"No." I cup his face, making him look at me. "You were perfect. That was perfect."
"I lost control. I promised myself I wouldn't but I..."
I kiss him softly. "I wanted you to lose control. Wanted you to stop being so careful."
"But what if..."
"Stop." I silence him with another kiss. "You didn't hurt me. You could never hurt me. What we just did, that was beautiful. That was us. Together."
He searches my face, looking for any sign that I'm lying. When he finds none, something in him relaxes.
"Stay," I whisper. "Don't go back to the barn tonight."
"I'm not going anywhere." He carefully withdraws from me, making me wince slightly at the loss. Then he rolls to his side, pulling me against him. "I'm exactly where I'm supposed to be."
His hand trails down my spine, idle and soothing. "Are you sore? I was too rough."
"You were perfect," I repeat firmly. "Stop second-guessing everything."
"I can't help it. I don't know who I am. Don't know if I'm capable of..."
"You're capable of making me feel safe. And wanted. And cherished." I press a kiss to his chest, right over his heart. "That's who you are. That's what you're capable of."
He's quiet for a long moment, just holding me. "What if my memories come back and I'm someone terrible? Someone you wouldn't want?"
I know that whoever he was before doesn't matter.
He's mine now.
Chapter 17: Lupo
I hold my breath, waiting for her answer. The air between us is thick with the scent of sex and sweat, with the weight of what we’ve already done—and what I still want to do to her.
“Then we’ll figure it out together.” She tilts her head up, her eyes locking onto mine, and I see nothing but trust there. It terrifies me. Because I don’t deserve it. Not when I don’t even know what I’m capable of.
But right now, she’s looking at me like I’m the man who read bedtime stories to her daughter. Like I’m the man who fixed her fence. Like I’m not the monster I might be.
“Even if there’s more? Even if there’s darkness?” I ask, my voice rough.
“Everyone has darkness.” Her expression flickers—pain, old wounds. “What matters is what you do with it. And you use yours to protect. To keep us safe. I see that in you.”
I kiss the top of her head, pulling her closer. My arms tighten around her almost involuntarily, and I force myself to ease up. Always careful. Always controlled. Because I don’t know what I’m capable of when I lose control.
“I don’t deserve you,” I murmur against her hair.
“Probably not.” I feel her smile against my skin. “But you’re stuck with me anyway.”
“Good.” My hand moves before I can stop it, sliding up to cup her breast. Her nipple hardens under my thumb, and I feel myself responding, blood rushing to my cock. Already hard. Again. “Because I’m not done with you yet.”
She arches into my touch. “Oh really? And what did you have in mind?”
Everything. I want everything.
“I want to learn every inch of you.” My voice is rough, hungry. “Every sound you make. Every way to make you come apart.”
I feel her breath catch, feel the heat flood through her body where we’re pressed together. “Elena might hear us,” she says.
“The door is locked.” My hand trails lower, down her stomach, between her thighs. She’s still wet from before, slick and ready. “And I promise to keep you quiet. Mostly.”
