“It’s strength.”
“It’s strength,” I repeat. God, I’m so fucking hard. “Why is this turning me on so much?”
Hunter’s breath is hot on my throat when he tilts his head to kiss it again, and it sends shivers down my spine. “Because you’re reclaiming it. You’re letting me show you how beautiful it is. How beautifulyouare.”
My breath catches. “It doesn’t feel like I’m doing anything special.”
Warm lips coast up the side of my neck, settling under my ear. “It’s the bravest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. Again, sweetheart. Say it again.”
I squeeze my eyes closed, then force them open. Dropping my hand, I steel myself and settle my eyes directly on my scar. “It’s not damage.”
Hunter’s fingers skate along my waistband, and I trail my eyes over each inch of my scar. It really did heal far better than I thought it would. There are some raised and red spots, but… maybe it’s not so bad. Maybe I’ve built it up so much, burying my head in the sand for so long, that it felt insurmountable to confront. Maybe I just needed Hunter this entire time.
“What is it, sweetheart?”
“Strength,” I say, my voice the strongest it’s been. “It’s survival.”
“And that’s beautiful,” Hunter coaxes.
“And—” My stomach clenches. “And that’s beautiful.”
Hunter inhales deeply, a soft groan echoing in his throat. “God, I want you so fuckin’ bad.”
“Take me then,” I whisper, heat exploding inside me. I turn quickly, pressing my bare chest to Hunter’s clothed one. “I’m yours. Have me.”
His mouth is on mine a split second later, hot and demanding, and I can’t seem to control the gasping moan that rips from my throat.
Warm fingers coast over my back, down to my waistband. Hunter dips them below it, brushing the top of my ass cheeks before pulling them free and gripping my hips tightly in his calloused hands.
He’s everywhere, his moans sinking into my skin, his hands tugging me closer to him, his cock pressing against mine, his scent filling my nose and making me lightheaded.
It’s somehow too much and not enough. I need more. Everything. I need it all. Anything he has to offer, and then I want to build moretogetherand have it too. I just want to live under his skin. I want his hands on me all the time. Tracing maps of my scars and forcing me to see the beauty in them. In myself.
Reaching down, he hooks the underside of my thigh and hikes it up, pressing it against his side before rolling his hip and dragging his cock over mine. The pressure and friction are mind-blowing, even through our pants.
But it’s not enough.
I break our kiss with a gasp, my heart pounding furiously. “Fuck me.”
His mouth falls open, his eyes widening and his pupils blowing. “What?”
Sliding my hand under his shirt, I run my fingers over the defined muscles of his stomach and up to his chest, rubbing my thumb over his nipple. He arches toward me, his breath catching.
“I want you inside me. Please.” His eyes fall closed, and I think about how he told me he wanted to top me, but only if I wanted it. “If you still want that.”
Eyes flying open, he cups my nape and pulls me back in, slotting our lips together for an earth-shattering kiss. “I do want that. I just wasn’t really expecting it. Given…”
He trails off. I know he saw my file. I know he knows about what Damien did to me, about the way he… But instead of feeling defensive or exposed, my heart warms and my lips quirk up in a grin. “I am too, I think. Surprise, I trust you.”
“God, sweetheart.” His voice is a low rumble, and when he catches my lips in another kiss, I sigh, slumping my weight against his body.
When he pulls away, he searches my eyes. “If something is wrong, you tell me. If you want to stop, you tell me, yes?”
I nod. “Yes.”
He tilts his head back like he’s staring up at the heavens. “Okay, how comfortable are you with me taking the reins?”
I can’t help but chuckle at his unintended joke. “Very. You seem like you know what you’re doing, cowboy.”
