“What—is that a challenge?” he asks, raising an eyebrow.

“No,” I say, smiling and shifting my hips closer to his, waiting for the moment he trails his hand down, slipping his fingers up my skirt. “Don’t worry about trying to beat me. We both know you won’t.”

“Oh, it’s on,” he says, and I wrap my legs around his waist, pulling him closer, digging my heels into his back until I can grind against his cock, which is already hard. I have half a mind to jump down from the counter, getting on my knees and taking him in my mouth.

“That’s enough of that,” he says abruptly, stepping away from me, the delicious pressure suddenly absent.

“What?” I say, setting my empty wineglass down beside me. “Where are you going? Kaila’s gone for the evening.”

“Yes, and I wish I had thought about that twenty minutes ago before I poured you that glass of wine.”

“Bigby, come on, it’s one glass.”

“I want you here when I have you, Rosa. I want nothing less than all of you when I’m inside you again.”

A shiver courses through my body at the thought, warmth spreading through my chest, and not just from the wine. Bigby leans forward, putting his forehead to mine again, lifting me off the counter and carrying me to bed—where we do nothing more than sleep.

Chapter 25 - Bigby

I wake up to Rosa’s smell surrounding me on all sides. I take a deep breath, feeling her ass slotted into my lap firmly, her hips wiggling against my cock, which is already hard.

My phone is on the nightstand. I could grope for it, look to see what time it is, but I’m enjoying the feeling of her too much. I raise a hand, running it up and down her front, skimming over her breasts, feeling her nipples perk up under my thumb.

“Bigby,” she murmurs, pressing back into me, hard, her hand skimming down my abdomen, her fingers slipping under the waistband of my sweatpants.

When her hands wraps around my cock, I let out a sharp breath. She strokes it delicately, like she’s afraid to hurt me, and I grunt, thrusting into her hand.

I need to be inside her again.

Sliding my hands up her legs, I hike her nightgown up to her hips, my fingers slipping past her panties to find her already hot and slick with want. I pant against her neck as she hooks her thumbs in my pants, dragging them down, over my hips, so my cock springs free.

I grab her hips, dragging her against me, my dick just at her entrance, pure, blinding need guiding me.

A loud pounding on the door jolts both of us, and I pause, waiting for a moment, hoping it’s just my imagination. Who could possibly be banging on my door at this time of night? Rosa has frozen, too, and I assume she’s wishing the same thing, and the thought of her wanting me inside her has me sliding forward again, reaching down and grabbing her as I nudge against her entrance.

Another series of knocks, then Aris’s voice.

“Bigby!”

I roll over, pressing my face into the mattress, groaning into the sheets. My entire body is thrumming with need, but it can’t be good if Aris is here. I pull myself from the bed, hiking my sweatpants back up over my hips as I move toward the door, reciting the presidents in my head to try and calm myself down.

I crack the door open just a bit, peering out at him. He’s in his pajamas, breathing hard, his eyes intense when they meet mine.

“This had better be good,” I growl, noting the faintest hint of sunlight glowing, lightening the sky a single degree. It must be around four or five in the morning.

I didn’t realize Rosa was hot on my heels until she pushed past me, opening the door and addressing Aris directly.

“Kaila?” Rosa says, brushing past me, which doesn’t help my current situation at all, and grabbing Aris’s shirt. “Where’s Kaila? What’s going on?”

He gently takes her hand and untangles it from his shirt, and I put my hands on her shoulders, bringing her closer to me. I can feel her body vibrating with fear, and I try to help calm her down by rubbing her back. Aris wouldn’t be here like this if there was a problem with Kaila, but I can sense a different kind of worry in his eyes.

At least I’m not turned on anymore.

“Kaila is fine—the girls are fine. Linnea is there with Byron,” he says, then shifts his gaze to me as Rosa slumps with relief. “S.O.S. from Ado—out in the woods.”

“What?” I ask, eyes widening as I reach for my boots. “He’s been out there the whole time? Looking for him?”

“Don’t worry about those—” Aris says, gesturing to my boots. “We’ll have to shift. We have to go. And fast.”