I pause once I reach stairs. I feel jittery, like I had a couple cups of coffee instead of just the one. The noise of the men outside calling to each other, chatting while they load the truck, reaches my ears.
I close my eyes and seekoutAres. It takes barely any energy to see him sitting on the bed with his laptop across his knees. His shirt is untucked and unbuttoned like he was in the middle of changing when he got distracted.
Pulling back to myself, I start up the stairs and head in his direction. When I read the room, I lean against the doorframe, my eyes tracking over him lazily. The immediate difference in the way my mind and body feels is a little jarring.The hunger to dominate is gone. I’ve never once had the urge to make Ares bend to my will.
There’s something different that drives me when I’m with Ares. The complete and utter feeling of safety and acceptance. I’m free to give him all the control because I know he would never abuse it. After taking care of myself for so long, it’s such a relief tobe able tolet go.
I let out a breathy sigh, I’m so lucky. It’s not that he can buy a house at the drop of a hat, or how alluring he is, even when he’s not trying. No, it the way he looks at me, like I’m the only person in the room. The way he touches me like he craves the feel of my skin, and that’s just Ares. How I’m lucky enough to get all four, will probably boggle my mind for the rest of my life.
“Hey, did you eat?” He looks up, his eyes blinking likehe was totally lost in thought.
“Is there any left?” he asks, telling me he hasn’t.
“I think so, you want me to grab you something?”
“I was planning on coming right back down,” Ares adds, pushing the computer off his legs and onto the bed.“I’ll grab whatever’s left when I go down.”
I take a few more steps into the room, it already smells like them in here. Dante’s warm leather mixes with the slightchar ofcampfire from Ollie, and the tang of iron from Milo, but Ares’s ozone scent is strongest now.
“What are you doing?” I lean against the wall, not trusting that I won’t end up in the bed with him if I get too close.
“Checking emails.” He changes the subject, and inquires, “The guys already back to work?”
“Yeah, Ollie has Milo doing theheavy lifting someplace, and Dante went down to keep an eye on the movers and help them load the tuck.”
“You’re very far away.” Ares leans against the wall at the top of the bed, inviting me closer with just a look. I smile but don’t move.“How am I supposed to help if Idon’t have anything to change into?” He nods his head in my direction.
I stretch the loose fabric of his t-shirt over my stomach. “You left it on the end of the bed, fair game,” I challenge.
“Oh, is that how it works?” A genuine smile lifts his lips reaching his eyes.
“It is now.” I enjoy our banter. Ares doesn’t strike me as oneto really play and joke around like Ollie does. “Besides, if you take your shirt back, I’llbe left with nothing to wear.” The flirting, though newto me,comes easily.
“I can see how that would be a problem, unless…” Ares pushes up off the bed. My intention of keeping my distance vanishes as he stalksclosers. “Unless you want to crawl in bed, get nice and comfy. You wouldn’t need the shirt or anything else in here.” His voice dropsdownlow, his breath caressing my skin with heated words.
I swallow, cutting my eyes to him. “We literally have a house full of strangers and you want me in bed, naked? While you guys do all the work?”
Ares’s arms come up over my shoulders and he cages me in, and my hands reach for his waist through his open shirt. His lips graze my ear, and in a guttural whisper he says, “I’d have to tuck you in first. Make sure you stayed nice and warm.” Ares captures the bottom of my earlobe between his teeth.
Heat pools in my lower stomach and I fight the urge to lean into him. “That doesn’t seem fair.”
Ares moves even closer, his elbows on the wall next to my shoulders. “I wouldn’t be complaining,” he mutters. I plant my hands over Ares’s chest, intending to push him away, but I get distracted by the feeling of his warm skin under my palms.
“I told Dante I would come down to help, are you going to stay up here and work?”
Ares places a soft kiss under my ear. “No, I took the rest of the week off.”
“You did?” That succeeds in surprising me enoughthatIdopush him slightly away, so I can see his face.
“Why do you sound so shocked?”
“I don’t know, itjustsurprises me.”
“Well, if you don’t want me around…” Ares teases.
I roll my eyes, not sure if I should feed into his ego. “You know that’s not true, I’m happy you’ll be home.”
“Good, but it’s not like I would have left, even if you wanted me to.” Ares backs away from me, turning to reaching for a large black duffle bag on the floor. He crouches to sort through the bag, pulling a soft gray t-shirt free.
