He peeled the box open and extended his hand, the small white pill in his palm.
I stared at it for a moment then swallowed it.
“Good girl,” Rowen murmured as he came closer, a fresh cup of coffee in his hand.
I felt relieved, like I could breathe knowing it was taken care of.
He took a sip of his hot drink then lifted me onto the counter. The cold surface was like needles on the backs of my thighs.
“Feel better?” He tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, and my entire body reacted, already begging for more of his touch.
“I do. I’m just sore now.”
He smiled, the sadistic part of his soul loving that I was aching because of him. “I’d be more surprised if you said you were totally fine.” He kissed the side of my head. “That you didn’t feel me with every step you take.”
I shifted my position, pushing him away.
“Hey,” he said, leaning back to look me in the eyes. “Everything okay?”
“We need to talk about yesterday.” My voice came out small, like I wasn’t sure of myself. I hated it, the way he made me question everything. “You should’ve pulled out. Youalwayspull out.”
He looked away, his jaw ticking before he pinned me with a dark gaze. “I couldn’t help it, Av,” he murmured as he ran his hands down my arms, slow, deliberate, like he was trying to memorize the way I felt. “You felt so good. It was sexy knowing you were full of me all night, even when I wasn’t inside you.”
“I’m not on birth control, Rowen.”
He didn’t look surprised or worried. He just smirked, and his arms snaked around me, pulling me close. The heat of his body seeped through our clothes, burning my skin, nearly making me forget why I was so upset to begin with. He grabbed my chin, lifting until I was looking up at him, his eyes darker than ever.
“I’ll take care of that,” was all he said before planting a firm kiss on my lips.
“What does that mean?” I said, my voice back to being small, wishing he’d kiss me again but knowing I had to stand my ground, get answers.
His grip remained on my chin. “I’ll handle everything. You’ll have your birth control on the doorstep by tomorrow morning.”
“I just don’t want to get pregnant,” I whispered.
“You won’t,” he said just as quietly. “Not until I say so.”
My breath hitched, and I tried to pull away from him, but he held me steady, forcing me to maintain eye contact. His warm eyes and soft smile didn’t match what he’d just said, what he’d just insinuated. His love, his obsession, felt heavy, but I knew he didn’t mean anything malicious. Rowen just wanted to be loved back, as deeply and madly as he loved.
The hand on my chin moved to my inner thigh, rubbing a spot that made my thoughts freeze up and my brain stop working.
“You look tired.” He chuckled.
“I didn’t sleep much.”
His lips were nearly touching mine, so close, I could taste his breath. “That’s my fault, isn’t it?”
The way he said it made my cheeks burn. “Might need different bedrooms if you keep this up,” I joked, but the air shifted.
His eyes changed from dark and dominant to wild and worried. He wrapped both arms around me again, pulling me as close as he possibly could without me crawling inside him, holding me like he didn’t want to let go—couldn’t.
“Are you okay?” I asked, melting into his warmth, reassuring him I was there.
“I’m perfect. I’ve got you.” He kissed the top of my head, tender, lingering.
Was he even aware of the tremor in his arms? The tightness in his voice?
He was scared, but of what?
