Page 89 of Sunrise & Serenity

Pre-cum beads at his tip, slowly dripping onto my stomach. As my strokes become faster and harder, I raise my head so I can see exactly what I’m doing to him.

With my other hand, I cup his balls, massaging them gently until a low, rough sound rumbles through him. His big body is braced above me, every muscle taut as I stroke him until he’s thrusting into my hand.

“You wanna watch me come, Sage?” he grits out, his voice like gravel.

My insides coil tight. “God, yes.”

Fingers flexing in my hair, he presses his forehead to mine, both of us watching as I work his hard length.

His breaths are harsh, his abs tensing as my knuckles brush against them over and over. With a curse, his hips flex and he pushes into my fist, holding there. His cock jerks once, then throbs against my palm, a groan ripping from him as thick, white jets splash hot across my stomach and between my breasts.

Even when he finishes, I don’t release him. For a moment, our breaths mingle in the space between us. Then he kisses me, his mouth hard on mine before softening into something that comes so close to tender it makes my throat ache.

With one more soft kiss, he pushes himself upright and tucks himself, still half hard, into his briefs. Satisfaction curls his lips as he takes in the mess he made of me for a moment. Then he snags the discarded blanket and wipes it gently over my stomach.

I smile. “Thank you.”

Huffing out a laugh, he tosses the blanket aside. “Seems like the least I can do.”

He draws the sides of his jacket together and zips it up, covering me again. Then he lies down beside me. Feeling strangely vulnerable considering what we just did, I angle my face toward his.

His expression is hard to read, and for a heart-stopping second, I’m sure he’s going to tell me this was a mistake. But with his eyes still serious, he grazes his thumb along my bottom lip. And I swear a hint of vulnerability flickers across his face. “Mine, Sage.”

The way my heart squeezes might be a warning, but if it is, I ignore it, wriggling closer and murmuring, “Yours.”

Lips tipping up, he wraps his arms around me. “We’ve got a few more hours until sunup. You should get some more rest.”

With the rain still pattering on the roof and his heartbeat steady against my ear, I fall asleep.

CHAPTER 23

HOLDEN

Lying on a pile of straw shouldn’t be this damn comfortable. Though it’s not the bedding that’s making me reluctant to move. It’s the woman curled up asleep in my arms.

Dim, early-morning light filters through gaps in the barn’s walls. The storm has passed, leaving only the steady drip of rainwater from the trees outside.

Sage lets out a quiet sigh in her sleep, and I pull her closer. The peaceful look on her face has me feeling all kinds of things I’m not used to.

I skim my knuckles over her cheek, and her lashes flutter, then drift open. Hazy green-gold eyes meet mine, filling with warmth that matches the heat in my chest. Pink, swollen lips press together, then tip up into a smile. “Hi.”

“Hi.”

She ducks her head, her lashes hiding her eyes, but I’m not having that. With my forefinger, I tip her chin up. “No point getting all shy on me now.”

“Not shy. Just not sure how to behave after a night like that.”

“A night like what?”

Her laugh is soft and husky. “Don’t fish for compliments. You know what I’m talking about.”

Chuckling, I roll, taking her with me so she’s straddling me, the bottom of my jacket draping over her thighs. Then I draw her down so I can kiss her.

Her mouth is soft against mine, her body a perfect fit. When I let her go, she’s smiling, but as she pushes herself upright again, the uncertainty in her eyes is impossible to miss. I glide my palms up her legs until I reach the crease where her thighs meet her hips. “What’s going on in that head of yours?” I ask, rubbing circles against her smooth skin with my thumbs.

“Last night, you said some things. We both did. I just need to make sure we’re still on the same page.”

“You should know by now that I don’t say things I don’t mean.”