Page 23 of Cowboy's Healing Heart

I nod, unable to speak, as he grabs a condom and rolls it on, and then he’s crawling up the bed, his hands on either side of my head.

“You sure you’re ready for this?”

“Yes,” I say, and then he’s pushing inside me, stretching me impossibly wide. It’s perfect.

I cry out, and he captures the sound with his mouth, his tongue teasing mine as he sinks deeper.

I cling to him, my nails digging into his shoulders as he begins to move, his hips snapping as he thrusts into me.

“That’s it, Krystal,” he grits out, his eyes burning into mine. “Take it all.”

“Yes!” I cry, my head falling back as he angles his hips, hitting a spot inside me that makes my toes curl.

Shane’s fingers grip my braid, tilting my head back and exposing my neck. His teeth scrape my skin as he thrusts harder, faster, chasing his own release.

Heat coils inside me, building with each thrust, and I know I’m close.

“Shane,” I whimper, my hands gripping his shoulders, nails digging in.

“Let go, Krystal. I’ve got you,” and then his hand is between us, his thumb finding my clit.

I do as he says, my orgasm exploding through me like a bomb, my body shaking and trembling as he continues to fuck me through it, drawing out the pleasure.

“Fuck, yes,” he grunts, and then he’s following me over the edge, his body shuddering as he comes.

We collapse on the bed and stay wrapped in each other’s arms, and I know that tonight has changed everything.

Shane pulls me to his chest, his lips brushing the top of my head.

I want to push him away. This was a mistake. A huge mistake.

But I’m too exhausted and too sated to move, so I let him hold me and let myself pretend, just for a moment, that this is something more.

We lay, my body spent, the sheets tangled around my legs. Shane’s room smells like him—a heady mix of soap, sweat, and something deeper, something that makes my head spin.

My chest rises and falls with each ragged breath. I can still feel the ghost of his touch, the way his calloused hands roamed over my skin, setting every nerve ending ablaze.

Shane shifts beside me, the mattress dipping under his weight. I can’t look at him, not yet. If I do, I might get lost in those blue eyes again, and God knows where that would lead.

Instead, I focus on the ceiling, tracing the cracks with my eyes. Anything to keep my mind from wandering to dangerous territory.

But it’s no use. My gaze is drawn to Shane like a magnet, drinking in the sight of him. His tousled hair, the sheen of sweat on his chest, the way his muscles ripple with each movement.

He props himself up on one elbow, his eyes locked on me with an intensity that makes me shiver. I can practically feel the heat radiating off him.

“You okay?” he murmurs, his voice low and rough.

I nod, not trusting my voice. My throat feels tight like there’s a lump lodged there that I can’t swallow past.

Shane reaches out, his fingers grazing my arm. The simple touch sends sparks shooting through me, and I have to fight the urge to lean into him.

“Krystal...” He says my name like a prayer, and something inside me cracks open.

I shake my head, sitting up abruptly. The sheet pools around my waist, leaving me exposed from the waist up. I clutch it to my chest, suddenly self-conscious.

“I can’t do this,” I blurt out, the words tumbling from my lips before I can stop them. “We can’t...”

Shane frowns, his brow furrowing. “Why not?”

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