“Always,” he added.
I nodded. “Always.”
That must’ve been the right words because he began thrusting again. And in no time, my body responded to his ministrations. We came together. I felt Brutus stiffen behind me and then shudder as he released his seed into the condom he wore.
* * *
Brutus
“Move in with me,” I said while Mia rested in my arms. We had both caught our breaths after round two.
She didn’t respond for a little too long, and I had to look down at her to make sure her ass hadn’t fallen asleep. I had plans for at least one more round before I let her close her eyes for the night—that and convincing her to move in with me where she belonged.
I was a blatantly selfish bastard when it came to her. Somewhere along the line, I’d learned to accept that.
Her head popped up from my chest, and she stared at me. “I’m waiting for the punchline.”
I wrinkled my forehead. “That wasn’t a damn joke. I want to live with you. It’s time we move in together.”
Laughter spilled from her lips. But I wasn’t in the mood to hear that melodic, hypnotizing laughter of hers. Not if she thought I wasn’t serious as shit about this.
I sat up against the headboard. Mia also rose, sitting on her knees, facing me. When she went to use the sheets to cover her breasts, I pulled them from her hands.
“Don’t get shy on me now, baby.”
She pursed her lips. “This is probably a conversation we should do with our clothes on.”
“Why?”
Her mouth gaped open. “Don’t you think this,” she gestured up and down the lengths of our naked bodies, “could distort our thinking?”
I shook my head and clasped my hands across my body. “Absolutely not.” My gaze dropped to her chocolate tipped nipples, and my mouth watered.
“See? Exactly.” She jutted her hand in my direction. “That’s what I’m talking about.”
I grinned. “Baby, I’ve got bad news for you. You could be wearing one of those fucking mumu thingies, and I’d still be looking at you like this. I’d fuck you wearing one of those, too,” I added.
She twisted her lips in an attempt not to laugh, but it broke free. Mia sobered quickly. “I haven’t even opened my shop yet.”
“What does that have to do with us living together?”
She ran a hand through her hair, which was in total disarray from the bun she’d had it in earlier.
“It’s a lot of change for me in the past few months. From leaving the career I had for over a decade, living abroad, falling in—” Her words broke off. She cleared her throat. “And now trying to start my own business.”
“You’re not trying,” I corrected. “You’re doing it.”
Her eyes shone with gratitude. I took one of her hands into mine and pressed a kiss to the outside of her palm.
“Still,” she started again, “a lot is happening, and moving in with you would … I just need a little time.”
As much as I hated it, I heard the pleading in her voice. She wasn’t ready to make this move. I loathed it, but I understood it. Truth be told, I never would’ve thought of myself as the type who fell so fucking fast and as hard as I have. But there I was. A lovesick fool who knew he’d found the one to spend the rest of his life with.
And while I wouldn’t pressure Mia into saying yes to moving in with me that night, I knew it was only a matter of time. She was mine, and I always claimed what belonged to me.
CHAPTER22
Mia
