Page 111 of Strut

“I’ve been exercising.” He wriggled a little and white heat shot across my prostate to explode behind my eyes.

“Oh, god, go.” I slapped his shoulder. “Go, go, go.”

He choked out a laugh and did exactly what I asked, rocking in and out of my body in long, slow thrusts, each one ratcheting up the pleasure until I suddenly needed to see him, needed to watch as he thrust and thrust again, until everything disappeared except for the feel of him moving inside and pushing me to my limit, closer and closer...

I teetered on the edge and his rhythm stuttered, but somehow he managed a smile when I couldn’t even feel my face. Then he angled ever so slightly and... right there... I was gone on a rush of heat and pleasure, a cry pulled from my lips as I blissed and shuddered in his hold.

With his gaze locked on me coming undone, he thrust again. Once, twice, and then he tensed, his head crashing back on his shoulders as he grunted and growled and poured himself into the condom deep inside me. And then he stilled, breathing hard, his head falling forward, eyes slowly blinking open, and a wide, wide smile on his face.

“Fuck patience,” he said and collapsed on top of me.

I chuckled and wrapped him in my arms. He shifted to the side just enough to get the weight off my chest, and I winced as his cock slid from inside me. But that was as far as he moved. His arm remained stretched across my chest, his face buried in my neck. I turned my head to kiss his jaw as the air cooled our burning skin and our ragged breathing calmed. My gaze landed on the window, and I grinned. Curious neighbours beware.

Hunter was quiet for a long time, the sun painting broad strokes of gold across his back, the light catching on his shoulder and hip, the soft swell of his muscled arse a heady temptation, regardless that I had zero chance of doing anything about it for a while. But I could look and admire, and so I did, running a fingertip down his spine and smiling as he shivered at the touch.

“What do you see happening, Alec? I mean... for us... long-term? What do you want?” Hunter’s breath blew hot on my already sweat-slick neck, but the question was so quiet I almost missed it.

He was nervous.

I pulled back a little so I could look into his eyes. “What do Iwant?”

He nodded, his gaze intense. We weren’t talking about breakfast or Darcy or anything outside of this room, outside of us, outside of this thing we had, and I didn’t need to think for even a second.

“Everything,” I said, and something flashed in his eyes at my words. Relief. Hope. Love.

“Everything?” He cocked his head.

I pushed the hair back from his face and clamped my hands around his head, keeping us eye to eye. “Everything, Hunter. I want everything with you.”

He blinked, hiding those beautiful brown eyes for just a second, and then he smiled. “Me too, baby. Me too.”

EPILOGUE

Six months later

Alec

Rhys pulledat the shoestring straps on my shoulders until he was satisfied where they sat and fluffed the white organza that fell in layers below. “Come here.”

I leaned forward and he buckled a black patent leather dog collar around my neck and skimmed his hand down the leg of the form-fitting black satin trousers with a hum of approval. Then he stood back and put his hands on his hips and looked me over with a critical eye.

I stared in return, because holy moly, the designer looked out of this world. A cloud of red tulle billowed over a tight skirt, with a skinny black belt, red painted nails, and black stilettos to complete the look.

Rhys nodded in approval. “You look epic.”

I blew out a breath and shook my hands loose. “Well, of course I do. I’m wearing Flare, honey,yourlabel. Not to mention the label voted number one inHarper’sfashion newcomer poll this year.”

Rhys blushed to his hairline, then raised a brow and nailed me with a penetrating gaze. “You seem... nervous, Alec. This is supposed to be fun, not work.”

“I’m fine,” I answered quickly, too quickly, which earned me another raised brow, and I sighed. “Itisfun. It’s just me, I guess. This is my first time back on the runway in New Zealand after...” I trailed off. “I know it’s silly, but this is my hometown. What if they look at me and wonder if what Darcy said was true?” I glanced at the wall that separated the audience from backstage.

“They won’t. They’re gonna love you, Alec. You’re one of their own.” Rhys put a hand on my arm and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “All that shit is done with. Darcy might’ve got off with three months, a hefty fine, and court mandated counselling for what he did, but it was still a felony conviction in New York. Unlawful surveillance, right? Plus, he took the plea bargain and admitted it. His reputation is fucked, Alec. No one will hire him. He’s old news.”

I shook my head. “It still sucks that his attorney got the charges reduced.”

“I know. Fucking lawyers, right?” Rhys gave me a warm smile and I remembered he’d been through his own court battle with Shayne not that long ago. “I get that this is hard, Alec. God knows, when I told my story publicly for the first time, I felt like a naked baby thrown to the wolves. Every nasty comment shot at me seemed to hit its target. But it gets better. It really does. Is your new therapist helping?”

“Yeah.” I finally managed a smile. “I fucking hate talking about all this shit, but yeah, he helps. Shocker, right?”

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