Delaney’s fingers slid into my underwear and then down, pulling me closer. “I want to feel you,” he whispered, pushing at the waistband. “All of you.”
I stood and quickly shed my underwear, then pulled back the sheet covering him. Then I paused for a moment to drink him in—the lean lines of his body, the flush spreading across his chest, the way his lips were already swollen from our kisses. “You are so fucking beautiful.”
He gave me a crooked smile. “Not like you.”
Not like me, I wanted to tell him, but likehimself, which was infinitely better. But when I lowered myself down so we were pressed together, chest-to chest and dick-to-dick, I found I couldn’t speak. My breath caught, and a broken moan escaped me.
Delaney’s hands found my ass, urging me to put more of my weight on him, and I was helpless to resist. I rocked against him experimentally, the friction sending sparks of pleasure up my spine.
His legs twined around mine. “More,” he begged.
I complied, setting a rhythm that had us both panting. He lifted one leg to wrap around my waist, changing the angle and increasing the pressure in a way that made my vision blur.
“Fuck, Brewer,” he gasped, his hips rising to meet each thrust. “Just like that.”
I buried my face in the curve of his neck, breathing in the scent of him—clean skin with the faint, floral smell of his soap. His hands roamed my back, my shoulders, my arms, like he couldn’t get enough of touching me.
The pace quickened, our bodies sliding together with increasing urgency. I felt the familiar tightening at the base of my spine, the gathering heat that signaled I was close.
“I’m not going to last,” I warned, my voice strained.
“Me neither,” Delaney admitted, his breath hot against my ear. “Don’t stop.”
As if I could. As if anything in the world could make me stop when he was underneath me like this, moving with me, saying my name like a prayer.
His soft hand slid between our bodies, wrapping around both of us. The added sensation was almost too much. I cursed, my hips stuttering as I fought to maintain the rhythm.
“Come with me,” he urged, his grip tightening.
It was his voice that pushed me over the edge—that command all wrapped up in a plea. I came with a shudder that racked my entire body, Delaney following moments later, his release spilling hot against his hand and our bellies.
For a long moment, we lay there, tangled together and breathing hard. I shifted to the side slightly, not wanting to crush him with my weight, then rolled toward the edge of the bed. He made a small sound of protest, his arms tightening around me as if to keep me close.
“Don’t go,” he murmured, his voice already sleepy.
“Just getting a towel,” I assured him. I cleaned up in his bathroom and brought back a damp cloth for him, too.
“You can stay,” he said hesitantly. “If you want.”
After a moment—more like a millisecond—of deliberation, I climbed back on the bed and pulled Delaney against me, resting my head on his pillow and draping my arm over his waist. I was pretty sure I wasn’t imagining the way Delaney’s whole body relaxed when I did.
We lay in silence for a minute while Delaney traced lazy patterns over my chest, his touch light but deliberate. “Should I apologize?” he asked softly.
I knew what he meant, but I couldn’t help snorting. “For being so fucking sexy I literally ran through the house to get to you?” I pretended to think about it. “Actually, maybe you should. There were alotof stairs.”
He laughed, the sound light and happy as he cuddled against my chest. “Next time I want you, I’ll just use a sledgehammer and save you the trip,” he said, motioning toward the wall.
Next time.
I waited for the urge to pull back and put distance between us to grip me… but the feeling never came. Instead, a kind of contentment spread over me and settled. The die had been cast, the decision made. However long this physical connection between us lasted, however messy it would be when it ended, I was in it now.
And with Delaney in my arms, it was impossible to regret it.
As we lapsed into comfortable silence, his fingers continued their idle exploration of my skin, and I found myself relaxing into his touch, taking a true deep breath for the first time in days.
I cleared my throat. “I think I might oweyouan apology,” I said. “I pulled away the last couple days. Which is kind of my go-to, if you listen to Hayes.”
“I get why you did.” Delaney lifted his head. “You care about your professional reputation. Nobody understands that more than I do…” He rolled his eyes. “Even if I happen to be doing a shit job of focusing on my own career this week.” His gaze softened. “The complications are real. I just… wanted you too much to stay away.”
