He didn’t make me wait long. Soon enough, I felt his fingers in my pasSean, prepping me for access. I pushed against his hand, making him laugh.
Finally, he deemed me ready and replaced his digits with his member. Rafael gripped my hips and entered me, slow and steady, as if he was making sure he wouldn’t hurt me.
I groaned, aware of every wonderful inch of him. Once he was balls deep inside me, he began to ride me. He started with a slow rhythm at first before picking up speed.
Rafael soon reduced us both to pants and animal noises.
“Touch yourself,” he ordered.
I complied, sliding my fingers up and down my shaft as he pumped in and out of me. Rafael switched the angle of his thrusts, hitting my prostate. I gasped, arching my back, stroking myself even faster.
My balls tightened. It didn’t take long before the pressure building inside me broke open. I came, screaming out his name. Several thrusts later, Rafael followed.
When it was over, we lay tangled in the sheets, skin flushed, hearts still racing in sync. Rafael made a quick trip to the bathroom. He grabbed a towel and cleaned us both up.
Then we were together in bed. Rafael’s arm was heavy across my chest, possessive and protective, and I didn’t want to move. Ever.
He kissed my temple, his nose brushing the side of my face as he murmured, “You okay?”
“Better than okay,” I said, voice still raw.
He let out a low hum, nuzzling against my hair. I turned my head just enough to brush our noses together. He looked soft in the dark, unguarded in a way I didn’t think I’d ever seen before.
“You’re staying, right?” Rafael asked me.
“I’m not going anywhere,” I replied.
I sank back into him, into the warmth of his chest, the strength of his arms. His fingers traced slow, lazy circles on my side. Not in a way that demanded anything.
Just a quiet, anchoring touch. Like he wanted to stay connected.
The silence stretched comfortably between us, filled only by the sound of our breathing and the gentle creak of the bed when one of us shifted. Outside, the world was still.
A few distant cars. A hoot of an owl. Somewhere far off, laughter. But none of it mattered. Not tonight. Because I was here. With my mate.
And for the first time in too long, I wasn’t thinking about debt collectors or secrets or fear. I wasn’t worrying about what tomorrow would bring or if the past would catch up to me. I wasn’t pretending.
I turned toward him, curling up tighter against his chest. His beard scraped lightly against my forehead as he tucked me in closer, his chin resting on the top of my head.
“I’m glad you came tonight,” I murmured.
“I almost didn’t,” he admitted. “Didn’t want to mess it up.”
“You didn’t.”
He kissed my hair again, and I closed my eyes.
Wrapped in Rafael’s arms, our legs tangled under the sheets, my heart finally slowed. The weight on my chest lifted just a little.
Maybe it wouldn’t go away completely. Not yet. Not until I faced the things still looming in my life. But in that moment, I was warm. Safe. Held. And that was enough.
I drifted off like that. His heartbeat under my ear, his breath soft against my hair, his fingers still tracing idle lines against my back.
Chapter 11
Rafael
The smellof grilled meat hit me before I even stepped into Callum’s house. Smoke clung to the humid summer air, thick with the promise of overcooked sauSeans and seared steak fat.
