Page 49 of The Allure of Ruins

“Conversely, if touching my skin scares you, we’ll know something as well.”

“Very well reasoned.”

“Lawyer,” he said.

I was smiling as I pulled my shirt up over my head and put it on the bed beside me. Slowly, I got closer and felt the heat from his skin before I reached him. His breath was shaky, ragged, and I loved that. He was afraid to be repulsed. I was afraid to be…afraid. We were quite a pair.

Sliding in close behind him, I thought, I want my mouth on the back of his neck at least once in my life. I have to know what that feels like. Easing forward, I brushed his hair to the side, then pressed a kiss to his warm skin, inhaling at the same time.

“Oh,” he husked softly, almost a whine.

“Should I do that again?” I asked, holding my breath.

“Do you want to do it again?”

“Yeah,” I responded, my breath on his skin, my fingers threading through his hair, the temptation far too great.

He started to tremble, and his breath caught. “I want you to do it again.”

My hand slipped from his hair, slid down, around his throat, and then tipped his head back, holding him against me as I stroked his skin. “Is this all right?”

“Yeah, it’s—fuck,” he rasped as my hand slid over his shoulder and down his chest. “Jesus, Pax, I haven’t been this excited since—oh.”

“I thought about lying on top of you,” I admitted. “I’m a bit addicted to your body.”

“That’s good, that’s so…so good,” he whispered haltingly, pressing back against me as I slid my hand over his gorgeous abs, savoring the warm, sleek skin and the definition, before reaching between his legs for his already rock-hard cock.

“Is this okay?”

“Don’t ask me anymore,” he told me as he began to push in and out of my grip. “I want you all over me.”

“That makes me crazy happy,” I said, stroking harder.

“I think about you all the time,” he confessed.

I kissed the side of his neck and then his shoulder, the urge to bite, to put a mark on him, very strong. I had always been possessive of him, but now, with this added intimacy, I felt old urges roaring through my veins. It was miraculous, and my eyes filled fast.

“Are you all right?” he choked out as I brushed away my tears.

“Yes,” I assured him, feeling my cock thickening the more I touched him. “You’re brilliant. This is perfect.” It was a revelation was what it was.

I might not have been ready to be touched, but I wanted to touch him more than anything. And now I wanted quite a bit more.

“Roll over and face me.”

He started to move.

“Wait. First, turn on the light.”

There was no hesitancy. He stretched for the lamp, flicked it on, then rolled over, his eyes locked with mine.

“There you are,” I said, smiling at him as I threw back the covers before I took him in hand and stroked him from balls to head.

His moan was long and filthy, and his eyes closed as he arched against me, entirely focused on what his body wanted and needed.

The surge of arousal was so welcome, nearly overwhelming, and I was glad he couldn’t see as more tears rolled down my cheeks.

Everything worked. Everything was aligned. The relief was like a weight lifting off my chest. But really, it all made sense. This was Colton. This was the man who had been my mentor, best friend, champion, my singular source of comfort, kindness, sounding board, and the one who could hear the smallest nuance in my voice, see a flicker of dread or happiness, and always, always follow where I was going. He could tell when I was hungry or sad, and be perceptive enough to change what was expected of him to give me what I needed. He was extraordinary.