CHAPTER 37: CHAPTER 37

"And what could that be?" Zeenare’s tone was deceptively casual, though his gaze locked on her like a predator.

"I’d do this," Rhea replied, leaning back on both arms. "But never the aspect of falling in love, that would not work between us both."

Oh, Pumpkin, your words hurt.

Zeenare leaned forward and cupped her face, "What is you are the one who fall in love with me?"

She gave him a blank look, "That can never happen."

Zeenare chuckled with a dark smile on his face. "So you are setting up rules?" He questioned one brow arched.

"Of course, if we want to go ahead with this, there’d be rules." Rhea rolled her eyes totalizing her point.

And he nodded, "I’m listening."

"We should establish the fact that this has to be kept a secret between us alone," her tone mechanical.

"If that’s what you want."

"Yes, that’s what I want. So we don’t need to go over that ever again."

"Of course."

"I want this... thing to be kept strictly carnal indulgence." She said with a hard face.

Zeenare’s eyes trailed to the ceiling, his head tilted up, a ghost of a smirk on his lips, I don’t think this would be possible, Pumpkin. I think it’d be strictly sexual Aisling.

"The moment I start feeling more than that from you is when I cut it off. I’m not in for love especially not from you." She uttered.

Then continued, "I’m not saying this to be mean, I’m saying this because anything other than that will get this complicated." She said, looking away from Zeenare’s intense stare.

Because this way it’d be easy for both of us, since it’s a win-win.

Though Rhea was blabbing on and on about the rule, her heart was speaking another language, with each word that came out of her mouth, her heart broke a rib.

"And also I’d leave when my health improves and school resumes."

Is this the best way you could come up with to leave? Should I remind her that the sex relieves the effects of the curse and not break it

"Hmm." Zeenare hummed,

Suddenly, a gust of wind coiled into Rhea’s body, spiralling down her spine, and heat bloomed between her thighs, sending a hot flush down her cunny, soaking her panties as her cunny tingles.

Gods, I’ve got to get out of these clutches, I don’t like the position I’m in right now.

"I have rules to add," Zeenare informed.

Her brows pinched, "What is it?"

"Since you don’t want that, then you have to make up for the other shortcomings by doing everything I tell you.

"I can’t do that. Why’d I do everything you say, what about if it’s what I can’t handle?" Her brows furrowed, her voice thick.

"I would never push you beyond what you can’t handle Pumpkin. And my priority is to make sure you are fine. So what could go wrong? Zeenare said gently tilting his head to the side.

They stared at each other for a long beat. Rhea is uncertain, Zeenare is utterly sure.

"It wouldn’t end even during school." He added. "You will come when I call and do what I say, nothing ask."

I fear that if you die this time, you won’t come back again. So I have to break this damn curse one way or another.

His gaze fell to her exposed thigh, his teeth catching his lower lip.

Well, this gives me more opportunities to break down her walls bit by bit and crawl into her without her knowing.

"Is that all?" Zeenare nodded in agreement, "Okay then we’d go with this."

"Rhea," his voice dropped deep and rich, "I want you to know that you are giving me the right to do so many unspeakable things to you. So many things that are going to make your feet curl, your voice breaking and you begging for more. You understand that don’t you?"

His voice dropped by an octave, as his hands hovered above her hands, which were on her lap, his face closer to hers.

"Yes," she whispered shamelessly turning red in her seat.

Why is he saying it like that? Isn’t there a better way to say it without sounding weird?

"I see," Zeenare chuckled, his gaze drinking her in.

"I guess you are not as scared of me as I thought. Or maybe you have a naughty side you are desperately hiding." He joked with a lopsided smile creating ways for his sets of gorgeous plastered dimples.

Rhea’s eyes sank on his face, savouring the expression he had, which she had seen for the first time.

He has dimples, not surprising, he looks more handsome when he smiles.

But hold up what does he mean by being naughty?

Because I’m not. Yes, I suggested this.

And yes I agreed to it.

But that doesn’t mean I’ve naughty thoughts.

"I think I should warn you in case." He said, his voice barely above a whisper, that Rhea couldn’t have made out what he was saying if his face wasn’t practically in hers.

"I don’t take little, Pumpkin, I take everything and I’m never the type to hold back."

Heat flushed her cheeks from his words and she moved her gaze from him.

The pounding of her heart doesn’t stop as Zeenare’s hands grow inches closer. And his scent enveloped her senses.

"I’m going to explore every single inch of your body and I’m going to take my time doing so." Zeenare’s fingers brushed the tip of the skin on her jawline, trailing down to her neck, brushing her hair to the other side of her shoulder, his eyes swallowed every detail her eyes gave, to the soft flicker of her lashes as she blinks.

"I’m going to claim you in the most pleasant way possible and you are going to enjoy every single moment of it, if not begging."

Rhea’s breath shuddered at the contact of his finger on her neck. Her eyes did not leave his.

She dares not to, except she wants to be eaten alive, that is.

"I’m not going to stop until I have you screaming my name, and I’m not going to stop until there is evidence of me all over you."

"I’m going to wreck you so badly, Pumpkin, and you would beg for more."

His words vibrated through her, heat pooling low, her thighs pressing together in a futile attempt to ground herself.

"I’d ruin you for myself so hard that your body will find it so hard to contain itself, that it would call my name."

Gods, what is this man doing to me? Rhea thought.

"And when I’m done," he moved closer, spreading her legs standing between her knees. "You would thank me."

Rhea tried closing her legs as she kept getting soaked, her breath now uneven.

A smirk played at the corner of Zeenare’s lips as his gaze moved between her legs, then back to her face, down to her lips, his fingers pinched her cheeks, and a whimper escaped her parted lips.

Then he stepped back away, turned, and faced the bed.

Rhea’s heart was racing so wildly, and her panties were so drenched that her wetness was slippery against her thighs.

It baffles me greatly the way my body responds to this man.

Oh god, this is going to be one hell of a fucking ride. She squealed in her thoughts.

"I’d like to freshen up," Zeenare muttered, not turning to her, "But you are welcome to stay, that is if you want to see beautiful things."

Rhea’s eyes scanned his back, "No thanks I’d prefer to take my leave."

Rhea climbed down from the table, counting her steps so her legs wouldn’t make squelching sounds.

Once she was gone, Zeenare let out a heavy sigh, both hands flexing at his side, his waist throbbing.

Fuck that was difficult to hold in, I almost devoured her.

He shed his clothes, put on a towel around his waist, and stepped into the shower.

Water streamed over his skin as he raked his hands through his hair, staring down at the monstrosity between his legs.

It won’t be long now. Soon, soon Pumpkin.

Getting to her room, Rhea immediately shut the door, pressed her hands over her chest to catch her breath.

The adrenaline was fading, leaving a shaky emptiness in its wake. With her slightly unstable legs, she slid off her undies.

Oh shit, where are all these pouring from?

She stared at those pants in her hands, then threw them into the bin. The heat that had consumed her in his presence was still a simmering ember beneath her skin.

This is the same thing that happened in my apartment. Is he using magic? Or is this just my body’s panicked response?

She moved to the bed and sat down heavily, her knees still trembling. She had walked in there with a plan, a logical set of rules to contain the madness. But he hadn’t played by her rules. He had just smiled and laid out his own, more terrifying ones.

I agreed. I actually said yes.

The words reverberated in her skull, an unshakable, icy truth. She had permitted him, to touch her, to wreck her, cloaking desperation in the guise of strength.

She had lifted her chin, her tone unwavering, yet beneath it all, she was flailing in deep waters. She could still hear the low rumble of his voice, feel the way he closed in on her, and smell that intoxicating blend of ocean and salt clinging to him.

She rose to her feet and stepped into the shower, willing the cool water to strip away not only the lingering traces of his touch but also the unsettling, tangled thoughts that refused to loosen their grip on her mind.