2.

Lash

I saw her when she was moving into that creaky old house. Maybe I shouldn't have come over, but I couldn't resist. It probably would've been better for her if I'd just stayed away but I don't have it in me to be noble. Besides, being near her makes me feel things I've forgotten how to feel. It's a dangerous game, one I shouldn't be playing, but I can't seem to stop. I like the way she looks at me and I like the way she looks. Wavy, amber hair and her tan skin glows like burned sugar in the sunlight.

Her lips, slightly parted, are the color of ripe cherries, and I can't help but imagine what they'd feel like against mine. Her eyes, hazel and expressive, flicker with a mix of fear, confusion, and an underlying secrecy that makes my heart race.

I'm abnormally drawn to her. There's a sweetness to her features, but with an edgy allure that's intoxicating. It's been so long since I've felt this way, since I've been this close to someone who affects me so deeply. The tension between us pulses and she licks her lips, causing a thrill to current through me.

"You still haven't told me who you are?" she murmurs, her voice steadier now than it was at the beginning.

For a moment, I just look at her, drinking in every detail. She's more than just a pretty face; there's a depth to her, a resilience that makes her all the more captivating. I force myself to focus.

"Lash Boudreaux. I'm your neighbor. See that house over there." I point in its direction and she nods. "That's mine."

I hold my hand out and I can see the conflict in her eyes, the wariness mixed with a strange, almost desperate need to trust.

She takes it, the contact sending a jolt through me. We stare at each other, almost as if in secret awe, the tension between us thick and electric.

"Mega Masen," she finally says, shaking my hand but she takes it back so fast that my fist clenches when it's forced to accept the lack. All I can remember is her body underneath mind, her chest heaving against mine and I want her under me again. Urgently.

She lets out a short laugh, dragging her fingers through her hair. "Is there a particular reason to why you're lurking around in my bushes or is that how you usually spend your Tuesday evenings?" she asks.

I meet her gaze, letting a small smile touch my lips. "Lurking?" I say. "I just wanted to introduce myself. I didn't mean to scare you."

She studies me for a long moment, then nods slowly. "Okay, fair enough," she says, though I can see the wariness in her eyes. She doesn't trust me, not yet. But she will.

"Anyhow, welcome to the neighborhood," I say, trying to keep my tone light and friendly but her eyes keep flicking to my tattoos as if she's not buying it. "If you need any help unboxing, you just let me now."

"I've pretty much unpacked everything by now," she replies, watching me like a doe watched her predator. "But thanks for offering."

I give a slow, easy smile. "Sure," I shrug. "It's the least I can do. You probably don't know much people around here. Probably don't have anyone to look after you."

Her lips curve into a polite smile. "Maybe I don't need looking after."

"All I'm saying is that I'm the only neighbor with a decent set of muscles around. Which means that if you ever catch the boogeyman underneath your bed, I'm the one to call."

She ducks her head, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. "What if I like the boogeyman?"

I let out a hoarse laugh, rubbing the back of my neck. "Prefer him over me do you?" I step a little closer, keeping my movements slow and unthreatening. "Maybe next time, I'll come crawling out underneath your bed and then you'll like me better?"

"What makes you think I don't like you?"

My smile widens. "Just that you seem…a bit prickly."

The flush on her face fades. "It's nothing personal," she admits. "I've just had a rough day."

Conflict flickers in her eyes. She"s attracted to me, but there"s still that layer of distrust, a barrier she"s not ready to lower. I decide to push just a little more, to see if I can get her to let her guard down.

"You know," I say, leaning in slightly, "I don"t bite. Unless you'd deserve it."

She laughs, a hoarse, husky sound that sends a thrill through me. "I"ll try to be good then," she murmurs, her eyes edging on something warm but she doesn't quite let herself go there.

Maybe she's afraid.

"Being good is overrated," I rasp, my voice dropping to a hoarser tone. "But seriously, If you need anything, don"t hesitate to ask. And don't be a stranger."

She nods, her smile fading slightly as she studies me. "I"ll keep that in mind."

I can tell she"s not fully convinced about me, but there"s a flicker of something in her eyes—a hint of wanting to come closer. It"s a start. I step back, giving her space because I don't want to overwhelm her.

But every instinct in me screams to push harder, to break down those barriers and make her mine. "Well, I won"t keep you," I force myself to say, stepping away from her. "You know where to find me."

She nods again, running her fingers through her hair once more. "Bye Lash."

"Remember to close all windows and lock all doors," I say, my voice dropping to a low, almost intimate tone. Walking away, I clench my fists when I sense her eyes watching me. I can still feel the tension between us even at this distance, a taut wire ready to snap. I know she"s intrigued, but the walls she has built around herself are high and fortified.

Mega might be wary now, but I"ll find a way to get her to trust me. To let me in. She"ll come to me. And when she does, I"ll be ready. Feeling a surge of adrenaline, I clench my jaw.

That girl is special. There's a darkness in her that I crave to enmesh with mine. She"s strong, but I can sense the vulnerability underneath. And that"s what I need to tap into. Her vulnerability is what will make her soften up. Her fear is what will make her open up to me. Mega is mine. She just doesn"t know it yet. But she will. Soon.