Gently. Just enough.
“What?” he says.
“I want…”
His hand stays flat on my stomach.
“What do you want?”
“I want to…”
“Tell me.”
I look at him. In the dappled light. In the clearing he scouted. With his hood down and his hair a mess and his mouth wet from my throat.
“I want to be the one,” I say.
“Be the one what?”
“The one doing it. This time.”
His face goes still.
“Doing what?”
“You. I want to... I want to be inside you.”
He breathes out. One long breath.
“Theo.”
“You don't have to. I know you don't. I know that's... I know that's probably not what you...”
“Shut up.”
I shut up.
He looks at me for a long second. His throat works.
“You've been thinking about that?”
“Since the shower.”
His thumb runs along my jaw. He cups it.
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
His eyes don't leave mine.
“You sure sure?”
“Maddox.”
“Yeah?”
I hold his gaze.
