Mike collapsed on his side, making sure not to squish her. She rolled over, draping herself over his sweat-covered chest, loving the sound of his rapid beating heart that matched her own. She felt like a wrung-out towel and loved it. Best sex of her life, hands down.
They laid like that for several moments trying to regain their breath. Destiny traced random patterns across his chest. Mike drug his fingers through her hair. Neither were in a rush to move. Words burned on her tongue to say, but she knew it was too soon for talk of love so she kept silent. The L-word scared men, so she would hold off on confessing. Instead she kissed him right over his heart. Mike’s fingers stilled and she worried if he saw through her silent words. Or God forbid started overanalyzing what just happened.
He sat up, forcing her to move as he stood and tossed the condom in the trashcan in her bathroom. He came back into the room, but just stood there in indecision at the doorway not looking at her. She watched him from the bed silently, knowing what was coming next. She could see it on his face. He was trying to get his thoughts together.
Now that he got what he wanted, he was ready to leave. He wasn’t the first. Men wined and dined her, making her think they were interested, and as soon as they got her in bed, they couldn’t leave fast enough. She thought Mike was different, but by the look on his face she saw he was just like the rest. It cut straight through skin and muscle to her heart.
When was she ever going to learn men were only interested in either sex or her connections. No one wanted a real relationship with her. No one ever saw her. The brainy geek who loved solving ciphers.
She stood up almost forgetting the dress was still around her waist. It was so bunched up she struggled finding the zipper to get it off. She couldn’t give him the proper send off with a dress still wrapped around her waist. It just felt silly.
“Here let me help.” Mike turned her around so she faced away from him and pushed the material up and found the zipper, easing it back down. She shimmied out of it, feeling much better. Well at least he wasn’t trying to run away. That gave her some hope.
“Thank you.” She turned back to face him. He towered over her. She didn’t know if it was because of all the muscles or the fact she felt vulnerable, but she wouldn’t back down now.
She watched his face for any tells of lying when she asked. “Do you regret what we did?” Destiny kept her face neutral so he didn’t see what his answer would mean to her. How her hands fisted at her sides, fearing the worst.
She didn’t regret what they’d done. True, they had planned on doing it. But planning to make love and actually doing it could change one’s feelings. She hadn’t even considered if he found making love to her distasteful. She had been called a cold fish once before. Or maybe he found her too aggressive.
“I don’t.”
At first, she feared she had said that last statement out loud – it wouldn’t have been the first time – then realized he was answering her question. She felt her body sag in relief. Well at least he didn’t regret it. Which brought up another question. “Then why are you looking like you’re ready to cut and run?”
“I’m not.” Destiny cocked her head staring at him, not believing him for a second.
“You just stood there in the doorway looking like you couldn’t decide what to do. It looked like you were trying to make a run for it and thinking up an excuse.”
“Has this happened before?” He cocked a brow like he was trying to tease her. Destiny shrunk into herself. It wasn’t something she liked to think about.
Did she admit it or not? No, he wasn’t admitting he was ditching her so why should she answer his questions. “We’re not talking about that, I’m talking about you.” She stiffened her spine so he didn’t see the vulnerability.
“No, we’re talking about what you just said,” he took on a commanding tone as he took a step toward her. “Has someone done that to you? Made love to you and left?”
Destiny felt her spine shiver at his cutting tone. He was upset on her behalf. But she wouldn’t let him distract her now. “If you’re done with me, please be up front and go now.” Even if it would break her heart. But she’d rather there always be honesty between them. If he only started this relationship to get in her pants, she’d rather know now. It would shatter her heart, but it was better to know now than down the road, feeling a bigger fool.
“I’m not done with you.” The way he said it she couldn’t not believe him.
That took some of the wind out of her sail. “Oh.” She knew she sounded a little breathless. But how else do you responded to the man of your dreams telling you he’s not done with you and looking at you with such conviction like he was looking at her now.
Mike closed the gap between them again. “I’m far from done with you. I plan on doing it again. And again.” He did finally crack a grin. A wolfish grin and he just spotted prey.
Her sex clenched in anticipation, already ready for another go. “Oh.” She was onboard for that. Mike was like a drug. She just wanted more and more. Just like he promised, but first they needed to clear up the little issue from before. “Then why did you stand in the doorway like you did?”
“I was trying to think of an excuse to stay.”
Melting.
“Why didn’t you just say you wanted to stay?” She wouldn’t have said no.
“Like you, I haven’t had the greatest experience with the opposite sex.”
Evil bitches. “Give me their names and I’ll pay them a visit.” She didn’t know what she’d do since she didn’t have any fighting skills whatsoever, but it made her angry anyone would try to hurt Mike.
That did make him chuckle. “None were of any importance. Random women who saw me more of a conquest.” Conquest? “My size – see if I was as big all around.”
Oh. She could say with a hundred percent certainty he was perfectly proportionate. But that wasn’t why she was drawn to him. She was drawn to his kindness and caring of others.
“Others feared my size.”
