Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 88656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 88656 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 443(@200wpm)___ 355(@250wpm)___ 296(@300wpm)
“And this is how you finish it,” Kage was saying, still against my ear, still in that same low tone that sounded almost seductive. He slid his right arm behind my head and secured it in the same way he had the Triangle Choke. “Do you want me to choke you out?”
He made it sound like a treat, like something you might sell your soul for. Then again, maybe I was just perceiving it that way. Except for the offhand grope, Kage been nothing but professional. I was the one who was affected— the one having unprofessional thoughts. He’d accidentally brushed my package during a joke, and I was freaking out.
“Um… Is it safe to choke someone out?” I heard myself asking.
“Not if you don’t know what you’re doing,” he admitted. “But when it comes to something like this, you couldn’t be in better hands.”
And after today, I’ll never think of those hands the same way again.
He hesitated. “If you don’t feel comfortable, it’s no big deal. I just thought you might be curious about what it feels like. You’d be surprised how many people have asked me if I would choke them out.”
“Really? People actually ask for that?”
“Yeah. But if you don’t want it…” He started to ease his hold on me.
“Do it,” I blurted before I could change my mind. Because I was curious. And because I didn’t want him to let go of me.
He tightened his grip on me again, putting gentle pressure not on my windpipe, but on the arteries to either side of it. I felt the damming of the blood flow there, and that same pressure I always got in my face when I strained way too hard to lift weights. The last thing I remember was a tingling sensation in my brain, like a thousand fireworks bursting in slow motion, and Kage whispering in my ear. “It’s okay, Jamie. I promise I won’t hurt you.”
The next thing I knew, I was lying on my back, looking straight up into Kage’s handsome face as the world came swimming back into focus. Only it seemed like I’d been watching him for a while, listening to the soft droning of his voice. How long had I been back?
“Hey, chief.” He smoothed my hair back from my forehead. “How are you feeling? That shit is wild, huh?”
Wild, indeed.
It felt like I’d just been reborn into the world. How long had it been since Kage had whispered that he wouldn’t hurt me? For all I knew, it could have been years. It seemed like years.
“How long was I gone?” I asked.
He smiled down at me. “Only a few seconds.”
“Are you serious?” I sat up too fast, nearly clashing my head into his. The world wavered, and I was reminded of that overwhelming brain tingle I’d felt just before losing consciousness. “It felt like so long. I think I was dreaming.”
“Oh, yeah? What did you dream about?”
“You.” His eyebrows shot up, and I hurried to continue. “You and I were in this post-apocalyptic world, and we were trying to get away from zombies. This girl came to our house and tried to get us to let her in, and I was gonna open the door, but you stopped me and told me she’d been bitten. Somehow you knew. And then we had to go out on a late-night food run, and we ended up in the cafeteria of my old school, and all we could find was whole kernel corn, green beans, and corn dogs. You said the corn dogs were too fattening, so we didn’t get them. And you’d only let me get skim milk.”
Kage was grinning. “So, I was in charge, huh? You did everything I said.”
I had one of those embarrassing moments when you realize you’ve babbled your dream out before you’re completely awake. Because if I’d had some time to think about it, I might have edited that dream before sharing it with Kage, if I’d ever shared it at all.
“I guess that is what it sounds like. I’m sure there was more, that’s just all I remember.”
“Damn, Jamie.” Kage ruffled my hair. “That brain of yours must be busy as hell, because you were literally only out for a few seconds. How did you have time to dream all that?”
“I think you may be lying to me about the time frame.”
He chuckled. “Maybe I should get a video of it next time so you’ll see I’m telling the truth.”
“Next time?”
“Or not.” He shrugged. “But you were adorable when you were convulsing and drooling.”
I felt the blood rush to my face. “Are you serious? I was drooling?”
“Nah, not really. I’m just fucking with you. You weren’t drooling… but you did convulse a couple of times. And before you freak out, that’s perfectly normal.” He laughed and stood up, pulling me onto shaky legs. “Let’s go get some grub. All that talk of zombies and bad school food has got me hungry.”