Everything goes black for a split second before white bursts of light flash in my vision and my body shakes uncontrollably. His arm tightens around my waist as he increases his thrusts, driving me through the tsunami that is my orgasm. My throat burns, and my screams ricochet off the shower tiles.
“Such a good girl,” he mutters behind me, dropping the shower head to the floor and using both hands to grip my hips. He drives me back toward him, harder and harder, until he stills, unleashing his release into me.
I drop my head between my arms, sucking in the wet air. A lock of my hair falls forward, getting stuck against my cheek. The shower head sprays at our feet.
“Easy.” Ivan grabs hold of me as he slips from my body, helping me turn around on my wobbly legs and sets me down on the built-in bench on the opposite side of the shower.
My heart jackhammers against my ribs. My mind is lost in a sated fog.
He turns off the water and brings a thick towel to me. Draping it over my shoulders, he picks me up, cradling me in his arms before settling me back on his lap while he takes my seat on the bench.
“I just need a second.” I breathe, cuddling into his neck.
“Take all the time you need,” he leans back, resting his chin on the top of my head.
“It wasn’t like this with Derek,” I find myself saying. He stills beneath me.
“What do you mean?”
“I loved him, I really did, but it was different than this. When he held me, I didn’t feel like it does when you do.” I pull the towel around my shoulders tighter.
“What does it feel like when I’m holding you?” He brushes wet strands away from my face.
“Safe.”
Adrenaline pumps through my body every time I replay our conversation in my mind. She feels safe with me.
If I were a teenage boy, I’d be running down the halls at school pumping my fists in the air. But I’m not. I’m a grown ass man who can’t stop fucking smiling every time I play back the memory of her saying one fucking word. It’s been three days, and the adrenaline still hasn’t worn off.
As I approach Vee’s apartment, the door across the hall swings open and Vivek, a member of my security team, steps out. He glances at Vee’s door to be sure it’s closed before he approaches.
“It’s been quiet at her place, but there’s been some issues at the neighbor’s.” He gestures toward Maxine’s door.
“The brothers?”
He nods. “They don’t live there, just drop by at all hours of the night. There’s usually some yelling before they eventually leave.”
“They don’t come to Vee’s place?”
“No.”
“Good. Make sure they don’t. I don’t trust them.” I start to turn toward Vee’s door. “She hasn’t seen you?”
“Your woman? No. We moved in while both she and her friend were out. No run-ins with either of them so far.”
“Good.” Just as I’m about slide my key into her lock, the door swings open.
Vee, standing in her usual leggings and T-shirt draped off the side of her shoulder, leans against the doorframe.
“I’ve known about you being there since I got home on Monday night.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “Mr. Andersen used to live there, he died last month. And he never had one of those little security camera doorbell things before.”
She’s motioning to the security camera that’s been installed facing her door. There’re three others in the hallway that she probably hasn’t noticed yet.
“You would have fought me on having a man standing outside your door and you insisted on coming home.” I lift a shoulder. “I compromised.”
“You didn’t even have a conversation with me. You had an imaginary conversation with yourself.”
“Am I wrong?”
