10 Days to Ruin

loose strand of hair behind my ear. Or maybe it's just because the bathroom ligh

ids," he murmurs, fingers trailing down on

"How di

it from someone. The braids are too complex to do yourself, and they're actually even in the back,

. Are you s

f my neck. I can feel my own pulse hamm

t depends on what you'

e never been more aware of another person's lips in

s not one single, solitary th

let me b

l I can possibly bring myself to care about. I'm bat

ll, and closer

room doo

y mysterious stranger's face transforms instantly, that almos

ith my bandaged hand and flushed cheeks, him with his thundercloud sc

ion doesn't go away. Something lingers in the air betwe

though it sounds like it co

. "Sho

if you don't leave now, I'm going to kiss you.

tep toward the door, then pause and turn

ft eye should be. "You should be very, very carefu

wall. I was spot-on the first time: he's a bad idea made real. Mama would've whispered a scar

knob-avoiding cutting my hand on it this time, pr

lain old stupidity, something compels me to turn bac

lse w

R

t's left of Gina's handiwork. The other hand grips my waist and bunches my dress into a di

ke this. He kisses me like I'm air and he's drowning

ongue past my teeth and claim

to run, ptich

. My dress rides up my thighs and his hands follow, leaving trails of fire on my skin. When h

age to whisper, even as my fin

r, the movement pressing him even

. Some days, it feels like all I do is worry. So for him to pick me up and move me here

e I could

ve of my throat. I let my head drape backward as I gaze up at the ceiling throu

hka" and "I shouldn't" and "fucking hell, you t

find the edge of my panties, I s

s. "Tell me something

through my wetness. I bite down where his neck meets his shoulder so I don

ver quite makes it a

leading for. Like the first aid kit, everything

th embarrassment. Scarcely a dozen pumps of two scarred fin

Belts unlatch. My underwear slides down my t

s huge and blue. Breath rattling in and out of his lungs. He's just this side of undone, like th

o by. The braids are a distant memory. The straps of my dress have fallen down my shoulders to let my boo

hough, this line in the sand, this one door closing and another op