I rest my forehead against him. “You can’t even begin to understand how fortunate I feel that you’ve allowed some of your brilliance to shine on me. That you’ve chosen to sharethiswith me.”
I stroke him in rhythm with the frantic beat of my heart.
“I understand it for what it is, for what you are.” Myhoarse whisper ricochets over his skin, the emotion doubling back and hitting me square in the chest. “You’re a rarity. A wonder. Every small piece that makes up who you are, from that cocky-ass attitude, to that cheeky smile, to those dancing blue irises, to the way you run that smart mouth of yours…”
Emotion wells in my throat, burns behind my eyes. I fight it back the best I can.
“There’s no one else like you. No one even comes close.”
No one will ever compare to you.
My heart stutters. I’m so far gone for this man. And that thought is terrifying. Because if I’ve learned one thing in life, it’s that I don’t get to keep the people I love.
I squeeze my eyes shut. And I pray.
Please let me keep him.
THIRTY-FIVE
SHANE
I’m notsure what’s lighting me up more: Jed’s hand fisting my cock, being so fucking full of him that I think I’m about to split in half, or the painfully sweet things he’s murmuring to me.
Oh, but I do know. I do fucking know.
It’s the words.
I’m a praise whore. I’ve always known that. I know what a shrink would say. Daddy issues. Yeah, I’ve got those. My knowledge of them doesn’t make them go away. But what Jed’s giving me right now? It’s not the same thing. It’s not superficial, surface-level attention. It’s genuine. Heartfelt.
Like I’m actually important to him.
When he speaks, it’s different from anyone else. Because when he speaks, I believe him.
That maybe I am someone worth loving.
Maybe I’m not a lost cause.
Discardable.
God, I want this with him so bad. And not just whatwe’re doing right now. I want him pounding into me. I want the sweat-dripping, breath-stealing, moan-inducing sex. My body is screaming for more, but I’m nervous it’s going to hurt again. He’s so fucking big. It wasn’t just the stretch. I just don’t think my body was meant to take something that thick and long. Is anyone’s?
I swear I thought he was about to fuck all the way through me and pop out my mouth. Then he’d said he wasn’t even halfway in. Cue the maniacal laughter in my head. Urgh. But I want him to fuck me. The number of times I’ve woken up hard and aching after dreaming about him railing me. It’s the sexiest image, sexiest feeling, being bent over for him. Apparently, I’m a cock-slut. Except for the whole…actually being able to take the cock.
His hand tightens and starts moving faster. His breaths are harsher now, sweat building up between my back and his chest. Shit, he’s so hot. His coarse chest hair scrapes over my back, his pebbled nipples, that nipple ring. His forearm and bicep cage me in where he’s resting on the mattress. He’s everywhere, above me, under me, inside me. It’s unsettling in the best way.
I can’t stop myself; I push back on him. A new streak of pleasure ripples through me. Okay, okay. That I can work with. I start rocking back and forth, short quick movements. Fuck.Yes. This was what I was hoping for, what I’d been imagining it’d be like.
A deep grunt dances over my ear.Double yes.There’s nothing hotter than Jed losing control. I love being the one to make it happen. Waves of bliss roll over me, surging in. My balls tighten. Heat engulfs me, and my cock pulses. Shit. No, no,nope. Aborrrrrt. I yank his hand off me and fall face-first into the mattress. My body trembles with the effort to hold back.
Damn, that was close.
“You all right?” Jed whispers roughly. “About to come?”
“Mmmf.” My mumbled assent gets lost in the comforter, so I turn my head. “Yeah,” I say weakly. “Think you can try, uh, moving a bit? I think I can handle it now.” If the mind-numbing pleasure I was just feeling was any indication. “But no more touching the goods.”
He draws back and gives a tentative thrust. My body zings to life.Holy mother of baseball gods.
“Yesssss,” I hiss. “Again.”
