Free Shadow of Temptation (Asylums for Magical Threats #2.5) by Jessie Donovan

that.”
    She softened a little at his words. Maybe he didn’t hate her as much as she’d thought. “Why would they go after me? It’s not like I mean anything to you.”
    His jaw clenched. “They probably saw me carrying you from your apartment to that other safe house. They had no way of knowing that you were merely drugged and not curled up against my chest.”
    All of the tender thoughts she had about him vanished. “Next time, you should just put up a huge sign. That way they won’t make the same mistake twice.” She tried to sit up, but he kept her in place with his hand on her shoulder. “Let me up, Jorge. The sooner we figure out our next steps, the sooner you can leave and never see me again.”
    Anger flashed in his eyes. “Two things. One, you need to rest a little longer to recuperate from becoming part of my shadow mist or you’ll end up fainting.” He lowered his head until he was a few inches from her face. “And two, it matters to me if you live or die, so stop dismissing yourself as expendable, because you’re not.”
    His breath was hot against her cheek, and she couldn’t look away from his gaze. “What?”
    “Knowing the Collector’s people like I do, it won’t be long before they find me. If I’m going to die soon, then I’m going to stop pretending around you.” He moved so that he caged her body with his arms. “For whatever fucked up reason, I still want you, maybe even more than I did as the nice guy from all those months ago. But what I need to know, Sabrina, is if your indifference is the same or if you’ve changed your mind?” He lifted a hand to run a finger down her cheek and her breath hitched. His eyes turned heated. “Just say the word, Sabrina, and I’ll kiss you.” He leaned close until he was a hairbreadth away from her lips. “Maybe even more. So tell me, what should I do?”
    Her heart was pounding so loud that she wondered if Jorge could hear it. He continued to stroke her cheek, and each pass of his finger was like a little shock that went straight to her core. In that second, she wanted him naked and inside her.
    The realization should startle her, but Sabrina was tired of lying to herself. She wanted him to kiss her more than anything she’d wanted in a long time. But she hadn’t survived this long by simply seizing what she wanted. She needed to make sure that indulging in a kiss wouldn’t screw up their plans or endanger their safety.
    If she could secure that, then maybe—just maybe—she could finally do something because she wanted to do it instead of doing it for the sake of the mission. “Won’t the Collector’s people be looking for us? We should probably think of where to hide and see if it’s still possible to stop Watkins’s plan.”
    He moved his finger from her cheek to her lower lip, his finger warm and rough against her sensitive skin. It took everything she had not to moan.
    Jorge stilled his finger and said, “There is no way they could’ve followed my shadow escape. We need to lay low for at least a few hours before we do anything.” He moved his finger from her lip to under her chin and lifted. “Stop thinking of excuses. We’re safe for now, so if you want me, then say it. Life’s too short to keep denying what you truly want.”
    His proximity, his touch, his heat, and his masculine scent filling her nose were all too much. She couldn’t—and didn’t want to—resist him any longer.
    Sabrina ran a hand up to his neck, pulled down until he rested his body against hers, and whispered, “Kiss me.”
     

 
    Chapter Eight
     
     
    Jorge could barely believe his ears. He hadn’t expected Sabrina to say yes, let alone pull him down against her body and look at him as if she was ready to devour him. Before she could change her mind, he cupped the side of her face and lowered his lips to hers.
    He kissed her gently at first, but the first taste of her lips sent blood straight to his cock, and he desperately wanted to see if