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And she let herself feel healed. That they were there together, that the intensity wasn’t one-sided. But they could have everything.

He stripped his shirt off, revealing the extent of his glorious body. Followed by everything else. She was unable to speak. She could barely breathe. She should be used to this by now.

But the reality was, no matter how many nice things she had received since they had found financial success with the company, she still felt like that girl who had lost everything. Her mother, her home, her father, even though he was a bad man. He was her father.

Those wounds were so close to the surface, no matter how many zeros were in her bank account.

And so she still felt undeserving. Still felt surprised that Adonis could… That he could want her.

She was beginning to overwhelm herself with feeling. So she shut her brain off—she was very good at that—and she just watched him. The shift and play of his muscles. That lean, hungry look on his face. She looked at the way his abs moved as he covered her, his body hot against hers.

Hard.

She groaned. “Yes.”

“Are you ready for me?”

“Yes, please.”

“You don’t get me just yet.”

He lowered his head, took one nipple into his mouth and sucked hard. She gasped, her hips arching up off the couch. “Patience,” he said, the word harsh. “You greedy little thing.”

“Yes,” she said. “I’m greedy for you.”

“Good,” he said. “You should be. How are you feeling about begging?”

“Adonis,” she said. “You’re cruel.”

“I am cruel. But you want me. You want my cock, don’t you, Esme?”

The words sent an arrow of need through her. Yes, that was what she wanted. She wanted him to fill her. To claim her. To be the one to make her a woman, and if any other man would have been the subject of such a thought, she would’ve gagged and died. But she felt like Adonis maybe could. That that might be what was happening.

That he might make her a woman. He had stolen all of the rational thought from her body. He had left behind nothing but desire.

“I want…”

“Say it, Esme.”

“I want your cock. Inside of me. Please.”

“You have to wait.”

He kissed his way down her stomach, holding her hips steady as he forced her legs apart, putting his mouth on where she was wet and needy for him. And then he began to eat her like she was the world’s finest delicacy. She pressed the back of her hand against her mouth, bit down hard to keep from whimpering out loud.

“Don’t hold back,” he growled against her slick flesh.

And so she didn’t. For the first time in her memory, she simply let go. She forgot everything, her whole self taken over by the feel of his mouth on her. And then his fingers inside of her as he thrust deep and hard with each flick of his tongue.

When she shattered, she saw stars. And when he moved up her body and kissed her, letting her taste her own desire on her mouth, she welcomed the invasion of his hardness inside of her with relief. He thrust in with one quick stroke, and it did hurt, but it also felt divine.

Nothing had ever felt so good. Nothing.

He took her in short, hard strokes, then changed the rhythm as he began to find his pleasure.

She whimpered, gripping his forearms, digging her fingernails into him as he took her over and over again.

“Adonis,” she whispered.