“Do I? You still dream of him.”
I flinched and pushed away from him, but he held me tight. “That’s not fair, Owen.”
“I know, I’m sorry I said that. What I’m trying to say is…” He dragged a hand over his face. It took him a few tries before he could say the words out loud. “Will you ever love me like you loved him? All or nothing. Ride or die.” His lips turned up into a sad smile as he studied my face. “Will you lure men to their deaths just to make me happy?”
“Owen, I stabbed a man in the neck for you. I was ready to die with you in that office. Is that not all or nothing? Is that not ride or die enough for you? Gods, have you forgotten that Ishothim?” I sighed, collecting myself, then smoothed a thumb over the stubble on his chin. “I don’t love you the way I loved Grayson. What you and I have is different. But if you’re asking me if I can love you as fiercely as I loved him? Then yes. I can. I do,” I whispered. “I’d thought I couldn’t, but I do.”
I swallowed against the panic. It was hard to say. It was hard to admit to myself. Yet again, I had thrown every ounce I had to give of myself at someone. It was scary as fuck.
But I had to remind myself that this time was different.Thisman deserved my heart. He wouldn’t trample all over it.
You hear that, Grayson? He’s nothing like you. Owen is noblackhole. No, he’s the sun. Warm. Needed.
Owen kissed me, but when he pulled away, his eyes were still weary.
“I wantyou, Owen. I…” I swallowed hard, “I loveyou.”
Owen blinked as if my confession surprised him before he smiled, light returning to his eyes. “You do?”
“Yes,” I breathed.
“Enough to grow old with me? To choose me?”
I nodded, my throat thick with emotions. “So, this can wait.” I pointed between us. “The Apparitions are still too much a part of our lives.” It was a precarious situation. My…exwas still in the picture, looming over us. I understood why Owen felt insecure about my feelings. “Let’s wait until after the auction. When they are behind bars and out of our lives. It’s just a few more weeks.” I sighed dramatically, playfully trailing my finger over Owen’s bare torso. “I wanted to run away with you, but if you insist on staying, I could try and keep my hands to myself for a few more weeks.”
My finger came to a stop at his waistband, and I gave it a small tug. His pelvis tilted towards my hand. He huffed a breath at the smug, victorious grin spreading across my face.
He pulled me down against him and twisted. I couldn’t help but giggle like a fool as he pinned me underneath him.
“Do you have any idea how torturous this is? God, Ava, I want you so fucking bad,” he groaned. “You have no idea.” He brushed his lips against mine. “But I want all of you. Not just your body.”
I wrapped my legs around his torso, pulling him closer, shivering as the heat of his body spread through me. “We can wait until you’re sure, O. But you can have whatever you want from me. I’m all yours.”
Owen released a breath, his shoulders relaxing. “I’ve been fantasising of hearing you say those words for so long,” he admitted.
I chuckled. “You have?”
He grinned, a mischievous twinkle lighting his eyes. “Technically, you weremoaningit in my fantasies.”
My stomach flipped. “What else am I doing in these fantasies?”
Owen bit my lip, gently pulling at it, before his eyes found mine again. The heat in his gaze sent a wave of heat through my body. “You arch up into my hand when I touch you.” His hand trailed up my side. He cupped my breast and squeezed lightly.
My breath caught in my throat as he rubbed a thumb over my nipple—already straining beneath my shirt. It sent a pulse of electricity shooting through my body, all the way down to my core. I pressed up into his hand, craving more.
His cock twitched against me in answer. “Yes, just like that.”
“Owen,” I breathed. My head felt cloudy as he continued to tease my nipple. Was I going to say something, or did I say his name just for the sake of it? All I could think about was the growing ache between my legs.
“Yes, Ava. You do that in my fantasies too.” He dropped his head to my ear. “Moaning my name over and over and over again.”
I had to stifle a moan at his words. Gods, I couldn’t give him the satisfaction when he was blatantly teasing me like this. I reluctantly pulled his hand from my breast. “Please stop, O. How am I supposed to go back to sleep without ripping your clothes off right now?” I groaned.
His mouth was on my neck causing goosebumps to ripple over my whole body. He gently sucked on the skin clamped between his teeth. Gods, it felt good. I thrusted my hips up against him, desperate for friction, desperate for him.
He sucked in a quick breath through his nose and released my neck, finding my lips. His tongue slid against mine as he thrusted his cock against me, giving me the pressure I craved. I moaned into his mouth and dug my fingers into his ass, so he would do it again. I needed him to do it again.
He thrusted again, and this time I moved with him. His arm snaked underneath me, cupping my ass to press me harder into him each time he slid his cock against me.
