He palmed my cock, so careful, so reverent, and stroked, thumb sliding over the head. I thought I’d melt. My own hips jerked, and I had to clamp my jaw not to make noise. But he looked so proud when I gasped, I let him see it all.
“Want your mouth,” I begged, because dignity was for people who hadn’t just swallowed a guy whole ten minutes ago.
He grinned up at me, wicked and soft at the same time, then went down, slowly, like he was savoring the taste of me. I grabbed the sheets, almost tearing them, but he liked it, I could tell.
The pressure built so fast, it was almost scary. I gripped the sheets in both hands, nails digging in, trying not to make a sound, but then Cole did something with his tongue and I nearly screamed. I didn’t, but it was close, and I could feel my whole body trying to crawl off the bed, like it wasn’t enough to just be touched, I needed to fly out of my own skin.
Cole didn’t smirk or act like it was funny. He looked up at me and there was something in his eyes that made me want to break apart and start over as someone who deserved him. He held my hip, steady and firm, not hurting, just…there. Real. Solid. Not going to let me drift off. And I realized I was shaking, not like a leaf, but like something was burning up inside and the only thing keeping me together was him.
He sucked me indeeper, slowly, and his other hand threaded with mine, pinning it against my stomach. I could barely breathe. The room felt tilted, weird, too bright, but also like it existed only in the space between his mouth and my skin. I stared down and saw his curls, wild and sweaty, and I wanted to touch him, but I couldn’t even remember how arms worked.
“Cole, oh fuck, I’m gonna–” I tried to warn him, but it was already happening. It felt like my bones melted. He took everything, didn’t stop, not even when my legs kicked or my hips tried to get away. He chased it, gentle but not letting go until I was completely empty and boneless, barely even a person, just a pile of raw nerves and need.
He pulled off and kissed the inside of my thigh softly, then just lay there with his cheek pressed to my skin while I remembered how to breathe. When he crawled back up to lie next to me, I thought he’d want to keep some distance after, but he didn’t. He rolled us sideways, tucking me against his chest, and held me like I was something worth protecting.
It was stupid, how good that felt.
My brain wouldn’t stop buzzing. “You…didn’t have to,” I whispered, feeling dumb for even bringing it up, but I couldn’t help it. There were so many things I wanted to say, but none of them sounded right.
He shook his head, kissed the top of mine, and said, voice low, “I wanted to.”
I closed my eyes and let him hold me. For once I wasn’t scared of falling asleep next to someone. My body felt wrecked, but my thoughts were soft, mushy. Like maybe this was how normal people did things. Maybe it was even allowed to feel good this way.
He ran his hand up and down my back slowly, never hurrying me. After a while, he said, almost shy, “Thank you. For…all of it.”
I turned just enough to see his face. “I didn’t do anything.”
He smiled, a little broken and a little proud. “You stayed.”
I thought about that. About how many times I’d been ready to bolt, even from good things. This was different. He was different. I got up this time and cleaned us both. By the time I had finished, he was drifting, and that made me so content. Deep in my soul content.
My phone buzzedon the nightstand.
I froze.
I’d forgotten I even had it. In all the chaos—ambulance, clinic, dragon fire, rescue—I’d tuned out everything except Cole.
I glanced at him but he was asleep, and I picked the phone up, shielding the screen so it wouldn’t hit his face.
One new message.
From a number I knew too well.
My stomach dropped.
The preview of the text glared up at me.I expect a report.
My throat went dry. I’d been convinced that if we took away the threat of Cole’s father this would go away as well, and I'd obviously been wrong.Fuck.
I looked at Cole, at the way his fingers still clutched mine even in sleep. At the faint, peaceful crease that had finally appeared between his brows, like his body had decided—for just this moment—that it was allowed to rest.
The dragon under his skin shifted, sensing my spike of adrenaline. Heat rippled faintly.
I didn’t know how I knew that, but I did.
The phone buzzed again.Remember what happens.
I closed my eyes and felt sick. What the fuck did I donow?
