Price’s fingers gripped the bottom of her shirt, pulling it up over her belly. The blast of cold air shocked her skin and her senses. Kylee opened her eyes and sat up, reality crashing over her like a bucket of water.

“Wait, wait, wait,” she gasped out, her voice thick.

Price sat up too. “What is it?”

His voice had a husky quality to it that made her stomach tightened.

“I’m a little . . . nervous.”

“It’s okay,” he said, one hand stroking her bare waist. “It’s just me.” He leaned over her and kissed her again.

For a moment she was distracted. The kiss grew stronger, hardly giving Kylee a moment to breathe. His hands caressed her over her clothing, leaving a trail of liquid desire under her skin.

This was going somewhere.

They might even go all the way.

Think, she reminded herself.

No one had ever seen her naked before, and fear shook her to her senses. She couldn’t show herself to him. What if she wasn’t acceptable, what if he didn’t like her? She turned her head sideways so his mouth met with her cheek. “Price. I’ve never done this before.” She needed to get away from his electric fingers.

“Me neither. It’s going to be fine, I promise.”

He was willing to let it happen. Kylee pushed his chest away and straightened up. “Price, I can’t. I’m not ready for this.” Her fingers plucked the edge of her shirt away from him, and she pulled it down over her stomach. “I’m sorry.”

He sucked in a breath and let it out slowly. “No, no, it’s fine. It’s okay. Whatever you want.” He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead and scooted farther away, exhaling again. “I’m crazy about you. That’s all.”

“I know.” And she did. She gave him a timid smile, feeling an odd mixture of shyness and intimacy after their kisses. “I just want to be sure.” She tried to break away from the intensity of his gaze, but he held her captive, even with one eye swollen and purple.

“I want it to be you,” he said, his words certain and confident.

Her stomach tightened in a delightful shudder, and she managed to look away. “I’m not ready.”

His fingers stroked her arm. “You don’t have to explain. It’s fine, Kylee.”

She let out a breath, waiting for her heart rate to slow. “Did you want to get that show going again?”

“Yeah.” The couch shifted, and Price un-muted the TV.

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Kylee had no idea what was going on in the show. She tried to get into it, but her mind kept wandering back to Price sitting beside her, the way he’d kissed her, the feel of his body as it pressed against hers. She shifted her weight sideways so she could see him in her peripheral vision. From here she couldn’t see his purple eye, and the swelling on his lip barely showed.

He’d surprised her, coming on so strongly. The feelings had frightened her a little.

He laughed at something on the television, a small dimple popping out on his cheek. He glanced at her and caught her watching him. “What’s up?” he asked, poking her leg with his socked toe.

A surge of warm affection coursed through her. Screw caution. She wanted to be with him as badly as he wanted to be with her.

“You know what?” She crawled the distance between them and kissed him, the action easier and more natural than before. “Forget this show. I’m ready.”

Price leaned back. “Yeah?” He turned the TV off and put a hand behind her head, returning her kiss. “Are you sure?”

“Yes. I’m crazy about you too.”

He didn’t miss a beat but slid his hand under her shirt, his palm against her back, pressing her closer. She closed her eyes, slipping away in the physical sensations as his mouth captured hers. This felt so right. It had to be right. She ignored any nagging doubts or hesitations, shoving them from her mind.

Price pulled back, his thumb rubbing her jaw while his brown eyes studied her, burning with desire. “Come on.”

“Where are we going?” She allowed Price to take her hand and tug her from the couch.

He led her up the stairs, turning around to kiss her once. “My room.”

The sun had gone down, and his room was dark. The glow from her ring cast a bluish hue to the walls. He didn’t bother with the light. He lay down on the bed and pulled her on top of him. His hands went through her hair, and he brought her mouth down to his.

Kylee couldn’t see anything, but she didn’t need to. She could feel. The doubts in her head started speaking louder, taking the edge off her pleasure. “Is this a good idea? I mean, us. . . .” She couldn’t bring herself to continue. She wasn’t comfortable having this conversation.

“As long as you’re okay,” Price whispered, his breath warm on her neck. “I love you. I want you.”

His words burned into her heart. “I love you too,” Kylee mouthed, but no sound came out. Instead she gripped his face between her hands and kissed him hard.

Price’s arms went around her, and he rolled her over. She lost track of his hands as they ran over her body, stroking her, caressing her, finding her secret places, and her inhibitions fell away. She gasped at the rising intensity in her core, arching her back to meet his every touch. His mouth came to hers, kissing her before roaming down her neck and shoulders. Something was building in her body, pulsing with an aching need, as if she were on the brink of an explosion, one touch away from shattering.

A sudden sharp blade of blackness stabbed into her mind. Kylee cried out and flinched away, but the pain was in her head.

She wasn’t in the bedroom anymore. The pleasure of moments ago vanished in an instant, replaced by red hot pain. Images flashed before her eyes, brutal visions of hands and fists, hitting, pounding. Blood. The throbbing of her heartbeat. Kylee screamed and curled into a ball, but it wouldn’t go away.

Then the hands and fists coalesced into a person, a face distorted with anger and hatred. Bill. Punching her, kicking her. She spotted the pink ruffle of her bedspread, felt herself roll under it.

He had a knife in his hand. Her knife. He must’ve found it under her pillow.

The bedroom filled with more muted yells, stomping, crying. Something stabbed into her shoulder, and then the room shuddered. A cozy warmth blotted out the aching in her body, and darkness swallowed her.

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