Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 107352 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 537(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107352 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 537(@200wpm)___ 429(@250wpm)___ 358(@300wpm)
His smile through his tears was so beautiful. “You’re so possessive.”
“Of course I am,” I said, wiping away his tears, stroking his cheek, along his jaw and his chin before leaning in and kissing him. “You’re mine.”
His sigh was long. “I felt how much you wanted me.”
“When was this?” I asked even though I knew.
The smile changed, softened, and his face flushed. “When you were inside of me.”
“I loved being there,” I assured him, and wrapped him in my arms so I could kiss him again. In moments, I had one hand in his hair, the other on the small of his back, holding him close, tight, the need roaring through my veins to devour him.
His own arms were coiled around my neck, and when he had to turn his head to breathe, he gulped the air fast so he could keep kissing me, his need for the closeness as powerful as mine. The realization that he wanted everything I did filtered through my lizard brain and soothed me, slowed my kisses, eased my hold, and when he had to suck in air a second time, I pressed my lips to the side of his neck and kissed there.
“You’re crazy about me,” he whispered, his legs tangled with mine, our sweaty skin sliding together.
“Yes,” was all I could manage.
He was quiet for a heartbeat. “It felt claiming when you were…when you––”
“Because it was, but it won’t be like that every time.”
“I hope it will because…it was so good. I knew when you carried me to the bed that what I needed and wanted had changed, but I was scared.”
“Of the pain?”
“No. I was worried I would feel different.”
“If you bottomed.”
“Yes.”
“And?” I asked, giving him another kiss before I let him go and got out of bed.
“And that was stupid, because I haven’t ever—and it’s you. Only you,” he whispered, staring up into my eyes. “But I feel like I’ve been missing that for so long. I was in your hands, and my brain shut off, and there was just pleasure, and…I need to be held now.”
I smiled down at him. “And I wanna hold you but I need you to get up first.”
“No,” he nearly whined.
I couldn’t help smiling. “Yes. Please.”
He moved slowly, reaching for me, and I eased him to his feet. “Why?” He sounded really put out.
I chuckled before I yanked off the comforter and then turned down the covers.
“Get back in the bed.”
“Lots of orders this evening,” he muttered, but followed directions, dropping back down onto the bed.
“I would get used to it,” I said, spooning around him. I heard his sigh of contentment when I tucked the flat sheet and blanket around him.
He was quiet for a moment and then said, “I’ve been so worried that if I didn’t like to be on the bottom, you might leave me someday because you needed someone who—”
“Never leaving you,” I swore to him. “That ship sailed when you were puking up a lung in our bathroom.”
He scoffed. “That’s when you decided you loved me?”
“Before that,” I assured him. “But that sealed the deal.”
Twisting his head over his shoulder, I saw the smile before I kissed him.
“You realize my cum is slowly leaking out of your ass, and by the morning, this bed will be a complete wreck.”
“Good,” he said with a long exhale as I tightened my hold on him, clutching tight. “Get the light.”
Reaching behind my back to the nightstand, I pressed the switch that was thankfully on the base of the lamp, and then went back to spooning the man I loved.
“I had no idea, when I walked into the house that Monday, that you were going to change my whole life.”
“For the better, I hope?”
“For the best.”
Always good to hear.
FIFTEEN
Monday morning, when I got home from dropping off Griff, Chief Higheagle was sitting on the front steps of my home.
“This is a surprise.” I took a seat beside her.
“Jared Colter is a terrifying man,” she said quickly.
I smiled at her. “Don’t I know it.”
“He knows I don’t need a lawman in this town, I need a fixer.”
“An arbitrator?”
She nodded. “Yes. For some people, the arbitration will be court-ordered, some will be suggestions from my officers, but Torus is covering your phone, your laptop, and you can work from home and go out and meet with people. The Newcastle Police Department will pay your salary and cover all your mileage on your car. Also, you can use our conference rooms to meet with people.”
“It sounds glamorous.”
“It won’t be, and you’ll have to keep all your licenses, like your conceal and carry, through Torus, but you’ll have a badge to get you in and out of the station and to any crime scenes.”
“Okay.”
“It’s not a job to make millions, but the work will be steady. Mr. Colter says all your health coverage, insurance, dental, etc., are all still on him.”