Page 44 of Fault Line

Less than fifteen minutes pass before I hear a knock. I pause for a long moment, run my hands through my hair, steady myself in front of the hallway mirror. When I finally open the door, Holden’s standing there, his dark eyes familiar and intense.

Wordlessly, he steps inside the threshold. As he follows me down the hall and into my bedroom, the fluttering in my stomach grows stronger. We sit down together on the edge of my bed, and I can sense him trying to read my thoughts.

Finally, he breaks the silence with a question. “So, what’s up?”

I roll my eyes but can’t help the small smile that tugs at my lips. “Well, I did just let you into my apartment in the middle of the night, so I guess it’s pretty obvious.”

He chuckles, and some of the tension between us dissipates. “Seriously, how have you been holding up? You said we’d talk later, and yet we haven’t.”

I hesitate, my chest tightening. “I’m still really fucking stressed.”

“So, that’s why I’m here?” he asks, eyes searching mine. “To help you get unstressed?”

“Yes.” I nod slowly, a mix of apprehension and excitement swelling in the pit of my stomach. “And how exactly do you plan on helping me?”

He leans in closer, his breath hot against my skin. “Oh, I have a few ideas,” he murmurs, tracing a finger along my jawline.

I shiver, but I don’t pull away. Instead, I meet his gaze head-on, trying to gauge his sincerity. “Are you sure about this?” I ask softly. “I mean, I know we’ve had our moments, but I don’t want things to get too complicated.”

“I’m the one who practically begged for this, Karras,” he says, pinning me with a harsh look. “Besides, if things get complicated, we’ll deal with it as it comes.”

“Okay.” I tilt my head, feeling a small sliver of relief. “Agreeing to this means I’m putting my trust in you. You know that, right?”

“I know.” His eyes light up with determination as he flashes me a smile. “And I can promise you, you won’t regret it.”

He leans in close, the heat radiating off his body, and I catch a faint whiff of peppermint on his breath. Then his lips crash against mine with a sense of urgency, and I eagerly respond, igniting the familiar spark between us.

As we continue to kiss—our lips, tongues, and bodies entwined—his hands slide under my shirt, tracing the curve of my back before he pushes me up to the head of the bed.

With a swift movement, he pulls my pajama bottoms off, and before I can catch my breath, his thick fingers fill me up. I gasp, feeling a wave of pleasure mixed with a slight twinge of pain. I fall forward against his shoulder, biting down hard as he pumps his fingers in and out of me.

“Fuck, baby,” he winces. “That hurt.”

“I’m sorry,” I whimper, my body writhing with pleasure as his fingers curl inside of me. “That caught me off guard.”

I tug at the waistband of his sweats, but he shakes his head, denying me access. He continues to fuck his fingers up into me, rubbing his thumb against my clit, and my body arches in response.

“I can’t touch you?” I ask, outraged.

“Tonight is just for you, Karras,” he says firmly.

“But thisisfor me,” I protest, desperate to feel his hard cock in my hands.

“No,” he denies me again, and I feel a surge of frustration mixed with excitement. “I’m gonna make you come. At least three times in a row, and then you’re gonna go right to sleep like a good fucking girl.”

“Fine,” I relent, pouting. “I won’t touch you, but can you at least take your clothes off for me?”

He smirks, and I can tell he’s enjoying my reaction. “Your wish is my command.”

As he strips off his clothes, I watch eagerly, trembling with anticipation. I drink up the sight of his naked body before me—his thick corded muscles, the smattering of hair covering his chest, the way his cock sits hard and heavy in between his thick thighs—and nearly combust.

He joins me back onto the bed, eyes locking onto mine. “Are you ready for me?” he asks, voice low and husky.

I nod eagerly, my body pulsing with need. He dives back down between my legs, eager to make good on his promise, and plunges his tongue inside of me, filling me, tasting me. Then for the next hour, he keeps his word, making me come harder than I ever have before.

We’re both panting, sweat sticking to our skin, our bodies entangled on my bed. His chest rises and falls in time with mine as we both try to catch our breath. And while he slowly strokes my hair, a low chuckle escapes him.

Despite myself, I smile back, and we lie there in silence for a few moments, basking in the afterglow. But then the drowsiness hits me, my eyelids growing heavy. With a small sigh, he presses a kiss to my temple and says, “Get some sleep, Karras. You look exhausted.”

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