“Fractured, then?” she demanded, recallingwhat he’d said to her before. “I’d say I’m a whole lot more thanfractured when I can screw you but I can’t let you hold me, or letmyself touch you for too long without feeling as if I’m going tosuffocate on my memories.”
David sighed and released the headboard,holding his hands up when she edged farther away from him. Flexinghis knuckles to get some blood flowing back into them, he loweredhis hands to the bed. He understood her frustration; he felt ittoo, as he wanted nothing more than to cradle her close.
“We didn’tscrew,” he said and hereyebrows went up. “You know what just happened between us wasdifferent from any other experience you’ve ever had with a man. Itwas definitely far different from any of my experiences with otherwomen.”
Being with her had altered something withinhim. No matter what, he knew she would be his from here on out. Thegood, the bad, and the ugly—whatever life threw at them, they wouldbe together, and he would do everything he could to keep herprotected. He may not be able to hold her, yet, but there wouldnever be another for either of them again.
Mia’s shoulders hunched forward. She drewher bottom lip into her mouth as she recalled everything that hadtranspired between them. The sensation of being home had been sowelcome and wonderful. The way he made her body come alive made herlong to have him inside of her once more.
“It was definitely different,” she admitted.“Far different, but can’t you see that only makes it worse? For atime, I felt different while I was with you. I felt powerful and incontrol again.” He’d given her that control, and she’d given himanother meltdown afterward. “I felt as if I finally belonged, yetI’m still… I’m still…this!” she cried and ran a hand downthe front of her body. She tried to fight it, but tremors shook herhand. “I’m still a fucking disaster!”
“You’re being too hard on yourself again.The things you have endured will take time to get over,” he toldher. “But look at how far you’ve already come. I bet when you wokeup this morning, you never thought you’d be having the best sex ofyour life before nightfall.”
Mia’s mouth fell open and, despite herdisgust with herself, a short burst of laughter escaped her. Theplayful look on his face relaxed her shoulders. She found herselfeasing back on the bed to sit so that she could feel the heat ofhis thigh against her. “Who says it was the best sex of mylife?”
“Like you can honestly claim it wasn’t,” hereplied, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement as a smile curvedhis mouth.
“If it was the best sex of my life, it wasdefinitely the best sex of yours.”
“You’ll never hear me deny it.” He foldedhis hands in his lap. “And it will only get better from here onout.”
“Who said I was going to have sex with youagain?” she teased.
His smile revealed all his perfect whiteteeth and the points of his fangs. “I can smell that you alreadywant me again. Besides, there’s no way you’re not curious about allthe things I’ll be able to do to you without my hands.”
Her heart thudded against her ribs, hernipples hardening at his words. David’s smile slid away and hegripped the headboard again as a feral gleam shone in his eyes. Hissoftening cock rose once more.
“I’ll ease that curiosity for you,” hepromised.
Mia took a deep breath as a fresh wave ofpanic fell over her, but she still found herself unable to resistcrawling toward him. His pull over her was greater than the moon’son the tides. His eyes never left hers as she straddled him oncemore.
***
“David?”
“Yes,” he murmured as he ran his fingersover Mia’s hair, the only part of her he could touch for any lengthof time without causing her to stiffen against him. Over time, shewould get better at allowing him to touch her more and more; he hadcomplete faith in that. She didn’t see how much better she alreadywas, how different she was from the skittish and beaten woman whohad first stepped into this place. Some days she had setbacks, butalmost every day was a new step forward for her. Forthem.
“I’d like to go with you to your home,” shewhispered.
David’s fingers stilled as he lifted hishead to prop it up on his hand. Mia continued to stare out thewindow while he gazed down at her. “If you don’t think you’reready—”
“I am.”
She rolled over to face him. He’d found anew comforter for them in a hall closet, a deep blue one thatbrought out the color of her eyes. The moon spilling across herbare breasts and dusky nipples created an inviting trail he longedto follow with his tongue.One day.And he would patientlywait for that day to come.
“I’d like to meet your family,” shesaid.
“There are a lot of them,” he warned.
“I know. I’ve heard the stories, but Iamgoing to do this.”
She gave a decisive nod as she said thoselast six words and her chin rose defiantly. He could sense herdistress, but determination blazed in her eyes. He stroked her hairagain and bent to tenderly kiss her lips. “Yes, you are,” hewhispered when he pulled away from her.
“And one of these days, I’m going to makeyou do all the work in bed.”
Laughing loudly, he instinctively went topull her into his arms, stopping himself in time. His arms droppedback to his sides, but she had caught the movement. Anger swirledin her eyes before they darted to the ceiling. That anger wasn’tfor him, he knew, but for herself. No matter what he said to her,she would continue to beat herself up for what she saw as a failureand a weakness on her part. One day, she would realize how strongshe was.
“I look forward to it,” he told her.
