He blinked, and tears fell. “What?” he croaked. “Aren’t you scared of me now?”
“Scared?” I wiped his tears with my thumbs as I shook my head. “I’m proud of you for fighting for what’s right.”
The succubi was clearly a terrible person, and he’d endured her abuse until he broke.
He didn’t say anything as he processed what I’d said. I wasn’t sure what he was thinking, but I didn’t think anyone had ever told him that before, based on his silence.
Rhett wrapped his arms around my waist and picked me up, spinning me around to put me on the desk. My legs parted for him to stand between, and his lips descended on mine.
His lips were full and soft, and he tasted like cherries. His tongue pushed inside my mouth and twirled with mine.
Pheromones danced lightly over my skin as if he were a leaky tap, and I moaned, pulling him closer by his shirt.
His kisses were intense, like he was searching for something as he slid his hand up my skirt until he reached my panties.
He broke the kiss with a groan. “You’re so wet for me, baby.” Pushing two fingers past my panties, he plunged into me with one small thrust.
“Ah!” My hips bucked against his hand, and my head fell back.
He dragged his nose over my neck as he kept his rhythm, and more pheromones spilled over me. “That’s it, baby. Such a good girl.”
I clamped down around his fingers, and I cried out as my body shook, exploding from both his praise and his motions.
Pleasure invaded every sense, and I sucked in as much oxygen as my lungs would allow. My head fell against his chest, and he removed his fingers.
All of his pheromones were sucked back in. “Fuck Wren, I’m so sorry.”
I glanced up to see a tortured expression on his face, and worry jolted through me. “Why are you sorry?”
“I didn’t realize my pheromones were active.” He swallowed, not meeting my gaze.
“Rhett, your pheromones didn’t start until after we had been kissing.”
“I shouldn’t have done that.”
My heart splintered in my chest. “Don’t say that. You’re actually hurting me here.”
“I’m not trying to.” His eyes softened before he stumbled back and collapsed in the chair with his head in his hands. “I’m scared. My pheromones have killed someone, and right after I told you, I used them unknowingly.”
I dropped off the desk and fell to my knees in front of him. “I trust you, even if you don’t trust yourself. What happens to my body is my choice, and I chose that.”
He moved his hands and looked up at me with that same pained expression. “I can’t be a good mate.”
“That’s not up to you.” I shook my head. “Do you have feelings for me? Or am I an idiot? I have no basis of whether or not you even care if you’re a potential mate of mine.”
Confusion crossed his eyes before they turned hard. “At first, I thought you were too good to be true, and that you had to be manipulative.”
My mouth fell open, but as I went to defend myself, he continued.
“But I was wrong. I’ve seen so much kindness from you that I know I was wrong.” He played with a strand of my hair. “I care so much about you that you’re all I think about.”
I smiled as relief swept through me. “If that’s the case, then it’s my choice if I want to pursue you. Please don’t take that choice away from me.”
“I would never take a choice from you,” he growled.
“I know.” I went to stand up but paused halfway to kiss his lips again. “I’m going to go back to the dorm and take a shower.”
“Why don’t you use Rowan’s shower?”
