Page 15

“You left.”

“And I came back.” His hands were on the wall on either side of me, imprisoning me or keeping me safe, I couldn’t decide. I lifted the ice cream up between us. “With a treat.”

His piercing gaze switched to the tub of ice cream before sliding back to me. “You’re not going to tell me you came back to share a snack.” His gaze locked on mine as if demanding to give him an answer.

I could have nodded and slipped under his arms and gone into the kitchen. I could have pretended, but I did that a lot, and lately, I’d done it with him. But I wanted tonight to be honest.

“No.” I placed the ice cream on the shoe rack beside me. “I came here for you.” This was my mate, the man I couldn’t mark, so tonight was a one-off, something I could tuck away in my memory when Sheridan’s fate no longer matched mine.

“That’s more like it.” His voice had lost the raspiness and he was almost purring. He leaned in close with his warm breath wafting over my ear. “I want you.”

I imagined those words tattooed on my chest. Earlier, his intention had been unspoken. Now that it was in the open, I couldn’t run. I had to give him an answer. I knew what it was, it was written in my heart. And I’d come back, not to eat ice cream but to be with him.

I was close to losing control thanks to his scent that teased me and taunted me, knowing how greedy I was to have my hands roaming over his body. I wanted to memorize every dip and curve, to make him whimper and cry out my name.

With one hand on the back of his neck, I brought him to me and placed kisses on his lips. His eyes grew wide, and he mumbled into my mouth, “I like that.”

I twisted him around so his back was against the wall, and I hemmed him in with hands on his hips. Taking deep breaths to stifle the desire that threatened to ruin the evening, I peppered kisses around his mouth, and he moaned before I kissed along his jaw.

“Lower,” he begged. He bucked his hips, pressing against my crotch, and ground against me. He was hard, me too, and I clutched his ass with both hands and squeezed. “Nice,” he whispered.

Sheridan was so human and fragile, I couldn’t fling him on the floor, and yet, I ached to take him. Instead, I had to take it slow.

Scooping him up, I headed to the bedroom I’d painted and laid him on the mattress. He got on his elbows and took charge, telling me to undress.

“I want to watch.”

With trembling fingers, I undid my buttons. He’d seen the scar on my neck and jaw, but now, he’d be witnessing my ravaged skin. Being vulnerable was hard, and I turned my head, blinking away tears. I slid the shirt off one shoulder, waiting for the pitying look or the averted gaze. Neither came.

“Let me.” Sheridan removed my shirt. He traced over the scar, starting on my jaw and weaving his way to my chest. Leaning over, he kissed the jagged pink marks that would never fade. I choked back a sob because those kisses were a mark of… affection, maybe… love.

My hands were still shaking, and he nudged them away and undid my zipper.

He fell back in the bed. “There’s no need to be nervous. I’ve wanted to be with you since the day we met.”

Me too. That was what I could have said or should have told him, but I couldn’t get the words out.

“I’m a little out of practice.”

He grinned and fluttered his eyelashes. “Don’t worry, I’ll help.”

After wriggling out of his pants, he shimmied his briefs off but left his shirt on. My pulse increased as I gazed at him, wanting to fondle and caress him.

I put a knee on the bed to steady myself because it was taking all my strength not to throw myself at him and fuck him. But this was Sheridan, and he deserved to be made love to.

He narrowed his eyes and beckoned me closer, and I crawled over the mattress toward him.

He grabbed me and shoved the tip of my cock inside him. He was so warm and tight, but I took deep breaths, not quite believing what was happening. My hunger for him was almost insatiable, and I fought the urge to take him. But he wasn’t a random guy. This was Sheridan, and I had to ease into him because that was what he deserved.

His chest was heaving and glistened with sweat as he cupped my chin, forcing me to look at him. “I told you I’ve been waiting. But no more taking it slow.” He took hold of my length and nodded, and I slid in. Nestled in his depths, I closed my eyes, relishing the heat of him and our closeness.

But Sheridan smacked my butt. “Fast. We can do slow next time and the next.”

He put a finger to my lips, making it impossible for me to say no. I pulled back, and he lifted his hips as I entered him again. He whispered against my neck how huge I was and how he loved being filled by me. He kissed my jaw, right on the scar. Goosebumps rippled over my skin, and I was overwhelmed with longing.

I wanted to taste him, breathe in the scent of his slick, and listen to his moans and him begging me to go faster. As I entered him, I kissed over a trail from the base of his throat to his belly button and lapped at the beads of sweat bobbing on his skin.

He clawed the bedding and whimpered, “That’s so good.”