“Touch yourself,” I repeat, my tone dropping to that register that seems to affect her so deeply. “I want to watch you come apart.”
“Fuck,” she breathes, her good hand sliding between us. “When did you get so bossy?”
I smile against her neck. “I believe you requested this particular voice.”
She laughs, the sound transforming into a moan as her fingers find her most sensitive spot. “I did, didn’t I? Good call on my part.”
The sight of her touching herself while I move inside her is almost my undoing. I have to close my eyes to regain control. I need to focus, to make this good for her, but the combination of her touch and her body tightening around me is testing every ounce of my self-restraint.
“Jonah,” she whispers. “Look at me.”
I open my eyes to find her watching me with desire that steals what little breath I have left. Her fingers are moving in tight circles now, her rhythm matching mine, and I can feel her body beginning to tense.
“I’m close,” she admits.
“I know,” I murmur, maintaining the angle that makes her breath catch. “I can feel it.”
And I can—the way she’s tightening around me with each thrust, the flush spreading across her chest, the quickening of her breathing. This brilliant, fearless woman coming undone beneath me.
“Keep talking,” she gasps, her hips rising to meet mine. “Do the voice?—”
“Do you like the feeling of me inside of you?” I ask her.
Her eyes widen at my words, clearly surprised by my boldness. Then a moan escapes her, louder than before, as her whole body goes rigid. I feel her tightening around me, pulsing as she comes apart, and the sight alone nearly pushes me over the edge.
“Oh my god,” she gasps, her hand clutching my shoulder. “Jonah, I’m?—”
I kiss her, swallowing her cries as she shudders beneath me. The sensation of her climaxing around me is too much—I can’t hold back any longer. My rhythm falters as my own release builds, and then I’m following her over that edge, burying my face in her neck as pleasure crashes through me in waves.
For several moments, we lie tangled together, breathing hard. I’m careful not to put weight on her injured shoulder, but I can’t bring myself to move away completely. The connection between us feels too precious, too new to break just yet.
“Well,” Lila finally says. “That was worth waiting for.”
I lift my head to look at her, finding her watching me with a mix of satisfaction and amusement. Her hair is a wild tanglearound her face, her lips swollen from our kisses. I’ve never seen anything more beautiful.
“Was it?” I ask, suddenly self-conscious again. “It’s been a while since I’ve?—”
“Trust me, Professor,” she cuts me off with a lazy smile. “Your practical application skills are fully up to academic standards.”
I laugh, pressing my forehead against hers. Relief washes over me that I didn’t disappoint her. Her skin is warm against mine, damp with sweat, and I can feel her heartbeat gradually slowing beneath my palm.
“So much for data collection today,” I murmur, carefully shifting my weight to avoid her injured shoulder.
“Oh, I don’t know. I’d say we just collected some very interesting data points.”
“Is that what we’re calling it?” I can’t help but smile against her neck.
“Mmm-hmm. Very thorough research.” Her good hand slides lower, giving my backside a playful squeeze. “Though I think we might need to run a few more trials to ensure statistical validity.”
I lift my head to look at her, finding her watching me with that mischievous glint in her eyes. “Already? Aren’t you supposed to be resting?”
“I feel very rested,” she argues, though the effect is somewhat diminished by her wince as she tries to shift positions. “Okay, maybe a short intermission.”
I carefully disentangle myself from her, pressing a kiss to her forehead before padding to the bathroom. When I return with a warm washcloth, she’s already fast asleep. I find my pants, retrieve my phone from a pocket, and fire off a text to Lucas to keep an eye on Max for a couple of hours before climbing back into bed and holding her.
LILA
I waketo the feeling of warmth and Jonah’s steady breathing against my neck, his arm a comforting weight across my waist. For a moment, I just lie there, savoring the sensation of being held by someone who knows all my sharp edges and hasn’t cut himself running away.
