Page 155 of These Wicked Hearts

I nod slowly. “I lied through my fucking teeth.”

“Then tell me the truth, Gage.”

I cup his face, pulling his forehead to mine.

I look at him for a moment. “All I’ve thought about since I met you is when I’ll see you next. Or the next time you’ll be in my bed. The next time I’ll hear your laugh or the ridiculous shit that comes out of your mouth.” He smiles wider. “I always want more of you. It’s never enough. It drives me crazy. I love you. That’s the truth, Atlas.”

“You love me?” He points to his wide chest.

“Yes.”

“Only me?”

“Only you.”

“Even if I annoy you?”

“Probably a little because you annoy me.” He laughs, and fuck, I want to hear that for the rest of my life. I don’t care what’s headed my way. I don’t care if I never play on a stage again or what the public thinks of me. I just want him with me.

I’m tugged forward, engulfed inside his arms. I can barely breathe. My hand dips inside his open coat and wraps around his waist to squeeze him to me.

“I love being strangers with you.”

We break through Atlas’s bedroom door. His lips haven’t left mine since we barreled into his apartment. “I have practice early. Just so you know,” he says against my mouth.

I nod, tugging his shirt over his head, laughing as it gets stuck on his chin. He cups the back of my thighs, lifting me up, and my legs wrap around his waist as he lays me down. His hungry mouth trails down my neck. He pulls back, unbuttoning his pants, and I help him slide them down his legs.

He peels mine down then reaches over me to his nightstand and grabs his lube, wasting no time even though we have as much of it as we want together.

There’s no power dynamic right now. I can’t even fix my lips to demand a thing from him. Instead, I watch his beautiful body climb over me. Sit on me. Roll his hips down on me. My palms smooth up his powerful thighs as he takes his pleasure.

“So deep.” He gasps, rolling his hips back onto me while I lie here under him, watching his powerful body take whatever he needs.

I wrap my hand around his cock, stroking as he moans on me. “I love you so much.” I watch him, his eyes rolling back, my free hand running down his stomach. He leans down, his lips meeting mine and moaning into my mouth. I can’t stop touching him. I want to stay here like this forever.

“Oh my god, Gage.” He breathes softly against my lips. “Your body.”

“It’s yours.”

Atlas looks down at me, his hips still moving in a slow rhythm. “No it’s not.” He moans. “It’s yours. I’m just lucky you’re sharing it with me.”

I lift up, wrapping my arms around him. There’s no space between us. “I belong right here,” I whisper. “Right here, Atlas.”

His eyes blink open. He looks drunk, but instead of the poison he’s tried to numb his beautiful mind with in the past, he’s drunk on me. And if he’ll have me, I’ll keep giving him a fix anytime he needs.

“Look at you.” I drag my hand down his stomach.

When he comes between us, I’m right there behind him. His arms wrap around me, engulfing me in his heat. It’s not suffocating at all.

It’s the easiest I’ve ever been able to breathe.

“What do we do now?”

I loll my head toward him then move to lie against him. He engulfs me in his arms, and I let myself just feel his warm body. His strong arms tighten around me. Right here this is all I want. For the rest of my life. The reality is a bit trickier, though.

“I’m not sure.” I trace my fingers over his chest, following the curve of his pec. “I know you don’t want to go public.”

He shifts a little to look down at me. “No, I don’t. I mean, not yet. Maybe not until I retire. I don’t know.” He traces his fingers down my chest. “It’s not like I’m going to hide you, though. I don’t care if people talk about it. I’m just not really a public person. I like being private. Don’t think, though, that I’m ashamed to be with you. That’s not what this is. It’s just if the media asks me, I’m just not going to comment. It’s my business.” He kisses me quickly. “Our business. It would be the same if I were with a woman.”