it’s eight. A farthing for an apple.”
“But you said a halfpenny!”
“And you’d already taken a bite!”
“And now you’ve been paid much more than it’s worth, by several definitions.” Green eyes tipped his head to the vendor as he pulled Ellie away. “Good day, sir.”
Ellie felt the words bubbling up inside of her along with her emotions. “But I don’t need you to—no, I don’t want you to—”
“It’s done with now.”
“No.” She shook her head. “It’s not. I’ll repay you. Here’s a portion.” She held out her hand in his direction, the halfpenny still tucked in her damp palm, but he wasn’t even paying attention. Instead he gripped her shoulders with his hands and leaned over her right shoulder. She gasped as his fingers dug into her and their bodies pressed together. She breathed in earth and sweat. She shivered.
He leaned back, holding her out in front of him as his eyes darted around again.
“Are you alright?” she asked.
“Of course. Why?”
“What are you looking at?”
“Nothing.” His eyes darted around again.
“What are you looking for?” She followed his line of sight as it continued to move around. “Who are you looking for?”
“No one.”
“Oh.” She snorted as she crossed her arms in front of her chest, breaking his hold but not adding any distance between them. “You’re not very good at this.”
He looked back at her with a curious, raised brow. “I’m not very good at what?”
“Lying.”
“What?”
“Lying.”
He whistled. “Just my luck…”
“Excuse me?” Ellie shot back, but her stomach instantly tightened with guilt over what she had said. She did this sometimes, when she was all worked up. The words just came out, forcefully and loudly. But this wasn’t her. Most of the time she was softer spoken and kinder. Most of the time she was thoughtful and reserved. But sometimes, she couldn’t help herself. Someone or something, would push at her buttons and the reaction would be immediate. She’d become nervous and flustered and she’d babble. She always regretted it in the end.
Her stomach twanged. Again. She cleared her throat. “I’m—I’m sorry. I just…”
“No. I’m the one who’s sorry.”
“What are you sorry fo—”
And then he did it and it stopped her cold. And hot.
He looked at her, his emerald eyes opening up in invitation, and he slowly pushed his breath out through his nose, letting it dance over her skin. The hairs on her neck shot up all prickly and she shivered again, but that shiver was quickly quelled by his strong hand at the base of her head, pulling her in. She was powerless to resist.
She didn’t have time to react, or rather to protest. Not that she would have if she’d had even just a moment to make that decision. Instead she let it happen. She let this moment happen. A moment so completely out of character for even her most impulsive self. In front of the vendors and the animals and the crowd pushing past, she let him press his lips against hers and pause. Just there. For just a moment. A pause.
Her ears began to ring and she felt heat rush into her head with every pounding pulse of her heart. She breathed in through her nose, the ringing escalating in frequency, and the heat closing in on her with a powerful flash. For one instant the world stood still. For one instant the world was completely silent.
And slow. Her breath, her thoughts, even her heartbeat. Everything seemed to slow down.
Then he moved his lips and everything came rushing back full force. A sharp gasp escaped her lips, as if she’d just been drenched with ice water. It was like a slap, strong and stinging, but it heightened everything and made it bright and real. His lips curled up into a smile as he cupped the back of her head tighter and pressed against her more firmly. The coarse hairs on his upper lip tickled her face as his tongue mimicked the same feeling at the corners of her mouth. She was breathless and breathy all at once as she chanced a moment to open her eyes and look up at him.
Her eyelids fluttered, just enough to realize how close kissing actually brought two people together. This was the closest she had ever been to another person in her entire life. It was exhilarating and frightening and somehow pure. She moved her gaze upward just in time to see his eyes open too, and she thought she felt him fall into her.
This was the moment. The one in her dreams. The one she’d thought about since she was a young girl. Or so she let herself believe for just one pleasurable second before his eyes darted away yet again, and she resigned herself to the truth. As pleasing as this moment was—and Lord, was it pleasing—it was not exactly right. And something was missing.
Him. His complete attention. His complete devotion. His love.
And his name.
“Who are you?” Ellie asked as she pushed away.
His eyes shot behind her again and then back to look at her. “Well, bloody hell… It didn’t work…”
“It didn’t?”
“Do you like your life?” he asked with real concern in his voice.
“What?”
“Your life. Your day to day existence. Whatever that may be. How you do things. How you live. Your family.”
“Well, yes… I—of course I do, but…”
“Then I’m sorry about this, I’m very sorry, but I’m going to need to ask you to do something.”
“What?”
“Run.”
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