He pulls me to my knees. My over-pleasured mind takes noteof him wrapping his arm around my waist, careful not to trap my arms. His other hand trails my left arm before pulling it up to his neck. He nips at the flesh where my shoulder and neck meet, then kisses the sting away.
His thrusts have slowed. He’s taking his time as he reaches deep inside me. His head hits those inner nerves perfectly.
“I’ve wanted you like this for so fucking long. I don’twant it to end.” His whispers fill my ears, sounding like shoutsthrough the quiet. “I don’t want it to end,but I’m not going to last much longer. I need you to come, baby.”
“I can’t,” I whimper, but even as I say it, I feel my inner walls clench. With every stroke, I feel him thicken inside of me.I’m teetering on the edge of that cliff, and there is no bottom in sight.
“I need it, sweetheart. I need to feel this tight pussy strangle my cock. I need it to milk me for every drop.”
“Oh God,” is all I can manage when his fingers begin to strum my clit. My head falls back to his shoulder. My handflies behind us, gripping his hips as I hold on against the inferno that incinerates my body to ash. My mouth opens with a scream that he swallows with his own.
A deep, rumbling groan vibrates in his chest. His thrusts become erratic. His jaw clenches tightly,and the tendons in his neck strain.“Fuck, fuck, holy fuck,” he grinds out as he pulses and twitches inside of me.
He lowers his head to my shoulder, his arm around my waist the only thing holding me up. Both of us panting. Our hearts pound, his vibrating against my backin sync with mine.
After a few more seconds, he withdraws from me, thenlays me back in the bed. He walks away to dispose of the condom. I watch him do something with his phone before hereturns to the bed with our clothes.
He pulls his boxer briefs back on.Then he surprises me when he puts my clothes back on me too. “Just in case Lyra wakes before we do,” he tells me as he pulls my shorts up my hips.
“Maybe I should go back in there with her,” I say softly, not wanting to confuse her.
“Don’t even think about it,” he growls.He hovers over me, brushing my sweat-soaked hair away from my face.“Are you okay?”
I smile softly, cupping his worried face. I know what he’s thinking. “I don’t regret it,” I reassure him.
He lowers his lips to minewith a soft kiss. Seconds of sweet turn into fire quickly. The electricity between uscannot be contained. I gasp when I feel him harden against my belly.
He pulls away,leaving me breathless. “I love you, Cara. I’m not going to stop saying it or showing you until you believe it.”
“Jake,” I start to tell him I do believe him. I’m just not convinced it will last. Not when he sees all of me. Not when those irreparablepieces become too much. Not when he decides he needs to protect Lyra from me.
“Go to sleep.” He kisses my forehead, not letting me say what I want. He slides beside me, pulling me into his chest. His arms wrap around me tightly. Almost like he’s afraid I’ll disappear. Guess I’ve given him plenty of reason to think I would.
Right now, I don’t want to be anywhere else. For the first time in nearly two years, I feel safe. My mind isn’t a war zone. It’s actually calm for the first time in a long time.And I want to hang on to it for as long as I can.
Though one thing does stiraround in my head. One thing Jake had wrong.
He doesn’t have to make me love him.
I already do.
Jake
I’ve been awake nearly all night. Every time I close my eyes, the thought of waking up alone has them flying open.
She hasn’t moved since I told her to sleep. Even when the bus started moving, she hasn’teven twitched. I made sure to text thedriver to use his key and flipped the latch for Lyra before I climbed back in bed.
We were scheduled to leave at four for Berlin. They told us it would take about six hours. Judging from the light peeking in the small window, we have three or four hours to go.
Cara stirs for the first time, murmuring my name. I can’t stop the smile that spreads across my face when she snuggles closer into my chest.
I meant every word I told her. I’m not letting her runaway from me anymore. I’m not letting her avoid me or pretend I’m not there. I’m not letting her ignore the chemistry and connectionwe have. I always knew we would. Why else wouldI become a practical stalker the second we meet?
I’ve given her space. I’ve let herdo what she thought she needed, but no more. I’m donepushing my feeling aside. I’m done hiding how I feel. It’s out there now. I’m not taking it back.
I’m doing things my way. The way I should’vedoneyears ago. Even months ago, when she first came home.
I told her I was going to make her love me. That wasn’t entirely true.I’m going to make heradmitthat she already does. If I’m transparent,then so is she. I’ve seen in her eyes how she feels.I felt it in the way she clung to me the other night.
