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The rush of lust that slammed me nearly knocked me from my feet.

A motherfucking beggar who’d plead for any scraps she could afford me.

Just because I wasn’t physically there didn’t mean she didn’t have me in that spot, anyway.

I scrubbed a palm over my face to try to gain some cool.

Collect myself when I was fucking quaking.

I snatched her underwear from where they were in a ball on the far side of the bed, my mouth going dry as I wound one side over one boot, then did the same to the other.

Heart manic and body trembling as I slowly eased them up her legs.

I watched her face the whole time, her eyes on me, so many questions and uncertainties swirling in their depths. But it was the knowledge seeded in them that cut through me like a thousand dull blades.

When I had her underwear up to her thighs, she lifted her hips so I could seat them into place.

There was no sound in the room but the ragged pants of our breaths and the erratic thrumming of the blood that sloshed through our veins.

Shaking like a cornered animal, I resituated her skirt, covering her back up the way I should have left her to begin with.

But how the fuck could I really regret it when it was what she’d wanted?

How could I when experiencing her once would be the most profound moment of my life?

“You’re beautiful, Elena.” The confession toppled off my tongue. “I’m the luckiest bastard alive getting to touch you like that. Getting to see you this way. But you know this can’t happen again.”

Her delicate throat tremored. “I won’t ever stop wanting you, Trevan, if that’s what you’re getting ready to say.”

Doubted I’d ever stop wanting her, either.

This was my punishment.

My due.

I just hated for her to suffer it, too.

“I’m going to get cleaned up. Seems you have me in a bit of a situation.” I attempted to return to the easiness that we typically fell into. Wondering if it would no longer exist.

If I’d ruined the little good that we had between us.

Elena let go of a wry giggle as she sat up, though her expression was deep.

Fathomless.

Sucking me under.

“I liked that situation, though I could think of a few ways we could have made it better.”

Come in me instead.

I was pretty sure I was never going to get that petition out of my head.

The sound of it inscribed there.

Hell, I was going to need to set up an appointment with River Tayte over in Moonlit Ridge to get my new favorite words tattooed.

I reached out, taking a little more as I gripped her by the chin. Itching to drag my tongue over that taunting little dimple.