Page 27 of The Dead Don’t Scream

Everything stops. Immediately. Dante removes his mouth and fingers. He rises between my legs but doesn’t touch me. The playful Devil disappears. His voice is steady.

“Do you want space?”

“No.”

“May I put my hands on your knees?”

“Yes.”

His palms settle gently against them.

“Pain?”

“No.”

“Too sensitive?”

“Yes.”

“Do you want to stop?”

I breathe through the lingering tremors.

“No.”

“What do you need?”

The care in his voice does something strange to my chest. I place my hands over his.

“Slow down.”

“Anything else?”

“Kiss me.”

Dante becomes motionless.

“You haven’t earned it.”

I blink.

“You had your face between my legs.”

“Yes.”

“But you won’t kiss me?”

“Not yet.”

“Why?”

His thumb strokes my knee.

“Because this is a game, Sloane, and kissing you wouldn’t feel like one.”

The answer sinks deeper than it should. I don’t know what to say. Dante saves me from responding.

“Color?”