“It’s breathtaking,” I say. “What does it mean?”
He fully turns to face me, grabbing the abandoned towel from the ground to dry me off. “I … um … went through some shit, and music sort of saved me from it.”
I get the feeling he doesn’t want to elaborate on it, and I don’t want to push him. So, I nod and walk over to my dresser to grab a pair of pajamas. He reaches out and grabs my wrist, pulling me into his chest.
“No clothes. I don’t want anything between us tonight.” He smiles down at me, but the dimple in his right cheek is the star of the show. It must alter my brain chemistry, because I nod, even though I’ve never slept naked.
“Mmm. Let’s go the bed, darling. You need to sleep.” I don’t miss the way he says “let’s” or the fact that he’s staying the night. I lie down on my side, and he climbs in behind me, pulling me into him. The warmth of his body lulls me into a state of ecstasy. His breathing next to my ear slows into a rhythm that lets me know sleep has already claimed him. Not long after, I also drift into the most peaceful sleep of my life.
30
Sloane
I wake the next morning to the smell of bacon. I search my memories briefly before recalling last night’s events, and the man who’s no longer in my bed as I reach around and pat the empty spot next to me. I sit up, look down, and remember that I’m completely naked before walking over to my dresser and pulling out a pair of pajama shorts and a top. I walk over to the bathroom to briefly make sure I’m presentable enough to face the man who’s not in my bed.
I look at myself in the mirror and laugh, covering my mouth with my hand. My hair falls loosely around my shoulders, mildly tangled, but otherwise looks pretty great. I run my hands through it, remembering the way Riven washed it for me. Sogentlein comparison to everything else he did to me. My lips are swollen and a shade darker than usual. I run the tips of my fingers over them lightly, recalling the way he kissed me like hemight never get the chance to do it again. I smile at the memory of it, and then immediately blush at what happened in the kitchen. That is certainly a new one for me. I’ll never look at that ice cream scoop the same way again.
I head downstairs, stopping on the last step to take in the sight before me. Riven is in my kitchen, wearing nothing but a pair of boxers, flipping pancakes over my stove. His biceps flex as he flips the pancakes with an ease that a man like him should not possess. It looks so … natural, even though it shouldn’t. His hair is disheveled, and loose strands fall over his forehead in that way that makes me want to run my hands through it over and over. I clear my throat, stepping into the kitchen.
“Good morning, darling.” He looks up with a grin, the dimple in his left cheek showing off as usual. There’s a light dancing behind his eyes that has me grinning. He plates the pancakes next to the already cooked baconandeggs, making my stomach growl. I definitely worked up an appetite this time. But first, coffee. I walk over to the coffee maker, and he stops me, grabbing my wrist.
“Nope. Sit down,” he orders, walking me around to the kitchen stool and sitting me on it. “I got it,” he says, walking over to the coffee maker to brew me a cup. The smell of the delectable liquid coming out of it makes me breathe in deeply, resting my head on my hands perched on the island’s top. He pushes a full plate of food toward me.
“Sleep well?” he asks, grabbing the finished cup from the machine and setting it down before me. He turns toward the fridge, pausing to look back at me.
“Milk? Creamer?” he asks.
“Oh, um, there’s some oat milk in there,” I say back. “Andverywell.” He hands me the oat milk and walks around the island with his plate, sitting down beside me.
“What about you?” I ask, shoveling a piece of bacon into my mouth.
“Best sleep of my life,” he says, forking his eggs and bringing them to his lips. Thoselips. I quickly avert my gaze back to my plate.
“Are you okay?” he asks, pausing with a fork full of eggs near his mouth.
“Never better,” I say, smiling as I take a sip of my coffee.
“You know what this means, right?” he asks, a grin pulling at the corner of his mouth. I’m not sure where he’s going with this.
“Nope, why don’t you enlighten me?” I say, grinning at him like a fool.
“That I’m never going to let you go now. You’re mine, Sloane. I hope you know that.” He’s still smiling, but there’s a serious tone to his words. I nearly choke on a bite of eggs. I cough, clearing my throat.
“Is that so?” I ask, keeping the conversation light as I turn my gaze toward him.
“Oh, you think I’m joking, do you?” he asks, laughing darkly. “Sloane, listen to me and listen to me closely.” His expression shifts to one that’s dark, direct, and daring. I set my fork down, swallowing. If his goal is to elicit fear, he’s off the mark. Instead, my thighs clench at his words, and my cheeks are on fire.
He arches a brow, tilting his head to assess me. “You are mine. If you run, I’ll catch you. If you hide, I’ll seek you out. There is no place in this life, or the next, that I would not go to find you. If I had to end human civilization to get to you, then I would. If I had to burn it all to the fucking ground and then dig below the rubble, and all the way to the afterlife to take you from thedevilhimself, then I would.”
I suddenly feel like I can’t breathe, like the space that he takes up is all-consuming and it’s pulling me down with it. But instead of resisting the current, I let it drag me under. When Ithink I’ll surely drown, he places a hand on my cheek, and I suck in a breath. I surface and come crashing back into the realization of his words. His. I’m …his.
I reach up and place my hand over his as my eyes search his face for a hint of a joke where there isn’t one. “Yours,” I whisper.
“Mine,” he answers, brushing his thumb over my cheek. I lean into his hand before letting mine fall.
“So, no romantic grand proposals to be your girlfriend, then?” I laugh, returning my gaze to the food in front of me. He lets his hand fall.
“Was last night not romantic enough for you, Sloane?” He chuckles, the light returning to his eyes.
