In the act of reaching for his belt, Nathan threw his head back with a laugh, and my heart somersaulted behind my chest. That was too, too sexy, and I felt like I’d have given half of my life that moment if I could just wish away my period.
“Seriously?”
“Seriously, and will you get on with it?” I worked hard to sound reprimanding even as I fought against the urge to smile. “You still have too much clothes---” My voice trailed off as he pulled his shirt from the back before whipping it over his head. A second later, and his gloriously naked and beautifully muscled chest were on full display.
His eyes locked with mine, and my throat dried.
Ooooooh…Gooooood.
His fingers went back to his belt, and I swallowed hard as it fell to the floor. He worked on his jeans next, then his briefs, and just like that---
He was naked.
He was completely naked, and I was completely aroused.
All thoughts of pain – every sensation that had nothing to do with the raw, earthy lust that had me in its claws – disappeared. I never thought this was possible. Yes, I had read about it in books, seen it portrayed in films, but I really thought they were faking it.
How could you feel desire for a man while you were in the throes of menstrual torture?
But apparently, it was possible.
Or maybe it was only possible because it was Nathan Callis---
A gasp escaped me when he started stroking his cock.
“Do you see how hard it is?” Nathan’s gaze captured me once more. “It’s all because of you, sweetheart.” The low, rough rasp of his voice made me swallow harder, the sound of it like an invisible, heated brand on my skin.
“All because of you…” And his fingers started to move faster.
I stared, I ached, I burned.
It lasted too long, lasted too short, I couldn’t quite make up my mind. All I knew was that if I could patent those four minutes of Nathan Callis jerking himself off, I’d be the richest woman in the world because I had found a permanent cure for dysmenorrhea.
When it was over, he walked towards me, showing not a bit of self-consciousness about the fact that he was naked and I was not, and that his cock still jutted proudly like a fucking flag carried by a victorious army sergeant.
Bending down, he took my mouth wordlessly in a sweet, deep kiss. “Did it help, sweetheart?”
I grunted.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” I could hear the smile in his voice.
By the time he joined me in bed, he had showered and changed into sweat pants. Since I had steadfastly refused his invitation to move in with him, Nathan had taken to leaving stuff in my apartment.
“Still in pain?” he asked as he pulled me closer from behind, our bodies spooning as he slipped an arm under my head while another went around my waist. When I shook my head, he kissed my hair, murmuring, “I’m glad. I hate seeing you in pain.”
I did my best to fall asleep, but I couldn’t.
“Nathan?” My whisper interrupted the low humming from the air conditioning.
“Mm…”
“I’m growing on you, aren’t I?” They weren’t what I meant to ask at all, but the moment the words came out, I realized it was – even if my mind shied away from it – what my heart needed to ask.
“You’re all I think about these days.”
That was nice. That was really nice, but it still wasn’t what I needed to hear.
I tried again, saying, “Let me rephrase.” I felt his hard body rock against me in what I knew was mirth but ignored it, asking baldly, “How much of your heart do I own right now?”
“Ah.”
What the hell did that mean?
Was that Greek?
Was it model speak for I love you?
“About…ten percent I suppose?”
Ouch. “Asshole.” I elbowed him hard, and he grunted, but when I tried struggling away from him, he only pulled me back with another chuckle.
His arms tightened around me. “Stay.”
I didn’t heed him, still trying my best to get out of his arms, and my eyes started to tear up because all these movements were just making the pain come back.
“I want you to let go,” I gritted out. “Okay?” My voice caught.
He stilled.
And then he was rolling me to my back, and I squeezed my eyes shut the moment I realized I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from crying.
“I’m sorry,” Nathan said hoarsely.
I didn’t answer.
“I’m an ass.”
Yes, you were, I thought painfully. You are. But it doesn’t change a thing.
“Does it matter if you own my heart?”
I didn’t answer. He was no dummy. He already knew the answer to that.
“Can’t it be enough that I own yours---”
Ah.
“And I swear on my life I’ll never do anything to break it?”
Alyx And Nathan
It was said that the Gray Knight was strong and handsome, kind and courageous. But no one was really sure because clouds of smoke hid the knight from everyone, and people only recognized the hero by the rumble of his voice and the flash of his silver eyes, so bright it blazed past the blur of gray that shielded him.