Chapter 15

The morning sunbeams dodged through the narrow slits between the buildings, illuminating the front of the clinic.

“Good night.” Colleen yawned as she scribbled her signature on the pages in front of her. “Glad we got Mrs. Klein transferred to Mount Sinai. This close to delivery, she can’t risk being sick. It’s not safe for her or the baby. They’ll keep her on bed rest and monitor her.”

Jen took the forms and shuffled them into a folder for future filing. “I’m glad she threw up outside. I wasn’t keen on mopping the floor.”

“True. Although she scared me a few times. At least her husband was helpful in keeping her calm until the ambulance arrived. Didn’t flinch and kept holding her hand the entire time.” Colleen smiled. “Looked like a good catch. She got lucky with that one.”

“There’s someone out there for everyone,” Jen said as she placed the folder on her desk.

The front door opened, and the tiny bell rang in a fresh arrival.

She looked up, hoping it was Sharon, her daytime replacement.

Of all the days for her to arrive early—

She paused the thought.

It wasn’t.

Nathan stood there, bleary-eyed. For a second, she thought he’d been in a fight, judging from the deep, dark circles under his eyes; then she realized he was struggling from a lack of sleep.

He jammed his hands in the pockets of his leather jacket and walked toward the counter, staring at the floor.

“Nathan,” Jen said.

Her boss looked up and spotted the lone man standing in the lobby. “Oh.” Colleen exhaled the single syllable. “My.” She winked at Jen. “Man like that might convince me to change teams.” She fluttered her hand. “I can hold the fort down here until Sharon arrives. Get going and stay safe.”

“Sure. You be careful.” Jen picked up her purse.

“I’ve got a wife with a mean left hook. I’ll be fine. You go with him,” Colleen said.

Jen walked around the counter. “Are you okay?” She looked past him into the parking lot. “Am I okay?”

“Yeah.” The deep, gravelly voice startled her. “Got a PI out there playing security guard until you leave. He’ll be here every night until it’s over.”

“Oh.” She wasn’t sure what to say back.

“Want to have breakfast?” He shifted from one leg to the other. “You’ve got to be hungry.”

“There’s a lovely little diner down on Danforth.” Jen paused, seeing the confusion in his eyes. “How about you follow me there?”

“Okay.” Nathan nodded at Colleen. “Be safe.”

“Don’t worry.” Colleen smiled. “I’ve been briefed. We’re good here.” She waved the pair off. “Go. I’m fine.”

“I’ll be right behind you.” Nathan searched the parking lot before walking out the door.

Jen had found this family-owned restaurant a year ago courtesy of a good review in the local paper. They specialized in breakfast and closed at three in the afternoon, not offering any dinner service.

She waited at the front door for Nathan to finish parking and catch up to her. She couldn’t help looking around, searching for Lucas in the shadows.

No one was there.

Nathan trotted up to her, his heated breath sending clouds into the air. “Let’s get inside before we freeze.”

He held the door open for her as they entered.

The elderly waitress smiled as she led them to a table at the back of the room. Her gray hair was pulled back into a ponytail, and her cheerful smile was contagious. “Our special this morning is chicken fried steak.” She shot Jen a playful wink. “Totally calorie-free. Trust me.”

Jen chuckled as Nathan ordered coffee. Marcy, according to her name tag, retreated to allow them time to look over the choices.

“Wow.” Nathan scanned the menu. “Nothing even remotely healthy here.”

“Nope.” Jen announced with a note of pride. “You want granola and fruit, go elsewhere. I only eat here once a month or so because of the guilt factor.” She put down the menu. “I’m going for the chicken fried steak.”

“There’s no chicken in that at all you know,” Nathan said. “Not a whit.”

“Exactly.” She chuckled. “It’s the crust. And their white sauce is to die for.”

Marcy returned with two cups of coffee, and Jen ordered the daily special. Nathan held up two fingers and smiled, receiving a chuckle and a nod back from the waitress who jotted down something on her notepad and walked away.

As soon as she was far enough away not to overhear them, his expression changed. “We have to talk.”

“What happened?” The words caught in her throat. “Is everything okay?”

“Yes and no.” He reached over and took her hand. “It’s going to be fine. Before I continue, I need you to know that.”

“What happened?” she repeated.

“Someone’s been watching Jake. He didn’t report it, didn’t even know what it was until Evan asked him if anything odd had happened recently.”

“Evan?” Jen frowned. She’d only met the co-owner of HP once and that had been a rushed introduction on the way to a client interview. “When did Evan come into this?”

He released her hand and sat back, a sheepish look on his face. “He called me into the office last night while you were working. I—” He coughed into his hand. “I was in the parking lot when a guy came up, told me to go to the office. He was a private investigator. HP paid him to guard you.” He jabbed a thumb at the diner entrance. “He’s probably out there now, watching us.”

“Oh my God. Is Jake okay?”

She remembered the soft-spoken military veteran who loved her touch and hated the darkness thanks to being captured by insurgents on his last tour. He’d been held for only a few hours, but it’d scarred him forever.

Blindfolds had been on his no-go list.

“Yeah. Guy’s been hiding in the bushes watching Jake. At least that’s what it looks like. It’d make sense, surveying the target.” He cupped the mug with both hands. “My gut tells me it’s Tanner. Question is, what do we do about him?”

Jen shook her head, feeling the frustration being to boil up from inside. “No one’s willing to press charges. And even if they did, it’d be impossible to prove because we’ve got no positive identification from Charles or Jake. A good lawyer would get Tanner freed within a few hours.” She resisted the urge to toss the mug across the room. “I just want to know why he’s doing this to me. What’s his end game? I don’t understand.”

“I don’t get it either,” Nathan admitted. “I don’t know what he wants.” He wadded the paper napkin into a tight ball. He emptied his mug in two swallows and waved at Marcy who came over with the coffee pot. He stayed silent through the refill.

“Your order will be up soon.” The perky woman bounced away.

“What’s wrong?” She watched him closely.

“Nothing.” He shook his head. “I’m fine. Just tired.”

The plates of food arrived, and she dug in, using the meal as a reason to keep from talking.

There was nothing she could say that hadn’t been said before.

Nathan grunted his approval as he worked on the platter-sized piece of steak. “Wow.”

“Yep.” Despite the situation, Jen giggled. “Shoot your cholesterol into the atmosphere, but there’s nothing wrong with treating yourself every now and then.”

“This should have a warning on it.” He waved a loaded fork at her. “And you’re right about the sausage gravy. Although I could probably use this sauce to seal my windows if necessary.”

She stuck her tongue out at him. “Shut up and finish your breakfast.” She pulled at a loose lock of blonde hair and tucked it behind her ear.

“As you wish.” He fell silent and continued to eat.

Jen felt the tension between them, the way he sat and acted. Something had changed, something had warped since she’d seen him last.

What happened?

Was it something Evan said to him?

Does he know something he’s not telling me about?

He reached for the check before she could, his expression leaving no room for negotiation.

“Thank you.” She dabbed at the corners of her mouth with a napkin. “So now what do you want to do?”

Jen wasn’t prepared for the smoldering lust in his stare. “What do you think I want to do?” He rolled his shoulders back and she saw him naked in her mind's eye, standing strong and proud as he'd done so many times before.

Except this time it was for her, not for Danielle.

She felt her cheeks burn, the sudden rush of desire in her belly startling her. “You need to go home. Get some sleep. You’ve got to go to work tonight.”

“So do you,” he replied. “But we need to talk, and we can’t do it here.” Nathan reached over and took her hand. “Come back to my place. Please.”

She gasped at the heated touch, her heart racing. “It’s not Sunday. It’s not—”

“Come be with me as Jennifer. Not Danielle, never Danielle again.” His voice dropped to a low rumbling, the vibration sending her heart into overdrive. “Come be mine, only mine. Let me take care of you as only I can.”

“I can’t.” The words grated against her soul. “My contract—”

“No.” Nathan jerked his head to one side. “I can’t do this anymore. I can’t be one of many. I can’t do that. I’ll protect you because I love you but this arrangement is over.” He paused. “I’m going to call and cancel my contract.”

“But—” Her mind was running a thousand miles a minute, juggling words and emotions like a crazed circus clown car. “If you do that, I can’t see you.”

“You can’t see me as a client.” His grip increased. “You can see me as a man. Your man, if you’ll let me.” He swallowed hard. “I’ll see this to the end because I’m a cop and it’s a part of me I can’t deny, can’t turn off. But there’s another part of me that I have to listen to. My heart. And it’s telling me we can’t go back to the way it was before, no matter how this turns out.”

Jen slumped back in her chair.

He’s right.

We crossed that line, and there’s no going back.

“I told Wendy I wasn’t going to let Tanner, or whoever’s doing this, dictate my actions.” She stumbled through the logic, forcing herself down the verbal trail. “I can’t change that right now and make myself a liar.”

“This isn’t about him. This is about you and me. It comes down to a simple question.” Nathan locked eyes with her, the burning gaze scorching her thoughts. “Do you want me or not? If not, then I’ll run this to the end as a cop and do the best by you that I can. But I’ll have to leave, then, because I can’t stand the idea of sharing you with anyone else. Or—”

He paused and she saw the need rising in his expression, the urge to drop to his knees in front of her, in front of everyone if that’s what it took to win her over.

“Let me be yours. Let me be your protector, your safe place to fall. Let me be who I am, what I am for you and you alone.”

She bit her lower lip, using the pain to focus her thoughts. “This isn’t the right time to talk about this. It isn’t—”

“If not now, when?” He swept his hand at the front window of the diner. “You said you won’t change who you are and what you’re doing out of fear. But it’s already changed you, changed us. It’s already happened, and now we’re trying to figure out what road to take.” He dug in the inside pocket of his jacket and came up with a small blue plastic bag, which he placed on the table between them.

Jen didn’t have to open it to know what was inside. She knew the size and shape of the item intimately.

His leather collar.

“I can’t wear this again unless I know I’m the only one who’s going to be yours. I can’t.” He stood suddenly and pulled out his wallet.

“Let me know what you decide. The guard HP put on you is outside. He’ll make sure you get home safe.” Nathan placed the bills on the table. “You were right about this place. Fantastic food—but you can’t eat here too often or you won't be able to stop.”

He turned and headed for the door.

Jen watched him, her mouth dry.

What the—

Marcy came over. “Everything okay here?” She looked at Nathan’s retreating back. “He seemed in a rush.”

“Everything’s fine.” Jen reached out and curled her fingers around the plastic bag. “Everything’s going to be okay.”

You did it now, his inner voice screamed. You totally screwed this up.

He fumbled with the key to his car, trying hard not to glare at the private investigator parked nearby.

Evan was right.

He couldn’t keep on imagining their relationship was the same or could revert back to what it’d been. As soon as she’d given her real name and let him into her life, the equations had changed and there was no reversal possible.

Nathan slid in behind the wheel and jammed the key in the ignition.

Damned good food.

He drove home, feeling the anger seep out of him as if someone had punctured him with a sharp pin. The endorphin rush of staying on watch, mixed with Evan’s observations and the last meeting with Jen had finally eased into mental and physical exhaustion.

It took the last of his energy to pull into his driveway and head up the steps. A fast sweep of the area showed no one out of place, no one waiting to pounce on him.

Good. Given the mood he was in right now, he’d probably kill the son of a bitch and let the courts figure it all out.

He shot the dead bolt home hard and fast, relaxing slightly as the bolt slammed into the thick wood.

Not in my house.

Nathan leaned against the wall, trying to gather the strength to go upstairs to bed.

A knock came at the door.

He hesitated before looking through the peephole.

A metal ring filled the small circle, dark leather behind it.

Nathan let his breath out slowly before opening the door.

Jen stood there, his collar in her right hand.

“May I come in?” she asked.

He took a step to the side and let her pass by.

“Close the door,” Jen ordered. She held up the well-worn leather. “I’m not going anywhere for the next few hours. And neither are you.” She drew a deep breath. “I called HP and quit. They told me they’d keep the PI on me until this is resolved.”

Nathan relocked the door before turning to face her, secure he could keep her safe in here in his sanctuary.

She ran her tongue over her lower lip, showing her teeth. “I’ll be honest with you. I’ve thought about this before. At home after our sessions. Sometimes even during our sessions.”

Nathan saw the desire in her eyes, the pupils widening as she stared at him. “You’ve—” She sighed. “You’ve always been my safe place to fall. I always looked forward to our visits because I enjoyed them.” Her lips twisted into a smile. “Maybe a bit too much. That’s how I could tell you about Tanner, about me. You were the only one I ever felt I could talk to about me, about what and who I am.” She undid her jacket and let it fall off her shoulders. “But I’m tired and I need to sleep, and so do you. Take me to your bed and let’s rest.” She arched one eyebrow. “For now.”

He swallowed hard, unable to find the words.

Jen reached out and put her hands around his neck, placing the collar. The small lock clicked shut, silencing any fears he might have had left.

“Upstairs.”

He grinned and picked her up in his arms, evoking a gasp from her as he swung around and headed for the stairs.

This was either the smartest thing she’d ever done in her life or the craziest.

At the moment, it could go either way.

The stairs creaked as they ascended. It seemed to take forever, his strong arms cradling her and carrying her into a whole new reality.

The door was open, and he slid through sideways, careful not to bump her head.

It was as she remembered it. A stack of laundry sitting in the far corner, uniform shirts mixed with socks and underwear.

The polished redwood posts. They sent her imagination racing as she envisioned what she could do with them in other circumstances. The thick fluffy down comforter was pulled back to the bottom of the bed, checkered dark brown squares a sharp contrast to the white sheets.

She chuckled, and he nuzzled her neck, the ring on his collar jingling.

“Something funny, Mistress?”

“You’re a slob.” Jen gestured at the pile of dirty clothing.

“Why, yes. Yes, I am.” He chuckled. “Something for you to punish me for later.” He stood her up and slid his own leather jacket off to toss onto the growing heap.

“We’ll see.” She put her hands on her hips and eyed him, savoring the moment. “Take my clothing off. Slowly and carefully.” She wagged a finger at him. “Slowly. Or I’ll put them all back on, and you’ll have to start again at the beginning.”

“Of course.” Nathan moved inside her personal space, close enough to steal her breath away. “As you wish.”

His eyes softened, still with a hint of laughter in them as he focused in on her. His fingers landed on the button at the base of her neck and began to undo them with a maddeningly sluggish pace as she’d asked for.

Her heart hammered in her chest as she studied his hands. They were the hands of a working man, calloused and well worn. Every time he brushed his fingertips over her skin it was as if he were made of slick polished ivory.

It was hard not to shiver in anticipation of what he could do, what he would do with those hands.

Jen forced herself to stay still, the urge to break her own rules almost overwhelming. She wanted nothing more than to tangle her fingers in his short black hair, scrape her nails over his scalp as he followed her every command. She wanted to strip him bare and feast on his tightly muscled chest and abs, devour him whole.

The torture she was supposed to be inflicting on him was reflecting back on her with a vengeance.

She clenched her hands into tight fists as Nathan’s hands moved down the blouse. His breathing became a series of ragged pants as more and more of her bare skin was exposed.

Jen pressed her lips into a tight line, resisting the urge to grin like a fool.

You want more.

You want to rip off my clothes and have your way with me.

Not until I say so.

The pace was driving her crazy, but she wasn’t going to give in to the burning desire bubbling up inside her.

This is what you want.

And it’s my privilege to give it to you.

He reached the bottom of her blouse and brushed the white cotton to each side, exposing her light pink bra. His fingers skimmed her soft skin, the urge to laugh almost overwhelming her as he tickled his way along her waist. He gently pulled the blouse free and folded it neatly, placing it on a nearby table.

He returned to stare at her, his eyes burning with desire.

His need shot straight to her core, feeding the fire burning for so long.

“May I—” he rasped.

“My jeans.” She wasn’t going to let him run the show.

Not yet.

He dropped to his knees and fumbled with the top button before expertly sliding the zipper down, keeping clear of her panties. A brief tug had her pants sliding down to bunch at her ankles.

Nathan frowned. “May I undo your shoes?”

Oops.

“Yes. And my socks too.”

How romantic.

Jen giggled as his fingers danced around her ankles, stripping her feet bare. He tossed the shoes and socks to one side before pulling her jeans free and folding them gently. Those he placed to one side.

Nathan bent down and kissed the top of her feet, one after each other with light, delicate touches.

Oh God.

She rested her hands on his shoulders, feeling light-headed. In all her imagined scenarios, in all her fantasies, she’d never seen this.

The soft kisses moved up to her left ankle and then her knee.

“Stop.”

Nathan froze in place.

“You’re awfully overdressed. Get up and strip.” She snapped her fingers to keep them from trembling. “Now.”

He rose in front of her. His deep brown eyes were wide, locking onto hers as if laser-guided. “As you wish.” He reached down and pulled his boots off. His black socks were bunched into tight balls and tossed to the side.

He never stopped looking at her, staring at her.

Nathan stood up and pulled his black T-shirt over his head with the same maddeningly slow pace he’d used to disrobe her.

Jen dug her nails into the palms of her hands as he undid the button at the top of his jeans and slowly, agonizingly slowly, let them slide down to fall on the floor.

She’d seen him naked before.

This shouldn’t have been any different from the many times he’d been naked and collared in front of her, on his knees or waiting to be disciplined.

Yet—

He tucked his thumbs under the waistband of his briefs and pulled them down in one swift motion before kicking them off with his jeans.

Nathan rested his hands on his hips with a smirk, waiting for her next instruction.

“Pull down the quilt. We’re going to sleep now.” She forced the words out past the heat pooling in her belly, the desire surging through her veins.

“You’re going to sleep?” He cocked his head to one side.

“Yes.” She gestured at the bed. “And so are you.”

Nathan shifted, and she saw he was already hard, painfully so. A bead of moisture collected at the tip as he stood there, collared and naked.

“Bed,” Jen ordered, wondering who was going to suffer more for the next few hours.

He was going to die a slow and painful death from blue balls.

It’d be an interesting obituary.

Here lies Nathan Harrowsford, who couldn’t stand lying beside the woman he loved for a second longer without permission to touch her.

A bit wordy, but it’d have to do.

He watched her slide in under the sheets, the pink bra and matching panties a stark contrast to the whiteness. She pulled the comforter up to her waist.

Jen crooked a finger at him. “In.”

He lay beside her on his back. The quilt tented as she threw it back over him, his cock twitching against the blanket as he stared at the ceiling.

The leather collar cut into the back of his neck. Not painful enough to make him want to adjust it but enough to remind him he was at her mercy.

“Go to sleep. We’re both exhausted and in no condition to do anything. Well, anything good.” She curled away from him, her body heat dancing along the edges of his senses. “We’ll talk after we rest.”

Rest?

He was primed and ready to blow.

Maybe—

He flexed his fingers, wondering how silent he could be.

“And don’t you dare touch yourself.” The heated whisper shocked him into staying still. “I’ll know, and then you’ll never find out what it’s like.”

He didn’t have to ask her what it was.

“Go to sleep,” Jen repeated as she yawned.

Nathan listened as her breathing grew more regular and slow.

He couldn’t sleep.

He couldn’t leave.

In an effort to dampen his desire, he thought about Lucas Tanner and why he’d be going after Jen’s clients.

If you want revenge or whatever on her, then run straight on. Why take all the time and work to find each man she’s seeing?

Nathan frowned as the dim light crept in under the closed blinds.

It would have taken a lot of work. He must have been watching her apartment, watching her every time she left. Following her to each residence and then waiting, drawing up a schedule of where she went and who she saw. He probably doesn’t know she’s a Domme—maybe he thinks she’s a massage therapist or some such thing.

But then when did he plan to make his run? And where?

At the clinic? At her house?

Where would the final act play out?

He fell asleep before the last thought congealed, exhaustion winning out.

She thought she wouldn’t be able to go to sleep with the mixture of desire and fear pumping her body full of energy and adrenaline.

She was wrong.

The next time she opened her eyes and looked over at the digital clock on the side table, it was well after four in the afternoon, her usual waking time after working a night shift.

But there was nothing usual about this time.

She was in bed with Nathan, and things had irrevocably changed between them.

On my command.

She turned over to find him on his side, facing away from her. Heat radiated from his bare skin, warming the sheets and comforter.

Jen ran her fingers along his back over the skin she’d laid bare with the lash and the flogger not so long ago. The marks were gone, but she knew they were still there under the surface, marking him as forever hers.

Kate might have been his first Domme, but she’d be his last.

She ran her finger over the edge of the leather collar he still wore. The key was within reach on the side table where she’d placed it before going to sleep.

Jen reached for the key and undid the lock. A slight tug had the long slender strap sliding out onto the pillow and into her hand.

Nathan rolled over. His eyes were bright and wide.

“Good morning,” he said with a trace of a smile on his lips.

“Good afternoon,” she corrected him.

His attention went to the collar coiled in her grip. One eyebrow rose as he took in the freedom he’d been given.

Jen felt the tension building in her, the realization she’d given permission for him to go where they hadn’t gone before. There was no contract, no rules holding either of them back.

Just her word.

She crooked her finger at him, relishing the heated anticipation coiling inside her, the desire drowning out any flowery sentences she’d saved up for this moment. “Okay. Let’s see what you’ve been hiding from me all these months.”

He growled before reaching out to encircle her with his arms and pull her close.

He’d woken up before she did, staying still as he pondered his options.

Get up and make breakfast.

Get up and wait on his knees for her to notice him.

Tear the collar off and ravage her like a madman.

The leather rubbing against his neck told him she’d made her choice.

Option D: A variation of all of the above.

He rolled over and pulled her close, taking delight in her sudden gasp. She let go of the collar, and it fell to the floor, out of sight.

“Mine,” Nathan said.

“Yes.” The whispered reply sent his pulse skyrocketing.

His hands skimmed down her back until it found the tiny clasp keeping her bra on. A deft twist had it snapping free, the fabric falling away.

Jen let out a soft gasp.

Woman, you ain’t seen nothing yet.

He reached down to find her panties and pushed them down and away, her legs shifting to help them escape under the blankets somewhere. Nathan used his toes to shove them as far away as he could.

I don’t think she wants me to destroy her underwear.

Yet.

He drew his hand back up to dance under her navel, stroking and caressing.

“You’ve got such soft skin,” he murmured. “It’s like silk. White, perfect silk.” He nuzzled it with his cheek. “Perfect.”

The only response he got was another soft moan.

Encouraged, Nathan lowered his lips to her breast and began dropping soft kisses over the raised nub as she writhed against him. Finally, he drew her into his mouth, scraping his teeth lightly over the delicate skin.

Her hands slid over his shoulders and landed at his waist, urging him upward.

Nathan ignored her and moved to the other breast, paying as much attention to it as he had to the first.

“Nathan.” Jen tugged at his hair.

He moved up to kiss her, wallowing in the throaty groans he’d provoked.

Her right hand slipped between them, headed south. Nathan’s breath caught in his throat as she took hold of him, her touch almost enough to push him over the edge already.

Damn.

Her fingers brushed over the moisture already leaking from his tip, and he grunted involuntarily, gritting his teeth to almost the point of pain.

“Control.” Her heated whisper did the opposite, urging him even closer to the edge. “I taught you self-control, Nathan. Now’s the time to see if you remember.”

She kept her firm grip on him and let out a low giggle.

Nathan resisted the urge to say anything.

Two can play at this game.

He dipped his fingers lower and was rewarded by a surprised gasp. Her hips thrust up as he increased the pressure, rubbing his middle finger back and forth.

“Nathan.” It was both a statement and a question tied up in a single word.

He swirled his middle finger in her slickness before sliding down and in, choking back a groan as she bucked again and stroked him hard enough to bring him racing to the edge.

Control.

I sure as hell don’t have much left.

“Condom.” It was a question and a curse crushed into one word.

Nathan released her and swiveled to one side. He dug in a side drawer, thankful he kept supplies on hand.

“Let me.” She plucked the slender packet from his hand and tore it open with her teeth. “On your back.”

Her tone left no room for discussion.

Yes.

He laid back and put his hands at his sides, waiting.

She rolled it onto him with slow steady strokes, pushing him even closer to the edge.

“Very good,” she murmured. “Now let’s give us both a reward.”

Jen straddled him, stealing his breath away as he resisted the urge to flip her over and take control.

Mine.

She grabbed the back of his neck and dove down for a hard, punishing kiss, her weight settling as she slid down and pulled him into her. A soft gasp escaped as Jen closed her eyes and arched back, taking him even deeper.

Nathan thrust upward in a natural reaction as his hands settled on her hips to balance and steady her.

Jen opened her eyes, and he saw the fire, the heated desire threatening to swamp them both.

“Not yet,” she said through gritted teeth.

The wavering whisper told him she was already close, much closer than he’d thought.

All for him.

All because of him.

“Mine,” Nathan growled and flipped them over, keeping a firm grip on her arms, pinning them to her sides so she couldn’t escape.

Jen let out a squeak as he began to drive into her, dropping harsh kisses down her neck as he slid both hands under to cup her bottom. He squeezed tight, rewarded with a series of low cries, rising in momentum as he increased his pace.

Her hands, now free, dug into his back. Fingernails scraped across bare skin, leaving long, skittering marks as if she’d flogged him.

“Mine.” The throaty promise was all he could manage as he felt himself surging inside, charging a finish line he’d been racing toward for weeks, months.

“Yours.” The single response sent him soaring over the edge, her breathless cry joining his own.