Page 105 of Saddle and Bound

“Rosie,” he whispers, his voice gravelly with need.

I bite my lip, meeting his gaze as I press harder against him, the friction drawing a low moan from both of us.

He closes his eyes, breathing deeply as if summoning the last vestiges of control. When he opens them again, I see the change—a spark of surrender that sets my heart racing.

“Alright,” he says, his voice low and edged with hunger. “If you want to play, I guess I’ll have to show you just how good of a doctor I can be.”

A jolt of excitement courses through me as Alex effortlessly lifts me into his arms, carrying me to the bedroom. He sets me down on the bed with a tenderness that contrasts with the fierce intensity in his eyes. Kneeling above me, his hands skim my sides, his body radiating heat.

“So, Miss Rosie,” he begins, his tone teasing but laced with authority. “How long have you been experiencing this…problem?”

I smile, my heart pounding as I run a hand through my hair, locking my gaze with his.

“Oh, doctor, it’s been building for a while. A heat so intense I just can’t cool it. Do you think you can help me?”

Alex leans in close, his lips hovering just above mine. “And where exactly do you feel this…heat?”

“Everywhere,” I breathe, my voice thick with desire. “But especially here.” I take his hand, guiding it down my body to rest just below the waistband of my silk shorts.

He exhales sharply, his resolve visibly faltering. His hand moves slowly, tracing lines over my bare skin, making me tremble under his touch. “This seems… serious,” he murmurs, his warm breath caressing my neck.

“It is,” I whisper, letting out a soft moan as his lips graze my collarbone.

“I think we’ll need to remove these shorts for a… better examination,” he says, his tone low, dangerously seductive.

Both his hands slide beneath the waistband of my shorts, and my breath hitches. With a single, deliberate motion, he pulls them off, his lips curving into a knowing smile as he watches my reaction.

“Doctor,” I manage to say, my voice trembling, “I think we need to take this treatment… deeper.”

Alex chuckles, the sound low and intoxicating, reverberating through me. His fingers trail over my thighs, slipping inside me with slow, deliberate precision.

“Oh, Rosie,” he murmurs, his voice dark and full of promise. “We’re going to go as deep as it takes.”

And with that, Alex surrenders completely, unleashing the raw intensity he’s been holding back.

Chapter 70

Alex

Rosie is still asleep beside me, curled against my chest. Her cascade of copper hair covers me. Her breathing is slow, regular, and her warmth envelops me like a blanket.

I never thought I could be grateful for such seemingly ordinary things as the warmth of a body or slow, regular breaths... but since I touched Rosie's ice-cold skin when she was fighting between life and death, since I spent hours trying to ensure she was breathing... all of this is more than special now. I am more than grateful.

It had been a while since we'd spent such a passionate night together. It was spectacular, though I must admit I was terrified it was too soon.

I've been so scared lately that sex was the last thing on my mind.

I was just frightened for my Rosie.

My phone vibrates on the nightstand, breaking the spell. I move slowly so as not to wake her, trying not to interrupt that perfect peace. I pick up the phone and glance at the screen:

an email from Chris.Come to the office. We need to talk.

I stiffen. I know that when Chris is this direct, it's never just a casual conversation. I rise carefully, arranging the blankets around her body. She barely moves, her face relaxed in the abandonment of sleep. I can't help myself: I lean down to brush her forehead with a light kiss.

"See you later, princess," I whisper before leaving the room.

?

---