I dug my hands into his fur, baring my neck to him.
Almost like I was asking for something.
He trailed his tongue over my skin, paying special attention to the place where my neck met my collarbone, before he sank his teeth into my neck, sending searing pain radiating through my body that—
BEEP.
BEEP.
BEEP.
I bolted upright and whipped my head from side to side. The dark room and unfamiliar surroundings made me feel disoriented.
“Tegan,” Atlas mumbled, his already-deep voice more gravelly from sleep. “It’s just my alarm. Do you feel up to going to the gym? We can swing by your house and grab your workout clothes.”
Shit.
That was right. I’d spent the night with Atlas.
I’d fucked Atlas Oberon and stayed over at his house.
Slept cuddled next to him in his bed.
I thought it was a dream.
But the slight discomfort I felt between my legs confirmed that it was, in fact, not a dream.
Atlas had wrecked me last night, wringing orgasm after orgasm from my body.
I’d never had a partner who was so attentive when it came to pleasuring me. Not to mention how thorough he was with aftercare.
“Would it be a big deal if we skipped the gym today?” I bit my lip and focused on Atlas as best I could in the dim lighting.
“Uh…” The indecision in his voice was obvious.
“Do you ever miss a day?” I asked. I tilted my face closer so I could gauge his reaction.
“I mean…I do. Sometimes…” He trailed off and scrubbeda hand over his ear. “I, um, I have some issues. When it comes to my body image and exercising. Just stuff left over from my childhood and from my ex.”
Anger flared up inside of me. I knew he had issues with his body image and anxiety surrounding his diet, but I didn’t know she’d played a part in it.
How the fuck dare she.
For a long time I struggled with my body, but I’d learned to love it. Every stretch mark and cellulite dimple.
I wanted that for Atlas, too.
“Hey,” I said, and grabbed his hand. “It’s okay. I used to have some of those issues, too, and I think I can help you work through them.” I kissed the back of his hand, the soft fur tickling my nose and lips. “Let’s go to the gym today, but if you’ll let me, we can work on this together, okay?”
He smiled and nodded his head in agreement. “I’m just dropping all of my emotional baggage on you.”
It was my turn to smile. “I’m here to help you carry it.” I leaned in and kissed him. Just a peck, positive I was rocking some serious morning breath. “Come on. I have my workout clothes in my car.”
“I’ll get dressed and go grab them for you. Maybe on the way to the gym we can grab a coffee. How does that sound?”
Yeah, he did have some baggage. But didn’t we all?
It didn’t make me any less enamored with him.
