Free Wild Hyacinthe (Crimson Romance) by Nola Sarina, Emily Faith Page A

along her back behind my touch as I trailed up to the flower, touching it, fearing the petals might wilt beneath my murderous touch.
So soft, yet strong.
Even her back rippled with lean, subtle musculature beneath her delightful skin. I swallowed, suppressing the urge to grab her ass as I did with her breast on the street.
    My fingers continued up after I finished tracing the tattoo, reaching to her shoulders. I found the hem of the athletic shirt and tugged it down. Aria released it and let me slide the shirt over her back, covering her body again. I slid my hand around her waist and pulled her by the hip to sit beside me.
    “It’s beautiful,” I said, drawing her head against my chest and tossing a blanket over both of us.
    “Thanks,” she whispered, snuggling closer.
    I wrapped the blanket over both her shoulders. “Not as beautiful as the person wearing it, though.”
    I wasn’t sure why I was so opposed to her nudity in my apartment. Perhaps it was because no woman had ever died here and I didn’t want to break the purity of my home. Perhaps it was because I just learned her name and wanted Gypsy to have time to do some damage control before I killed Aria. I knew it was inevitable, if I continued to carry on with her this way. Or perhaps I simply knew she would expect to have to pay for her stay with me in some way, and I wasn’t about to let her pay me with her body. No, the stay was a freebie, a perk of being my friend, and I wouldn’t let her think she was worth so little to me.
    After all, I planned to charge my murderous soul with her beautiful life, and that was worth a hell of a lot. Way more than I deserved.
    “Why do you smell like gasoline?” Aria asked suddenly from the comfort of my hold, her shivering nearly ceased.
    “Gypsy and I were racing today. I rented out the track.”
    “That must cost a lot.” She yawned.
    “Fifty grand for the afternoon.”
    “Do you do that often?”
    “Nah, only on her birthday. Gypsy has very exclusive interests, so I do what I can for all that she does for me.”
    “It’s your birthday?” Aria realized at my fond mention of my twin.
    I frowned. “Yes, I suppose it is. Twenty-two.”
    Aria was still for a moment, then stretched up and wiggled her hand free of the blanket to find my cheek. She touched me with tenderness, stroking the stubble of my chin with her soft finger as she turned my head to face her.
    “Happy birthday, Asher Chain,” she whispered, and then she leaned up to kiss me, and as my tongue finally connected with hers again, I lost myself in the sweetness of her mouth.

Chapter 9 – Aria
    Waking brought excitement after the initial confusion of opening my eyes in the arms of a man cleared.
    My cheek rested on his arm, which curled around my back like a pillow, holding me close as he slept. I stared up at him, amazed—how could I be this lucky? Asher. I’d spent the night on Asher Chain’s couch, wrapped up in his embrace. It was so far from my usual reality that I inhaled deeply to make sure this was real. Yep, he still smelled like yesterday’s cologne: his typical, enticing smell mixed with gasoline from racing at the track with his sister.
    I watched his face as he breathed evenly, his shirt open to the third button, showing just a bit of his sculpted chest. His eyebrows were furrowed while he dreamed.
My God, how me must look shirtless.
I tried not to squirm at the way his close, hot proximity sparked a deep, burning desire within me, spreading out through my body.
    He shifted in slumber and tightened his hold around me, and I couldn’t help but smile. He tucked his other arm across his stomach and the sleeve of his shirt tugged up, revealing his solid forearm.
    What was that? I frowned, surprised he hadn’t mentioned having a tattoo of his own when I showed him the giant hyacinth flower inked down my spine. I touched his arm to make sure he wouldn’t wake, and then pushed the sleeve to see a few rows of little, black spots on