“You really tryin’ to kill me first thing in the mornin’?” I managed to say, voice rough with sleep and lust.
“Thought I’d spice it up with a little true crime in the bedroom,” she said, stroking me with one hand while her mouth kissed along my hipbone.
I laughed—tried to, anyway. It came out more like a choked breath, my body already too far gone to manage anything close to steady. “Shit, woman…”
“Mmhm,” she murmured, tongue dipping low, draggingagainst skin that had never felt this sensitive before. “That’s what I thought.”
She looked up again, eyes heavy-lidded, lashes brushing her cheeks. She was so fucking pretty like this: wild and slow, playful and focused. I didn’t know how she managed to be all of it at once, but she did—wrecking me in ways I hadn’t even known I could be wrecked.
Her lips wrapped around my cock again, her hand stroking me in rhythm, slow and careful. Every nerve ending was lit up, every breath ragged. I cupped her jaw—not to stop her, just to feel her.
“Noelle,” I rasped. “You keep going like that and I’m not gonna last.”
She gave me a look that was all challenge, and then she hollowed her cheeks and took me deeper.
Fuck.
I tightened my grip, just barely, and she moaned around me. It was too much. Not enough. Every inch of me tuned to her, every thought gone.
“Baby,” I warned. “I’m close.”
She didn’t stop.
She wanted this.
Wanted me like this.
And I gave in.
I came hard, hips jerking, my hand fisting the blanket as I spilled into her mouth with a groan that ripped right out of my chest. She took it all, swallowed every bit, and only pulled off when I was shaking from it.
She wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, then crawled back up my chest, kissed the edge of my jaw like she hadn’t just blown my whole mind.
“That was a thank-you for breakfast,” she murmured against my skin.
I wrapped my arms around her and held her close. Mychest was still heaving, my body still tingling, but my heart…it felt weirdly calm.
“We haven’t had breakfast,” I mumbled.
“I know,” she said. “You’re taking me to Mabel’s for more interviews.”
I blinked, still trying to recover, still not entirely convinced I could walk yet. “You wanna go now?”
“Notrightnow,” she said, pressing a lazy kiss to my collarbone. “But eventually. I’ve got questions, and you promised me pancakes.”
I laughed softly, my palm splaying across her back. “I didn’t promise you shit.”
She looked up at me, batting her eyelashes. “Beau,” she said. “Promise me you’ll get me pancakes?”
I hummed, dragging my hand slowly down her spine, and I meant it when I said, “Anything you want.”
She smiled then—one of those smiles you don’t even realize you’ve been craving until it’s on someone’s face, aimed at you like you earned it.
“I might hold you to that,” she said, her voice a low murmur against my skin.
“Good,” I replied, still catching my breath. “I hope you do.”
We lay there a little longer, tangled together. The morning sunlight kept creeping in, but neither of us moved. Her fingers traced lazy circles on my chest. I smoothed my palm up and down her back.
