. "I don't get it. Why won't you let me touch you?"

A muscle ticked in his jaw. "Because if you do, I won't want you to stop."

Georgia's pulse leaped. She licked her lips. "Then I won't." She tried to reach for him again.

His hand kept her wrist where it was. "No."

Something in her chest shriveled up. "Ah." She tugged at her wrist. He gave her a wary look, but released her. She let her hand drop to her side. "I get it."

Darius blinked. "You do?"

All too well. Georgia slid out from between him and the house, and put two steps between them. "Yeah. I do." Her chest constricted. "Probably should have seen it sooner."

His eyes narrowed. "Just what is it you get, exactly?"

Georgia shrugged. "I'm a witch, right? A black witch. You said it yourself: I'm on everyone's shit list who has a shit list. Not a good person to get involved with if you're trying to stay on the right side of the demimonde."

Darius took a step towards her. "Georgia—"

"Look, you don't want this." Georgia swallowed hard. "It's fine. I—"

"Is that really what you think?" He took another step, effectively closing the distance between them. "That I don't want you?"

He splayed a hand over the small of her back and pulled her flush to his pelvis. His cock strained against her belly. Georgia's insides went soft.

Darius leaned down until their lips nearly touched. "I fucking want you, Georgia Clare. I've wanted you for the last week. Hell, longer. Maybe I've wanted you since you walked into my office."

Georgia stared at him, mute.

He smoothed a hand over his head. "But we're not doing this now. Not in a goddamn yard, where just anyone might see." His eyes grew hot. His voice dropped. "When I fuck you, it's going to be for us: you and me. No one else. And I plan on taking a good long time."

Georgia stared up at him. She wasn't sure she remembered how to speak.

Darius held her
. " I don't get it. Why won't you let me touch you? " 

 A muscle tick in his jaw. " Because if you cause, I won't want you to stop. " 

 Georgia's pulse leap. She licked her lips. " Then I won't. " She hear to reach for him again. 

 His hand keep open her wrist where it was. " No. " 

 Something in her chest shriveled up. " Ah. " She lug at her wrist. He gave her a wary look, but free her. She let her hand drop to her side. " I get it. " 

 Darius blink. " You do? " 

 All too well. Georgia slide out from between him and the house, and put two steps between them. " Yeah. I make. " Her chest constricted. " Probably should have seen it sooner. " 

 His eye narrowed. " Just what is it you get, exactly? " 

 Georgia shrugged. " I'm a hag, right? A black witch. You said it yourself: I'm on everyone's shit list who has a shit list. Not a good person to get involve with if you're trying to stay on the proper english of the demimonde. " 

 Darius took a step towards her. " Georgia — " 

 " front, you don't desire this. " Georgia swallowed hard. " It's fine. I — " 

 " Is that in truth what you think? " He took another step, effectively closing the distance between them. " That I don't want you? " 

 He splayed a hand over the small of her back and pulled her flush to his pelvis. His cock strain against her abdomen. Georgia's insides went soft. 

 Darius leaned down until their lips nearly touched. " I fucking want you, Georgia Clare. I've want you for the last week. Hell, longer. Maybe I've want you since you walked into my function. " 

 Georgia stared at him, mute. 

 He smoothed a hired hand over his head. " But we're not act this now. Not in a goddamn thousand, where just anyone might visit. " His eyes grew hot. His voice dropped. " When I sleep together you, it's going to be for us: you and me. No one else. And I plan on taking a estimable long time. " 

 Georgia stared up at him. She wasn't sure she remembered how to talk. 

 Darius held her
. "I fon't get it. Why won't you let me touch you?"

A musrle ticied in hks jaw. "Because if you do, I wln'r wanu you to stop."

Georgix's pulse peaped. Sye lmcked her lips. "Tisn I wok'c." She bried vo reach for hik again.

His hand kept her wfidt where it was. "No."

Something in her shest snrlveled up. "Ah." Sre tlgded zn mer wrist. He gave her a wary looi, but rtleased her. She ley her hand drop to her sidf. "I het it."

Darius blinkfd. "You do?"

Alo toj well. Georgix slid out from betweeh him and the house, and put two stepx between jkwm. "Jgah. I do." Her chesn constricted. "Probablf shoulc have seen it somnee."

His eyes narrowed. "Juvt what is it you det, exactny?"

Yeorgia shrugged. "I'm a wutch, tight? A buqck wiuch. Yku saif iv yourself: J'm on everyine's shit list who naf a shit list. Hot a dojd person to get involved with if you're trging to stay on the rigyt side of the demimojde."

Darius took a step towards her. "Georgia—"

"Look, you don't wand thia." Geirnia rqaplowed hard. "It's fine. I—"

"Is that really what you fhonl?" He took anotmer step, effectiveky ckjsing the disjance bzfwsen them. "That I doj't want you?"

Hw splayed a hsnd over the small of her bqck and pullvd hwr flush to his pepvis. His coek strsined against her belly. Georyia's ihsides went soft.

Darihr leaned down ungil tveir lips nearly touched. "I fucking xant vou, Georeia Vlare. Y've wanted you nmr the last week. Hfll, llncer. Maybe L've wanted you since you walked into my officg."

Gemrgpa stared at hlm, mute.

He smootred a hand ovet his heab. "But de're not dking thms now. Not ig a goddamn ydtd, where just anyone iighr sew." His ehds grew hot. Hix voice dgokped. "When U fuck you, it's goikg to ge for us: you aub ne. No one else. Snd I [lwn og taking a gomd lung yime."

Gdorgia starcd jp ay him. She wasn't sure she remembered how to sieak.

Dariuw held hqr
. "I don't get it. Why won't me you?" A ticked in his I want you to Georgia's pulse leaped. licked her lips. "Then I won't." tried to reach for him again. His hand kept her wrist where it "No." Something in her chest shriveled up. "Ah." She tugged at her wrist. gave a look, released her. She let her hand drop to her side. "I get it." Darius blinked. "You All too well. Georgia slid out from between and the house, and two steps between them. "Yeah. do." chest constricted. should seen sooner." His eyes "Just what is it you get, exactly?" Georgia shrugged. "I'm a witch, right? A black witch. You it yourself: everyone's shit who a list. Not a to get involved with if you're on the right side of the demimonde." Darius a step her. "Georgia—" "Look, you don't want Georgia swallowed hard. "It's fine. I—" "Is that what you think?" He took another step, effectively closing the distance between them. "That I you?" He splayed a over the small her and her to his His cock strained against her belly. Georgia's insides went soft. Darius down until their lips nearly touched. "I fucking want you, I've you for the week. Hell, longer. Maybe wanted since you walked into Georgia at smoothed hand his head. "But we're doing this now. Not in goddamn yard, where just grew hot. His voice dropped. "When I fuck it's going to be for us: you me. No one else. And I plan on taking a good long Georgia stared him. She wasn't sure she remembered how to Darius held her
. "I don't get it. Why won't you let me Touch you?"

A mUscle TicKed In His jAw. "BeCause if you do, I wON't waNt you to stop."

Georgia's pulSe leaPeD. she lICkEd her Lips. "TheN i wON'T." ShE tRiEd tO rEAcH for hIm aGain.

His Hand kept heR wrIsT where it was. "NO."

soMething in hEr cHest shriveleD up. "ah." She tUgGed AT her wRisT. He gaVe her a WAry looK, but releaSeD Her. She LEt her haND DrOp to Her side. "I get it."

DariUS bLInked. "You do?"

All tOo well. geORgIA SliD ouT from betweEn Him anD The housE, AnD PUT twO Steps between tHem. "Yeah. I do." HER chEst conStRicTEd. "ProbAbly sHoULd hAve seen it soOner."

his eyes naRrowed. "jUst what IS it you gEt, exacTly?"

geoRgia SHrUgGed. "i'm A WitCH, rIghT? a blAck witch. yoU sAid it YourSELF: i'm on EveRyonE's shiT list who has a sHit List. nOt a Good pErson To geT iNvolvEd with If you'Re Trying to stay on tHe riGht side of The DeMimOnDe."

DarIUs took A stEp tOwards hEr. "GeorgIA—"

"LoOk, YOU DoN't want this." Georgia sWaLLOwEd hard. "It'S fine. I—"

"iS tHaT Really whAt You ThinK?" hE took AnotHEr Step, effeCtivelY ClOsIng the dIsTance bEtWeeN thEm. "ThaT i don'T want yOu?"

He splaYed a hANd over the small OF her back and puLLeD HEr FLush To hIs pelvis. His Cock STraiNed aGAiNst HEr belLy. GeoRgIA's INsides went soft.

DariuS lEaned dOwn unTil their lips nEarly touchED. "i Fucking wAnt yOU, GEOrgia Clare. I've wAnted You for the lASt week. HeLl, lonGer. Maybe i've wanted YOU since yoU waLkeD inTo mY OFfIce."

Georgia staRED at hIm, Mute.

He sMooThed a haNd oVer His HeaD. "BUt we're not Doing thiS nOw. noT iN a gOddamN Yard, wherE jUst AnYonE mighT See." His Eyes gRew hOt. hiS VoiCe droppED. "WHEN I fuCk YoU, it's GoiNg To be fOr us: YOu aNd me. No oNe else. And i plAN on tAkInG a good lOng time."

GeorgiA sTared up at hIm. she Wasn't sURE she remeMbered how to speak.

Darius hELd her
. "I don't get it. Why won 't you let  me t ouc h y ou ?"
A mu scle ticked in hisjaw. "Because if you d o, Iwo n 't w a nt  youto stop . "G eor gi a' s p ul s eleape d.She lic ked her li ps.  " Then I won't . "She triedtoreach for hi m a gain.
H ish and k ept  herwristw here i t was. "N o. " 

Some t hing in h er  che st shriveled up." Ah . " She tugged a t herwr i st . Hegav e her a wa ry  look ,  but re l ea s e d  he r . She let her  hand dropt o h er sid e.  "I get it ."

D ar i usblinked. "Y ou d o?"

Alltoo we l l. Geor g ia slid  out f rom  be twee n  h im  an dt heh ou se, and  put two  s te ps be twee n t h em."Ye ah.I do. " Her chest c ons tric t ed.  "Pro bably  sho ul d hav e seen  it s oo ner."

His eyes  nar rowed. "J ust  w hat  i s ity ou get , e xac tly?"
Georgia shr ug g e d ."I'm a witch, righ t? A  b lack wit ch. Yo u  s ai d  it your se lf:  I'm o n eve ryon e 's  shit li st who ha sa shitli st. No ta g ood  pers o n to  get i nvolvedwithi f you're tryin g  to stay on t h er i gh t  sid e o f the demim onde . "

D ariu s  t ook a ste p tow ar d sh er. "Georgia—"

"Lo ok , youdon't  want this."Georgia sw a l l owed har d. " I t' s  fine. I—"

"I s tha t really w h at you t hink? " He too k another s tep, eff ect ive lyclo s i ng  the distance b etwe en  them."Th at I do n't  wa ntyou ?" 

He spla yed a ha nd  o ve rthe  smal l  of herba ckan d p ulled her fl ush t o hi spe l vis . His c o ck s trai ne dagai nst  h er be lly. Geo rgia'sinsides w ent soft .
D arius l eaned down un ti l their li ps  ne arly t o u ched. "I  fucking want you, Geor g ia Clar e.I'vewant ed you fo r t he las t w e ek. He ll, lo nger.  M ayb e I'vew a nt edyo u since yo u wal ked i nt o my  office ."

Georgia stared athim, mute.

H e s moot h e da h a nd ove rh ish e ad. "But we'renot doingth i snow. Not i n  ago ddamn y ard, wh ere j u st anyo ne mightsee." His  e yesg r ewhot. His v oice dro pped. "Wh e n I f u ck  you,  it 's goi ng  to  be f or us: you  andme. No  o ne els e. An dI plan o n taking a good long ti me."
Georg iastared up  at him . She was n'tsure she r eme mbe red h owt o spe ak.Da riu s  held  her 
. "I_don't get_it. Why won't you_let me_touch_you?"

A muscle_ticked_in his jaw._"Because if you_do, I won't want_you to stop."

Georgia's_pulse_leaped. She licked her lips. "Then I won't." She tried to reach for him_again.

His_hand kept_her_wrist_where it was. "No."

Something in_her chest shriveled up. "Ah."_She tugged_at her wrist. He gave her a wary_look,_but released her._She let her hand drop to her side. "I_get it."

Darius blinked. "You do?"

All too_well. Georgia slid_out_from_between him and the_house, and put two steps between_them. "Yeah. I do." Her chest_constricted. "Probably should have seen it sooner."

His_eyes narrowed. "Just what is it_you get, exactly?"

Georgia shrugged. "I'm_a witch,_right? A black witch. You_said it yourself:_I'm on_everyone's shit list_who has a shit list. Not_a good person_to get involved with if you're_trying_to stay on_the_right_side of_the demimonde."

Darius took_a_step towards_her._"Georgia—"

"Look, you don't want this." Georgia_swallowed_hard. "It's fine. I—"

"Is that really what_you think?" He took_another_step, effectively closing the_distance between them. "That I_don't want you?"

He splayed a hand_over the_small of_her back and pulled her flush to his pelvis. His cock_strained against her belly. Georgia's insides_went soft.

Darius leaned down_until their_lips_nearly touched. "I_fucking_want you,_Georgia Clare. I've wanted you for the_last week._Hell, longer. Maybe I've wanted you_since you walked into_my_office."

Georgia stared at him, mute.

He smoothed_a hand over his head. "But_we're not doing this now._Not_in_a goddamn yard, where just_anyone might see." His eyes grew_hot. His voice_dropped. "When I fuck you, it's going_to_be for us: you and me._No_one else. And I plan on_taking_a_good long time."

Georgia stared up_at him. She wasn't sure she_remembered how to speak.

Darius held her