Obsession (Dangerous Love #1)

CHAPTER 6

________________________________________________

A FAILED SECOND TRY

______________________________________________________________________________

He followed me into the car and settled into the driver’s seat but didn’t drive away yet as he seemed to analyze the parking lot.

“What did he look like? The guy following you.”

I pulled my hood over my head and growled at him.

“Enough of this, Harris! I know it was you! I know you like to annoy me, but I didn’t think …”

He reached out and stroked my cheek, his gesture disarming me a little.

“I know I do a bunch of stupid shit, but I swear it wasn’t me.”

“Then how did you know I was here? I didn’t tell you on the phone.”

“Ty traced the call. You saw all the computers in the garage, he’s very good at that sort of thing. And I’m sorry I took your phone number without asking you, but I was pretty sure you wouldn’t give it to me willingly.”

I wanted to argue further, but something in his eyes made me hold my tongue as his hand gently stroked my cheek.

“I promise it wasn’t me, but I want to know who did it. Are you sure you were followed?”

Before he could blow my brain to pieces, I pulled away from his touch.

“I can’t trust you, Harris. I’ve only known you for two days.”

“You didn’t answer my question. Are you sure you were being followed?”

I ran my fingers through my wet hair, sighed and closed my eyes.

“I’m not exactly thrilled to know you so well from behind either,” I scoffed and squinted.

I waited for his specific smirk to appear, but he just looked thoughtful, then turned his attention to the people coming out of the store.

I let out a tired sigh. “Oh, come on, Harris, cut the crap. You had a leather jacket on so I couldn’t see your tattoos, but I saw your hair before you got in the car.”

He had a T-shirt on now, but the rest of his outfit was identical.

His face turned to me in a flash.

“My hair?”

“Yeah. There aren’t many guys with your hair, are there?”

“What kind of car did he drive?”

The game was sapping more and more of my strength, and when I saw a cab pull up outside the building, I tried to get out of his car, but he quickly grabbed my hand.

“Let go of me, Harris.”

“You’re not going anywhere after you told me someone was following you.”

I tried to pull my hand out of his grip, but he wouldn’t let it go.

“You don’t get to make decisions for me. Let go of me. Now!”

I yelled at him, but he hit the gas and turned the car around while still holding my hand. I gasped and almost slammed into him because the seatbelt wasn’t fastened.

“Harris!” I screamed again, but he did not let go of me until he was sure I couldn’t get out of the car. “You’re completely crazy! I want you to leave me the hell alone!” I continued to yell at him, while he just kept his permanent scowl on, and his attention fully focused on the road. “Harris, pull over right now and let me out of the car!”

“I’m just taking you home. It’s pouring.”

“Like you took me home earlier?” I continued to yell, because I wasn’t really scared of him, I was just angry because he was doing things without asking me first.

He didn’t react and just looked at the road. I wanted to punch him in the face.

“Would you rather I took you to a hospital?” he asked, too calmly for my liking.

“Yes. Anywhere would have been better than your bed.”

The corners of his mouth tilted up, and I mentally kicked myself. Back to the beginning.

“Now that you mention it, you’re the first girl I have taken to my bed and not touched.” I crossed my arms and looked at him, frowning.

“Am I supposed to be flattered or offended?”

He laughed. I was angry with him; I wasn’t in the mood to be mesmerized by the sound of his laughter.

“I don’t know, how do you feel?” He gave me a cheeky grin as I noticed out of the corner of my eye how fast he was driving.

“Like you stepped on my tail,” his smile didn’t falter.

“If I had done what was going through my head when I put you on my mattress, Katherine, your tail would feel anything but stepped on right now.”

“I was unconscious, I can only imagine what a perverted dick like you might have been thinking.”

“You have a very interesting idea about me, but you should know that I like my partner fully awake and an active participant. I don’t have a fetish for passed out women.”

“Well, you haven’t given me a chance to get a better picture of you,” I attacked.

“Then I should change that,” he replied, a suspicious smile settling on his lips.

Since I was angry and not at all in the mood for perverted conversation with him, I decided to keep my mouth shut and not respond to any more of his dares.

“The guy in the store, do you think it could have been Joshua?” his tone changed again, and I wrinkled my nose.

“No, it wasn’t him.”

He looked at me, and my face made his eyebrows draw together.

“Katherine, why would I have done that? What could I possibly gain from following you around a store?”

“I don’t know, Harris. Like I said, I’ve only known you for two days, a few hours really, and I’ve had enough already.”

He pursed his lips as if he was frustrated that I would believe him capable of doing such a thing. “OK, so be it. What exactly … did I do in the store?”

I crossed my arms and turned to look out the window. “I’m done playing this stupid game with you.”

“At least tell me the make of the car, please.”

His soft tone annoyed me even more because I was beginning to think he was being honest. But if he was telling the truth, that meant I was either paranoid or in danger.

“A gray Range Rover. I couldn’t see the license plate.”

He pulled out his phone and called someone.

“Ty, can you crack the store’s security system and check the surveillance footage?” My eyes widened, but he stopped looking at me. “Yeah, look for a gray Range Rover that left right before I called Katherine. He drove close to her and spooked her, that should be easy to spot…. also look in the store for a guy with a leather jacket, built like me, who got into that car…. I’ll explain later, just get me the license plate of that car.”

He hung up and turned towards me.

“Harris, what the hell was that?”

He didn’t have time to answer because the car came to a stop in front of my house. I didn’t even know how we’d got there so quickly. The rain was beating down hard on the windshield and it felt like torture to get out of the car, but I had to get away from him.

“Even if I had played such a sick prank, I would have no reason to deny it now. Yesterday was a childish game. It was stupid of me to scare you like that, but I would never do it again, especially not in this way. I have no desire to scare you and push you away, believe me.”

I lost myself in his dark gaze as my heart beat an abnormal rhythm in my chest.

“Why?” I barely whispered.

He smiled softly and stroked my cheek. “I don’t know yet, but there’s something about you that I’m starting to like. I’m curious and I want to get to know you, not push you away with antics like that. I promise I’ll find out who that idiot was.”

I didn’t doubt it, but I wondered if maybe I was exaggerating and getting an innocent person into trouble. I licked my lips, studying him, and it didn’t surprise me when his eyes fell on my mouth.

Maybe he was right, maybe I was paranoid, and I’d been driven crazy by this town and… him. I wasn’t really being followed, the guy always seemed to be in front of me somehow, and he didn’t even try to make contact. And the thing in the parking lot, maybe he was just in a hurry and didn’t have time to back the car up. I would go crazy if I started seeing Harris in every guy dressed in black.

I sighed and shook my head. “All right, maybe I made it up. We didn’t meet in a pleasant way, so I’m probably paranoid when it comes to you.”

He sighed and nodded, somehow leaning even closer to me. My eyes drifted to the front of the house to see that my dad’s car still wasn’t there, and even if he had been home, the tinted windows and rain wouldn’t have allowed him to see us. Just like outside, a storm was raging inside me, lightning electrifying my hormones, and I couldn’t believe I’d let him so close so quickly after he’d driven me so wild.

He was so close, his words brushed across my lips. “It smells like chocolate in here.”

I giggled in response, and he smiled in a way that made me weak in the knees.

“I was on a candy hunt,” I said, pointing to the bags at my feet, which made his smile widen even more.

“Would you be willing to share them with someone who hasn’t eaten sweets since childhood?” I stifled the laughter that threatened to escape me so as not to fall into the trap his words set, but it was so hard when he looked at me like that.

“I never share my candy.”

I burst out laughing as I saw the puppy eyes and pout play on his face as they were so out of place on him.

When he moved closer again, I really thought he was going to kiss me, but he just pushed away a strand of wet hair that was stuck to my forehead.

“Today was crazy. I’ll leave you alone with your cookies and I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“I didn’t think you’d give up so quickly,” I giggled again, relieved.

He didn’t laugh though, his eyes seemed mesmerized by me. “If I stay, I might not be able to refrain.”

“From eating my cookies?”

“From kissing you.”

My heart imploded in my chest. I could have sworn I heard it burst through my ribcage, my muscles aching from the effect his words had on me. I forgot how to breathe, and all I could do was stare into his hypnotizing eyes. It was too much and too fast, I could feel it, but at the same time I knew that if he had kissed me, I wouldn’t have stopped him. The atmosphere in the car, the pouring rain, the smell of chocolate, his eyes; they were all playing tricks on my mind, tearing it apart, and it seemed like all I wanted was his lips – to find out if they were as maddening as they looked.

“Harris…” I whispered, unable to form any other words, unable to tear myself away from him.

“Katherine…” he whispered back, much softer and more erotic.

It was more than I could bear.

With the last of my sanity, I managed to pull away from him and take a deep breath. Harris stayed put and continued to look at me with an expression I couldn’t read. There was a kind of wild excitement in his eyes, and I had to keep reminding myself that I knew absolutely nothing about him. But one look at him and I couldn’t care less.

I gathered my fainting hormones and tried to pull myself out of the situation as honorably as possible… by changing the subject.

“Are you hungry?” I asked.

He raised an eyebrow. I had no idea what was going to happen now, but I felt somehow indebted to him. If not because he picked me up, then at least because he saved me at school, ensuring no one found out I was a drug addict. This thing with us started off on the wrong foot, and I needed to clean up the situation, and if there was nothing to clean up, I needed to take precautions and keep my distance. Even though I honestly was not sure I had the power to do that.

“Define the hunger you speak of,” he said, staring at my lips.

I rolled my eyes.

“Hunger for roast and vegetables.”

He pressed his lips together, expressing his disappointment.

I knew he was thinking of something else, but I decided to ignore him. “I put them in the oven before I left. You’re welcome to dinner if you want.”

He looked at me with narrowed eyes and propped his arm on the steering wheel.

It wasn’t as if I’d just invited the devil to dinner. I had.

He looked at the lane outside the house, and as there was no car in sight, he probably assumed I was home alone. If my dad came home and found him here, I had no idea what would have happened, but that was a problem for later.

He bit his lip as he watched me, apparently thinking about it.

“So, you won’t feed me anything else?”

“Absolutely nothing else.”

Chuckling, he switched off the engine.

“I’m serious, Harris. If you want to have any chance of us being friends, then stop with the… the touching and the sexual innuendos. This thing between us started way too fucking weird, and don’t even get me started on the fact that you already have a girlfriend and your advances towards me are more than inappropriate.”

“Why do you think it started out weird?” he asked, and I looked at him, confused.

Was that all he heard?

“In the name of all that is holy! You know nothing about me, and you have already pushed me up against the wall, not to mention where your hands have been.”

He focused on me, trying to suppress his grin. Even his lips were trembling because he was trying so hard to contain it.

“I already know enough about you, but you’re right.”

I bit my lip, stopping myself from asking what exactly he knew, but it didn’t matter as he continued to fix me with his gaze. I wanted so badly to know what he was thinking, but in the end he just nodded.

“I promise I won’t touch you and I’ll stop with the sexual innuendos.”

Somewhat pleased with his answer, I smiled and got out of the car. I was already wet, but at least it was warm in the car. As soon as I stepped out into the storm, I got goosebumps. We had to run up the alley, almost pushing each other as to who should go first. Harris was on the verge of picking me up just so we could get into the house quicker.

“Balls! I hope my cookies didn’t get wet.” I almost shoved them down my shirt, and of course he laughed at me.

Finally arriving on the porch, I heaved a sigh of relief as Harris locked his car and the headlights flashed green briefly. The raindrops were invisible on it, that black was the most magical thing in the world. I immediately noticed my “security system” neighbor sitting at her window to see what the commotion was all about. Earlier I had come home on a motorcycle, now in a car that she probably thought was the work of the devil.

I giggled to myself, unlocked the door, and walked in with Harris right behind me.

“What’s so funny?”

“I’m just imagining the old lady next door thinking your car is a sign that the Grim Reaper is coming for her.”

Harris burst out laughing, then immediately inhaled the scent coming from the kitchen.

“Fuck, that smells good!”

I couldn’t disagree with him; the aroma of roasting meat and vegetables had spread everywhere. It smelled like fall and spices and quiet family days.

I didn’t have everything on the list anymore, but I had just invited a demon to dinner, almost literally. I still wasn’t sure if that was a good idea or a really bad one. All I could think about was what I would say to my dad if he caught Harris stuffing himself full of food in our kitchen.

His black t-shirt was wet and clinging to every damn muscle. Everything was sticking out, and I suddenly had no interest in how the food tasted. His arms were covered in tattoos, he was fucking huge, just the thing for a father to find in his house...

“Katherine.”

I was pulled out of my thoughts and looked up at him.

“Huh?”

“I promised I’d stop with the comments, but the way you’re looking at me isn’t helping.”

Oh, Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the Wee Donkey! How was I looking at him?

I shook my head.

“Sorry, I was just thinking about… your height,” I stuttered, and he pretended to believe me.

“I’m 6’4”.”

A small, amused smile played around his lips, and I knew he was trying hard not to make a sexual comment, which I appreciated. It was more than enough that he had caught me ogling him. I didn’t lie though, he was so damn big and intimidating, and his muscle mass added to that. All in all, he was a mountain of a man, he wasn’t massive in the sense of a muscle-filled brute. He was just so… fucking perfect.

“Aha, I thought so,” was all I could say, then I headed for the kitchen.

I gave myself several mental slaps for being such an idiot around him. I could hear him laughing at my expense as he followed me, even though I couldn’t see him.

“You should change first, you’re soaked.” I turned around and waved my hands dramatically, his eyes widened comically. “I swear on the color of my car I didn’t mean it like that, you are really wet because the rain soaked you.”

I closed my mouth and suppressed my laughter. “Not so easy to drive the perversity out of a demon, is it?”

“It’s so fucking hard, it’s instinct.”

I started laughing and took off my hoodie. Not exactly a good idea around him, but I didn’t want to leave him alone – not that he’d steal my silver spoons or anything, but if my dad came home and found him in our kitchen, God knows what would happen.

I ran my fingers through my wet hair and pulled it back. I was still wearing a tank top and a bra. I was in a safe zone, or so I thought, but Harris’s eyes had that dangerous spark in them.

“Not touching, not saying anything. My mind is not that easy to control,” his voice sounded rough.

I preferred not to answer, because my mind wasn’t easy to control either. “Sit down.”

“You’re not going to change?”

“No, I’m fine, I’m used to… standing in the rain.”

He smirked when he saw me getting into the game as well. He pulled out a chair and sat down – so commanding in my humble kitchen, the room too small for him, too simple, as if the dark king himself were visiting a poor commoner. The analogies in my head amused me as I grabbed some tissues to wipe the water from my arms and neck. We were both wet, and my black tank top was sticking to my body the way his t-shirt was sticking to his. If we were able to resist that moment without fighting – or doing much worse things – we might have a chance to be friends. He also ran his fingers through his hair and pulled it back.

Nope, I wasn’t going to think about how hot he looked with such a simple gesture.

I turned to the cupboards to get out plates and cutlery.

“Did you play in the rain in New York?”

I bit my lip because I did not know if I wanted to talk to him about it, then I looked at him. “You weren’t in French class when I said I was from New York. How do you know that?”

He propped his elbows on the table and gave me a sweet smile, even though it seemed almost devilish.

“Everyone at school is talking about you, it’s not hard to find out.”

“I wonder why they are talking about me,” I muttered, putting the plate down in front of him.

“Because you’re breath-taking.”

I froze in mid-motion and looked at him. I thought about how he’d beaten Joshua to a pulp because of me, but his face told me his thoughts were very different from mine. My skin caught fire even under the wet clothes, and I couldn’t resist his gaze without doing something stupid, so I turned to the oven and took out the tray.

The steam rose with the delicious aroma, and I heard Harris let out another hum of satisfaction. With my brain on strike after what he had called me, I forgot to put on heat-protective gloves and reached for the tray with my bare hands.

“Katherine!” His scream came at the same time as mine and in the next second he was beside me, pulling me away from the stove. “Are you okay? Is the burn bad?”

He took my palm in his and examined it, then pulled me to the sink and turned on the water. As he held my hand under the cold stream, I tried not to swear. The oven had turned off automatically long ago, and the tray wasn’t even that hot, but it still stung like hell.

“This is all your fault,” I muttered my thoughts, and he looked down at me.

“Are you blaming me for your mistakes again?”

I screwed up my face as I looked at him, rubbing my fingers together under the water as the burning subsided. He chuckled and brought my fingers closer to his face to examine them.

“I think you’ll live; you didn’t hold it long enough to get a scar. How about you sit down, and I’ll take care of the tray, okay?”

I nodded and stumbled to the table as my mind shattered into a thousand pieces caused by his breath on my face. The burning subsided as I only touched the tray with my fingertips, thank God, and at least I hadn’t dropped it on the floor.

Harris improvised by using a kitchen towel to get it out of the oven and then placed it directly on a chopping board on the table. He leaned down and almost stuck his nose in it.

“My God, it smells fantastic. I haven’t had a home-cooked meal in years.”

I raised an eyebrow as he found the cutlery drawer and pulled out a spatula. He tried to hand it to me, but I shook my head.

“Go ahead, I’m not that hungry.”

His face turned serious.

“Is it the burn?”

“No, I’m fine, really. Look…” I took the spatula and squeezed it in my hand so he could see I was fine, and then I put some vegetables on my plate.

When it was his turn, I realized that it would have been better if he had eaten straight from the tray. He filled his plate to the brim, and I couldn’t contain my giggles. He stabbed a piece of meat with his fork and shoved it into his mouth, letting out a sound of satisfaction that was clearly a moan. He leaned back in his chair and looked me straight in the eye.

“Will you marry me?”

I laughed.

“After a piece of meat?”

“Enough to convince me.”

I continued to laugh as he stuffed himself full of food like a ravenous wolf. I started eating so he wouldn’t be embarrassed that I was watching him, even though he was too busy with his plate to notice. He said he hadn’t had a home-cooked meal in years, did that mean he didn’t live with his parents? With his mother? Of course, not all moms cooked, but the garage he took me to didn’t exactly look like a family home, and I got the impression he lived there with his friends. It was so fucking weird. Maybe he looked like a man, but he was still a high school student. I refrained from asking questions, though, because I also hated being asked awkward things about my life. Especially about my mother.

I got up to bring two glasses of water and he emptied his in seconds.

“So that’s the solution. I have to feed you to keep you from your perverted thoughts. Good to know.”

He snorted, having managed to gulp down the food in his mouth.

“I didn’t eat anything today. You’re a saving angel and, God, I don’t think it’s hunger talking, but this really is the best food I’ve ever eaten. If you cook this for me every day, I promise I’ll be as good as a saint.”

I started to laugh. “Only a demon could make promises like that to get what he wants.”

He grinned devilishly and then winked at me.

“Beautiful, talented, clever … what other qualities do you have?”

“You forgot the most important thing.”

“Sexy?”

I punched his arm. “Good cook.”

“That’s part of being talented,” he defended, and I pressed my lips together to stifle another laugh. “And I still think sexy is the most important thing.”

I rolled my eyes and let the conversation end there. Who knew where we would have ended up if we’d kept talking about it.

After he finished eating, he leaned back in his chair and rubbed his belly like a satiated cat. With Harris, everything was so spontaneous and unexpected. I had no way of knowing what would follow. Considering what had happened just a few hours before, I never expected us to be sitting in my kitchen, eating, and fooling around.

I felt a great sense of relief knowing he wasn’t being a perverted asshole.

“Thank you for that, even though I’m so fucking sure I didn’t deserve it.”

I licked my lips. “You helped me, even if I didn’t want to do drugs again. Better this way than the whole school finding out.”

“I’m sorry about what happened with Amber on the field. It was my fault.” I bit my lip as he leaned closer, propping his elbows on the table. “I promise it won’t happen again,” he added before I could even think about a response.

“It was my fault too, I covered her in pasta.”

He didn’t smile. “She doesn’t like that you got my attention.”

I looked at him and struggled to stay calm, to not let myself fall into his voice, his gaze, into what those words really meant. I had to stay grounded and do what was right, even if it involved Amber.

I sighed and rose from the table.

“That’s why I think it would now be better if you leave, Harris. I have no interest in attracting your attention while you’re another girl’s boyfriend.”

I picked up the plates from the table and carried them to the sink, feeling him behind me.

“Who says I’m her boyfriend?” he all but whispered in my ear, and I turned to face him.

“I think it’s pretty obvious.”

He sighed and pressed his lips together into a thin line.

“It’s complicated.”

I rolled my eyes.

“No, Harris, it never is. You have a relationship, and you need to respect it.”

I tried to walk past him, but he grabbed my arm and stopped me. It wasn’t aggressive, so I didn’t react and just looked up at him. Again, I got dangerously close to him, and he pulled me closer still, until our chests brushed together.

“If she didn’t exist, would you react the same way?”

I swallowed as my gaze drifted to his lips. “I don’t understand.”

“Would you send me home so quickly?”

My gaze lifted to him. Bad fucking idea. I fell into the black hole, my thoughts mingling with my hormones, the wet, cold tank top starting to burn against my skin. He towered over me, but this embrace felt different than before, gentle. I could pull away at any time. Maybe that was why I didn’t.

“I don’t know, and I don’t want to think about it.”

His eyes dropped to my lips while I spoke, while his other hand traveled to the back of my neck and his fingers tangled in the wet hair at the base of my skull, turning my resistance to dust. His hair was wet too, and all I could think about was sinking my hands into it. He slowly leaned over me until I could feel his hot breath on my lips, my skin, everything.

“You promised,” I managed to speak, more afraid of myself than of him.

With a deep sigh, he let go of me and stepped back. “I promised,” he repeated, even though I could have sworn his thoughts were different.

He turned around and brushed his hair back while I took a deep breath as quietly as I could and reminded myself that I would not get involved with a guy in a relationship. I’d never sunk that low, but he was temptation incarnate and resisting him was pure agony. He asked if I would have kicked him out if it wasn’t for Amber. The answer startled me. I wouldn’t have, and worse, I wouldn’t have held back.

“You don’t seem to like being a cheerleader very much, so why did you join if you don’t like it?” He changed the subject, and I was grateful for that.

“Believe me, it wasn’t my decision. The principal skillfully manipulated me.”

Harris took the cutlery and glasses to the sink and then looked at me, confused.

“How did she manipulate you?”

“With the promise that I wouldn’t fail any subjects.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“She never gave me that opportunity.”

I started to laugh. “Did you ever think that you might not be good at everything?”

“Never.”

I laughed even harder now, but his answer didn’t shock me. He gave me a cheeky grin.

“Now I’m really curious. What got you manipulated into this?”

I blinked. “You’ll never find out.”

I picked up the tray from the table and searched for a container to put the leftovers in.

“Oh, come on, I assume you’re a very good dancer, are you not?”

“Your supposition would be right.”

He rolled his eyes.

“Anyway, you don’t have to do it if you don’t want to. And don’t think I’m trying to make you quit because of Amber. Not at all, but I don’t like the idea of you being forced to do anything.”

I looked at him and shrugged.

“It’s a long story, but either way, I don’t think the principal will leave me alone. This cheerleading thing isn’t so bad after all.”

I tried to end the conversation because I didn’t want to get deeper into the heart of the problem or have him question me about dancing and why I quit. We’d had an acceptable hour together, but that didn’t mean I was ready to tell him my life story.

I didn’t like the idea, but I knew there was a way to distract him.

“Do you want me to show you what I can do?” He nodded quickly. “Promise me you won’t freak out?”

He raised an eyebrow. “Considering how you said it, I’m kind of scared to promise anything.”

I giggled and did the fastest, most impressive move a dancer could do when you first saw it. In reality, it was a simple stretching movement. I lifted my leg and propped my ankle on his shoulder. It was no big deal for me, especially after practicing it in the mirror beforehand. His height made it a little difficult though, so I had to stretch as far as I could, which brought certain parts of me dangerously close to him. I couldn’t be more exposed than I was at that moment.

It was the worst idea in the history of bad ideas, and I realized it immediately.

Harris froze on the spot.

He stared at me, then at the foot on his shoulder, then at my body. Danger crept into him, and I had to pull back. I was sure his mind was devoid of questions now.

I wanted to remove my leg, but his palms gripped my thigh before I could.

“Don’t you dare take your foot off me.”

His words would have amused me if I didn’t know exactly what they meant. I had chosen to make the move because I knew it would get his attention, but I had hoped it would be easier to escape. His eyes darkened as they scanned every inch of my body, and his breathing became labored. I couldn’t find the strength to move either. I should have known that such an action would bring us here, what had I expected?

“I’m sorry, Katherine,” he whispered in a raspy voice.

“For what?” I whispered back, suddenly aware of what was happening around us, the sound of the storm outside, the thunder, my ragged breathing and my wet clothes, my heart pounding.

“Because I can’t keep my promise.”

In an instant, he took my foot from his shoulder and grabbed both my thighs. His movements were so quick that I didn’t even notice as he sat my butt on the table and pushed himself between my legs. His mouth traveled to my neck and kissed it with a brutality that almost bit into my skin. It was strange that he didn’t kiss my lips, but I couldn’t complain, especially since I could now do exactly what I wanted, and I ran my fingers through his hair. I pulled on it and made him moan against my neck.

It was different than before. I didn’t fight him anymore, even if I should have. As bad as what we were doing was, it felt so good.

Harris was playing with me; he was playing with Amber and possibly others. That thought brought me back to my senses before I gave in to it completely, and I grabbed him by the shoulders to push him back.

It hurt him to let go of me.

His breathing was as heavy as mine, his chest was rising and falling frantically, and I could feel his body trembling. His palms pressed on my thighs as he watched me with the eyes of a predator.

“It was my fault this time,” I admitted, trying to regain my composure and speak normally. “I shouldn’t have done that; I don’t know what was going through my head.”

“I don’t know what was going through your mind, but you don’t want to know what is going through mine. The things I want to do right now… to you.”

I preferred not to look at him and just closed my eyes. I stepped on the lion’s tail like an idiot. It used to be funny. He wasn’t the first one I’d done that to, I used to bet on it at home. Adam lost hundreds of dollars because he thought he was too big for me. But it never ended up like that. I never felt that way after putting my foot on someone’s shoulder.

“I suppose it’s too late to ask you to forget what you saw.”

“Way too late.” I sighed, running my fingers through my hair, and daring to look at him. “But I’m going to leave now, because I’m sure it won’t end well if I stay any longer. I don’t know how much longer I can control myself and if I end up kissing you, our friendship will go down the drain.”

I smiled bitterly, aware of his every word. So that was the reason he didn’t kiss me, he still had an ounce of endurance. I was grateful for that because I had no idea what I would have done if his lips had touched mine.

He let go of me and took two steps back. I couldn’t miss the erection in his pants; it made me blush faster than was humanly possible. Harris chuckled.

“Still surprised you turn me on?”

“Not really, but I didn’t think I’d have such a quick effect.”

“You have no idea, Katherine.”

Never in my life had I heard a few simple words sound so erotic. My hormone-filled head was spinning again.

I jumped up from the table and grabbed the bag of goodies, so I had a reason to change the subject.

“I’d suggest you stay for dessert, but I’m afraid of what might happen, so you can take it with you,” I held a wrapped peanut and chocolate cookie out to him. “It’s not a kiss, but it’s much sweeter.”

He took the cookie and smiled.

“I doubt it,” he was too close again and I felt my butt hit the table as I took a step back. “Don’t talk about kissing while I’m using my last ounce of sanity to refrain from it.”

I pushed my hair back and sighed, I kept doing things that got me into this situation with him.

“I see, so…”

“How bad would a kiss actually be?” He interrupted me.

I stared at him, but he looked at my lips, then those dark eyes met mine.

“It would be very bad, Harris, because you won’t stop at one, and you know it.”

His eyes closed as he took a deep breath, and he moved even closer.

“I want every inch of you, and I still don’t know how the fuck I got here so fast. I saw you for the first time yesterday and you have already managed to scramble my brain. If you think this is how I usually behave, you’re wrong.”

I didn’t want to know any more details, not when he was only inches away from my lips.

“You provoke me, then you push me back, things that usually piss me off, but when you do them, it darkens my thoughts, and not in anger. All I want is…”

He didn’t get to finish because his phone started ringing in his pocket, maybe it was for the best. His lips pressed into a tight line as he took it out. I saw Ty’s name on the display and remembered that he’d called him earlier about the guy in the parking lot.

Harris didn’t answer, he just put the phone back in his pocket.

He surprised me when he leaned over and kissed me on the forehead. That gesture left me breathless, worse than when he sat me down on the tabletop.

“Thanks for dinner, it was absolutely delicious. And I’m sorry I didn’t keep my promise,” he said, his lips still pressed to my forehead.

Without waiting for my reply, he walked past me and left the kitchen. The front door opened and closed again immediately. Seconds later, I heard the strong purring of the engine.

It disappeared as if it had never been there, as if I had imagined everything.

I was left alone with the rain, my heartbeat, and a thousand thoughts about how much falling for Harris would destroy me.

I went to my room and undressed, then threw the clothes straight into the washing machine. I quickly changed into dry sweatpants and a tank top so I would not catch a cold, and I put all my strength into processing what had happened so I would not let this boy take my mind away faster than possible, but it was like I could still feel his lips hovering over mine.

I had never felt so relieved and disappointed at the same time that nothing happened. But Harris was such a good player. I didn’t think him capable of what had happened in the store anymore. It had certainly been a coincidence, but the one who took me home was him, the guy in the kitchen was the real one, and he managed to take my breath away, to bring me to the brink of madness, far too quickly. Even when he was supposed to be abstaining.

I found that he was capable of making himself liked, to joke and smile, to be attentive and not just see me as a new sex toy. This bizarre attraction between us wasn’t just difficult for me, it seemed to make him feel the same way. I couldn’t put all the blame on him because I knew very well what thoughts were going through my head when I looked at him and had him so close to me.

If I’d really wanted to, I could have gotten rid of him and I was sure he would have stopped. But he read me, sensed me and was probably more aware of what he was causing than I was. That’s why I was sure he wouldn’t leave me alone any time soon.

He was mesmerizing, mysterious, strong, seductive… the complete package for a quick death.

I couldn’t believe that after seeing him for the first time yesterday, he had already almost kissed me three times and touched me in a way that other couples waited maybe months for. I was prey for him, and I had to keep reminding myself that I wasn’t the only one, and that while he was whispering maddening words to me, he had a real girlfriend.

Harris was good at it, so frighteningly good, and I was so frighteningly easy to fool, something that had never happened to me until him.

I had to gather my thoughts before I ended up as a name on his list. Not even that.

As I ate my cookie, alone in the empty house, I couldn’t help but think of him doing the same and how I would have loved eating the cream from his lips.

God, I’m even stupider than I thought .

I left my dad a note on the fridge about the food I’d saved for him and then went back upstairs to take a well-deserved shower.

Under the stream of water, his image materialized in my mind. Without meaning to, the simple act of washing reminded me of his touch, and my hands unconsciously traced the paths he had taken.

I could no longer recognize myself and sometimes felt like I was going crazy.

I went to my room wrapped in a towel, my wet hair falling over my back and shoulders. As punishment, I had to study, so I put on a pair of shorts and a comfortable white top, grabbed my math book, and sat on the bed, crossing my legs under me, and trying to remember how this subject worked.

I was fully focused on solving a matrix, and as I was about to reach the end result – all tangled up in columns of numbers - my phone next to me started buzzing, pulling me out of my concentration. I started to mumble and wondered who was suddenly interested in my life.

When I saw his name on the screen, I freaked out.

H: Wear something sexy tomorrow.

I stared at the text like an idiot.

I read it a few more times and then made sure he’d sent it.

My skin was burning with anger, and I was on the verge of swearing at him like a sailor. I was just thinking about how he wasn’t a total pervert, that we’d had a decent hour together and he’d even kissed my forehead, and then he had to go and send that text.

I locked the phone and threw it on the bed.

Maybe it was better this way, easier not to forget who he was and keep him away. He managed to pretend long enough while we were in the kitchen, and now he was starting to show his true colors again. I wanted so much to have him in front of me and slap him again, whether it turned him on or not.

Fucking asshole!

If I responded, I was sure a bunch of perverted messages would follow. I wasn’t in the mood for that with him after narrowly escaping his charms a few hours earlier – barely - so I decided to ignore him. Full of rage and muttering under my breath, I threw myself on the bed and dropped the math book on the floor. All my will to study was gone. Slowly, my eyelids closed, and I continued to mumble about demons and sexy outfits until I fell asleep.

***

I woke up, startled by the cries of a desperate voice calling my name over and over again.

“I’m here, Mommy,” I shouted from under the huge tree and ran into the sunlight so she could see me, careful not to squash the white butterfly in my hand.

“Oh, honey, how many times do I have to tell you not to run away from me?”

My mother hurried to me, hugged me tightly and then dropped to her knees to look me in the eye. The sun’s rays played in her black hair, and my mouth twisted into a smile when I realized mine was shining like that too.

“Let’s go to Daddy, honey,” she took my hand in hers and stood up with a sweet smile on her face.

“Careful, Mommy, you’ll squish my butterfly,” I cried and raised my hand to show her the delicate little creature.

“Oh, darling, I’m sorry. It’s very pretty,” she smiled and studied my hand.

I took her other hand and let her lead me through the park, which was full of children. The sun was shining so brightly that I could feel beads of sweat forming on my forehead.

When we reached Dad, I quickly ran into his arms to show him the butterfly I had caught.

“It’s very pretty, sweetie, and he’s dressed in white, just like you,” he smiled and gently pinched my nose.

My white lace sundress was similar to his soft wings. It flapped them slowly without flying away. It also seemed to be melting from the heat.

“Do you want to play with the other kids, Katy?” my mom asked, pointing to a group of kids my age who were playing ball.

“No, Mommy,” I replied, pushing my long black hair out of my face. “It’s too hot to be running around with a ball,” I cried with a puppy face, which made them both laugh.

I watched the excitement around while taking shelter under a tree. Kids my age were jumping for joy on the field, happy to be out of kindergarten and done learning numbers and colors for the day. I smiled with amusement because I loved learning. I wanted to be as smart as my mother when I grew up. But I loved dancing even more.

Suddenly, my attention was drawn to a girl my age who was happily playing with her mother and chasing a ball. Her blonde hair was just as long and thick as mine and her pink dress looked beautiful on her. I wanted to play with mom too and looked for her, but I couldn’t see her anymore. I went out from under the tree, but a strong wind pushed me back and ruffled my hair.

Then I saw my mommy talking to another man. I called out to her, but she didn’t seem to hear me. I felt tears prick my eyes as my mother kissed this man. I looked around for my dad, hoping to keep him from seeing it, but then I noticed him next to the girl in the pink dress. He took her in his arms and kissed her on the cheek, just like he had done to me.

I called out to him too, but he didn’t hear me, no one heard me. I tried to run towards one of them, but I stopped when a snake appeared at my feet. It hissed at me as it approached. I backed away, screaming in fear, and looking around for my parents, but the park was now empty.

I started to cry and froze as I looked into the eyes of the reptile slithering closer to me, until a sound from above caught my attention and I instinctively looked up to see the bird flying overhead. It was a brown vulture, and my fear increased as I saw it approaching me. I screamed again, curled up on the ground and covered my head with my hands, not knowing which one would attack me first. I could see the vulture’s black, sharp, and deadly claws grab the snake and send it flying high into the sky. They dug into the snake’s skin and immediately blood spurted out of it and spread all over my dress.

I remained terrified on the ground, burying my face in my palms as I sobbed.

I was so cold.

When I opened my eyes to the floor, I saw two big feet walking towards me and the black boots made me gulp in fear, even though I didn’t know who they belonged to. When I lifted my eyes, I saw the face of an angel looking down at me. He was so big compared to my small stature, his black clothes made him look dangerous, but I wasn’t afraid of him. He crouched down next to me and propped his elbows on his knees. I was amazed when I met his black eyes, which were so beautiful and sparkling that they reminded me of two dark diamonds.

“Are you alone, little one?” He spoke in a soft voice that made my eyes widen.

Was he real? Did angels really look like that?

“Yes! My mommy and daddy are gone,” I whispered between hiccups and felt another tear run down my cheek, not knowing if I should tell him about the vulture too.

I was afraid it would come back, even though I knew it had somehow saved me from the snake.

A soft smile played around his lips as he held out his hand to wipe away my tears. His palm was so big against my cheek. My mother had told me not to talk to strangers, but he seemed so kind, so nice and so beautiful.

“Then I’ll take care of you from now on,” he said lightly, reaching both hands forward and picking me up.

I let out a startled breath. One of my hands flew around his neck to hold me up while I wiped away my tears with the other. My small body was lightly supported by his large arms, which wrapped around me like a vice and made me feel safe. They were full of black markings, but I liked them.

He held one of his hands to my face and opened his palm to reveal my butterfly hiding inside. I hadn’t realized that I had lost it. A happy smile spread across my lips as I took it up and held it in both my palms as it began to morph. Its immaculate wings turned into an intense black, the color spreading over them like an ink stain on a white canvas. I blinked in shock and looked at the dark butterfly resting on my skin. It had changed from a soft, sparkling butterfly to a dark one.

The stranger holding me up looked at the butterfly with the same fascination, then he turned his attention to me, his face leaning closer to my cheek, his lips pressing a feathery kiss to it, then his eyes fixed on mine. His were the same color as the butterfly. I felt his warm breath brush against my skin, and I swallowed as he spoke:

“You’re mine, Katherine!”

***

My body jolted awake. I was panting, sweat covering every inch of my skin. Still in shock, I looked around, not knowing where I was. I hugged the blanket closer to my chest and tried to return to reality. My room was plunged into darkness, and I searched for the phone, finding it somewhere in the bed. I blinked as the screen lit up and I saw that it was just after 4am.

A deep sigh escaped me as I let myself fall back and tried to calm my breathing.

This was the strangest dream I’d ever had. I clenched my fists because I was dreaming of her again, of the time when I was a child, had a happy family and saw my mother as a role model. It wasn’t my usual nightmare, but I wasn’t sure it was any better.

I’d dreamed about him.

A shiver ran through me as those words echoed ominously in my head….

“You’re mine.”