Slowly, my head rose and fell with his breaths.
My hand rested on his stomach, my fingertips sprawled out to feel the hardness of his abs.
I raised my head slightly to get a look at his face.
He was fast asleep, his normally focused face calm. His edge was gone. So was his hostility. Now he was just a man.
I couldn’t believe he’d stayed.
He’s stayed with me.
My head returned to his chest, and I went still, careful not to wake him. I could lie there forever as long as he was beside me. With the patience of a monk, I lay still and watched him breathe, watched the patch of sun slowly move across the floor as the sun rose higher above the horizon.
How much time had passed, I didn’t know. Time moved so quickly when we were together, even when he was unconscious.
He finally stirred, his hand immediately dragging across his face as reality set in. He blinked a few times, regarding the bedroom as he tried to remember how he got there. A quiet sigh left his lips before he turned to look at me. His eyes said it all—that he didn’t plan for this to happen.
Before he could storm off, I moved on top of him and planted my palms against his chest. My sex sat right on his length, which was naturally hard from the morning. I gave him a gentle grind through our underwear, and that seemed to chase away the anger about to break through.
I tugged his boxers down as he grabbed my thong and pulled the fabric over to reveal my entrance. Our bodies came together instantly, his hardness ready for my slickness. He groaned as he felt me and tugged on my underwear a little tighter, making the fabric fray at the seams.
I took him fully, moving all the way down until there was nowhere left to go. My breath hitched, my core tightened in a slight wince, but it felt so good, I didn’t care about the discomfort of his size.
His intense stare had returned, mixed with the sexy look of his sleepy gaze. His short hair was matted from sleeping on the couch, and his big hand gripped my hip with crushing force as he started to guide me.
I rocked my hips as I moved up and down, going nice and slow because morning sex was about sensuality. It didn’t take much to release, not when a dreamlike haze was cast over your eyes. Every touch was amplified. Every breath was loud in the silence. I watched his skin slowly darken with the red tint he exuded when he was turned on. It spread from his chest to his shoulders and up one side of his neck.
He tugged me harder and harder, pulling me down his length with greater intensity.
Everything came together to make me release. The pleasure on his face, the size of his dick as it hit me over and over, the way my clit dragged against his pelvic bone. It was all so good. With my nails deep in his chest, I came, moaning as I ground my clit hard against his body.
He’d been waiting for this moment, gripping me harder and harder as he resisted the compulsion to explode. But now, he released with a sexy moan, smacking my ass hard with his big palm. “Fuck.”
We writhed in mutual passion until the high hit its crescendo then came back down. Our sweaty bodies came to a gradual standstill, and our breathing masked the morning birds outside the window. We stared at each other as we caught our breath, and now that the fun was over, reality returned to his features.
His anger could only be delayed, not prevented. Now it took up his handsome features once more. The anger didn’t seem directed at me specifically, more at himself than anything else.
He guided me off him then left the couch.
I didn’t try to stop him. Didn’t thank him for staying with me. Didn’t say a word.
He grabbed his clothes and walked out without saying a thing.
TWENTY-FOUR
CAULDRON
We hadn’t exchanged more than a few words since the other day.
I had nothing to say and was relieved she didn’t press me to say anything. Everything happened so suddenly. Once I heard her scream, I barged in with my loaded shotgun. The rest was a blur.
I threw on my sports coat then headed to the hallway.
“Cauldron.”
I turned around at the sound of her voice. She stood in a white dress, her hair pulled up like she’d spent the afternoon by the pool. Disappointment was in her gaze, as if my distance was unwarranted and unfair.
“Are you leaving?”
“I have a meeting.” I adjusted the sleeves.
“That didn’t answer my question.”
“It’s on property.” I turned away.
“I don’t appreciate you ignoring me—”
“Can we do this later?” I turned back around, snapping.