"I know." He sat up too, keeping hold of my hand like he was afraid I might pull away. "And if you hate it, we'll sell it and find something else. But Ruby, I wanted to give you this. Give us this. A real home. Not a temporary place, not someone else's space. Ours."
The sincerity in his eyes, the raw hope there, melted my irritation. "You really bought us a house."
"I really did." A small smile tugged at his lips, boyish and uncertain. "Want to see the holos?"
Despite everything, I laughed, the sound bubbling up from somewhere deep inside. "You have holos?"
"Of course I have holos." He reached for his datapad on the side table, his movements eager. "I'm not completely impulsive."
As he pulled up images of a charming two-story house with a warm stone exterior and large windows, my heart swelled. It was the kind of place where we could build a life, create memories, grow old together.
"The kitchen is huge," he said, swiping through images with barely contained excitement. "I thought you might like that. And there's a reading nook by the window in the master bedroom..."
I looked at him—this male who'd been a spy, who'd lived a dangerous life full of secrets and shadows, who was now showing me pictures of reading nooks with the enthusiasm of a kid on Christmas morning—and felt overwhelmed with love so intense it almost hurt.
"It's perfect," I whispered, my voice thick with emotion.
His eyes met mine, vulnerable and hopeful. "Yeah?"
"Yeah." I cupped his face in my hands, feeling the slight stubble on his jaw. "I love you. So much."
"I love you too." His voice was rough, breaking slightly.
"Our home," I said softly, looking back at the images with wonder. "Our family."
"Our family," he agreed, pulling me close again, his arms wrapping around me like he never wanted to let go.
The kiss started soft, tender, but quickly deepened into something more urgent. His hands slid down my sides, leaving trails of fire in their wake, pulling me closer until I was straddling his lap. I could feel him hardening beneath me, and heat pooled low in my belly, spreading through my limbs like liquid warmth.
"Ruby," he breathed against my mouth, his hands finding the hem of my shirt, fingers brushing the sensitive skin of my waist.
I pulled back just enough to yank it over my head, and his eyes darkened with raw desire as they roamed over me, hungryand appreciative. His hands were on my skin immediately, warm and possessive, sliding up my ribs to cup my breasts.
"Goddess, I want you," he murmured, thumbs brushing over my nipples, sending sparks of pleasure through me.
"Then have me," I whispered, grinding down against him, feeling his hardness press against exactly where I needed him.
He groaned, low and desperate, the sound vibrating through both our bodies, and flipped us so I was on my back beneath him, his weight pressing me into the mattress in the most delicious way. His mouth found my neck, kissing and sucking, teeth grazing sensitive skin as his hands worked to unfasten my pants. I arched into him, already aching for more.
I gasped as his hand slipped inside my underwear, his fingers finding me wet and ready. "Teddy—I'm not sure he's asleep yet."
Cristox paused, lifting his head to look at me with a wicked grin that made my stomach flip. "Then you'll have to be quiet, won't you?"
"Me?" I tried to glare at him, but it was hard when his fingers were doing absolutely sinful things. "You're the one who—oh—"
He covered my mouth with his, swallowing my moan as he stroked me exactly how he knew I liked, having learned my body like a map he'd memorized, every sensitive spot, every hidden pleasure point. I bit down on my lip, trying desperately to stay silent as pleasure built inside me, coiling tighter and tighter.
"That's it," he murmured against my ear, his breath hot on my skin, sending shivers cascading down my spine. "So good for me, staying quiet. So beautiful when you're trying not to fall apart."
I wanted to tell him to shut up, that his voice alone was going to make me come undone, but I couldn't risk makingnoise. Instead, I reached between us and palmed him through his pajama pants, satisfaction flooding through me when he sucked in a sharp breath, his hips jerking involuntarily.
"Fuck," he hissed, his control slipping for just a moment.
"Quiet," I reminded him breathlessly, echoing his earlier command with a smirk.
His laugh was low and dark, full of promise. "You're going to pay for that."
He made quick work of our remaining clothes, and then he was settling between my thighs, the head of his cock pressing against my entrance, teasing, testing. I wrapped my legs around his waist, pulling him closer, needing him inside me.
