Page 103 of Crash & Burn

I want nothing more than to forget thatI’mthe one who is supposed to take care of her, the one who isn’t supposed to be a burden or someone for her to worry about.

At least just for tonight.

“Baby, my place in this world is underneath you,” I say, my eyes still closed but still solely focused on her. “I’m all yours.”

I feel her lips curve into a smile against my ear. “That’s exactly what I like to hear.” I tighten my grip on her ass, the silk bottoms leaving nothing up to the imagination. “Take off your hoodie,” she demands, rocking her hips into me.

“What’s the magic word?” I manage to say, most of my attention on the way her hips always seem to move as if they were made for me.

She should know by now that I like to hear what she wants, for more reasons than one. The first, and most important, is I care, never wanting to do anything she doesn’t want me to. Second, and the more selfish reason, is it is part of me to want to be in control,totake charge,and be the one calling the shots. That is the case for all aspects of my life.

It is what I know,it’show I function. I don’t know any other way.

“Now,” she says in my ear and my world changes forever. Expecting “please” to come out of her mouth was my first mistake with Mia. It is what I thought I wanted to hear.

But, no.

This girl.My girl.

Infuriating. Frustrating. Devastating.

In all the best ways.

Ways that ruin me and rebuild me all at the same time.

I can’t help but let out a huff of laughter. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me, raindrop. Take your hoodie off. Now.”

Maybe being in control isn’t all that great after all.

“Your wish is my command, sunshine.” She leans back, so I can take my hoodie off over my head. I let the shirt I have underneath it come off too, throwing both off to the side.

I lean back against the couch, and I can’t stop my hands from finding the bottom of her pajama top that is justbeggingme to take it off. I slide my hands to feel her smooth skin against my calloused palms, slowly sliding her top off. “Your turn,” I say.

She shakes her head. “I don’t think so.”

She grabs my hands and sets them back down on the tops of her thighs.

“But that’s not fair.” Her brown eyes somehow glowing in the darkness of her living room. The candles lit accentuating the specks of caramel, like stars in the night sky.

“Patience, Eddie,” she teases, leaning in to leave a line of kisses across my chest, and I feel myself losing control with every one, my grip tightening on her thighs.

“I’m a patient man,” I explain. I waited for her for a year, but that patience is gone now knowing I can finally have her. “But, if you keep doing that, and you’re going to be bent over this couch with those stupid little shorts ripped to shreds.”

Her teeth scrape against the skin, and a shiver runs through me. “Promise?”

She is going to kill me.

She kisses her way up to my lips before finally placing her lips on mine, kissing away the anticipation and confirming that no amount of time with her will ever be enough.

Our kiss deepens, her tongue dancing with mine, fighting for the control I’m finding that I will easily give up to her. Her hands move up my bare chest, and wrap around my neck.

She pulls me in, but it isn’t close enough.

My hands find the bottom of her top again, but this time, she lets me lift it off her, breaking our kiss to pull the top over her head, throwing it to my pile of clothes and adding some green to my all-white pile.

I take a second to take in my view. It is one that will be hard to top. Mia’s swollen lips, the beautiful mess of her hair, confidence radiating from her as she sits on my lap, her body on display just for me.

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