Ashes Learned Human Names novel · Chapter 11 of 24

Chapter 11: Every Rule Broken

Rafael did not move.

"Say it again," he said, very low.

"Stay," Lucia said. "Tonight. In here."

"That breaks your second rule."

"Then I'm breaking it."

He straightened, crossed the room and turned the lock on the door.

He pulled the chair under the handle, and he came back to the bed slowly, giving her time to change her mind.

She did not.

"Rule three," she said, and held out her good hand. "I'm saying it now. Touch me."

He took her hand and pressed his mouth to the inside of her wrist.

She felt it in her stomach.

He kissed his way up her forearm, slowly, and stopped at the crook of her elbow, where the skin was thin.

"More," she said.

He came down on the edge of the bed.

She pulled him by the collar until he was over her, careful of the graft and the rail.

His mouth found hers.

This time he did not hold back.

He kissed her until her breath went ragged.

Her hands pushed his shirt open, button after button, until she could spread her palms over his chest.

His heart was racing under her hand.

"You're shaking," she said.

"I'm trying to be careful."

"Don't."

He laughed, shaky, against her neck.

His lips traced the right side of her throat and the right side of her jaw, and she tipped her head back and let him.

"Lamp," she said. "Turn on the lamp."

He stopped.

"Lucia..."

"I want you to see it," she said. "All of it. I don't want to be touched in the dark."

He reached over and clicked on the small lamp by the bed.

Yellow light fell across her face and the stiff pad of gauze.

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