For this week’s Sunday snog, I
thought I’d give you one of my favourite kisses from A Clockwork Butterfly –
this is the part where my heroes, Lena and Angelo, who only have limited time
together, share a bond in more ways than one… remember to follow the links to the other snoggers!

Angelo
knelt down beside her and carefully started to unwrap the velvet strapping.

Her
flesh was streaked red and white where the fabric had sliced into her. He
kneaded his thumbs into the ridges, smoothing them out and forcing feeling back
into them. Lena breathed in hard as blood rushed in to the hollow welts. The
last binding fell to the floor and Angelo massaged her ankles and calves, bringing on a strange
pins-and-needles sensation that crept up her legs and washed over her. Lena
sighed and lay back as he lifted her leg to his mouth, sucking and nibbling
with his teeth and tongue. Lena thought she would melt through the carpet with
the delight of it.

“I’m sorry I damaged you,” said Angelo between mouthfuls of
her thigh. His eyes looked full of genuine regret.

Lena propped herself up on her elbows. “What do you mean?”
She was hurt that he thought that. “You didn’t damage me! You make me whole.
You give me what I ask for. If anything, I want more. I want to wear your love
like scars of glory. I want you to brand my body so everyone knows I’m yours.”
She stopped, suddenly feeling like she’d gone too far. Maybe he wasn’t really
into dominating her.

The ridges had faded into smooth red slashes. They too would
fade. Lena wished they wouldn’t.

“This is your one minute warning,” the intercom bleated.

Lena rolled her eyes, trying to lighten the tone. “Why does
she have to be so severe?” she said, cocking her head and rubbing Angelo’s
shoulder.

He crawled over her body, pushing her back on to the carpet.
“I’ll do anything for you, anything.” He leaned in and gave her a
heart-stopping kiss. The kind of kiss where souls intertwine.

When he withdrew, she felt changed. After all they’d done
together, this had been the most intimate thing. He’d let something of himself
into her and she to him. He stared into her eyes and let out a long sigh. As
the breath ended, the butterflies on shelves around the room slowly opened
their wings.

“Ten seconds…”

Lena jumped up, dragging her kimono around her and searching
for her obi. As she ran to the door in a panic, he handed it to her and bowed.

“Tomorrow,” he whispered and slowly pushed the door closed.
Lena’s fingers trailed down the cold steel.