Page 35 of Consequences

“Always… except with me.”

“You’re the only person I haven’t used one with.”

“I’m the first?”

Giggling, she nods. “In more ways than one.”

“Do explain,” he coaxes.

He runs his fingers through her hair, enjoying the feeling of their bare skin on each other. It feels like the start of the rest of his life, and he could stay here like this forever.

“You’re the first guy I haven’t had to fake an orgasm with. No one has ever really cared enough to make me enjoy it before.”

“Well, that’s a shame for them because you look pretty damn sexy when you come.”

Shannon tilts her head up to look into his eyes again. “Is this the real thing?”

“What do you mean?”

“Us. Are we a… I don’t know if I should call us a couple considering the weird circumstances, but we’re really going to try this, right? This wasn’t just about getting into my pants? Or, I suppose, intoyourboxers?”

The vulnerability makes him love her even more. “I want it all with you. It’s why it hurt when I thought you only wanted to be with me because you felt like you had to. This means more to me than you know, Shannon.”

“It does?”

“No, actually that was a lie,” Beckett whispers. “It means everything.”

She wraps her arms around his neck and clings to him. He’s pretty sure no one has ever said anything close to that to her before. For far too long, sex was nothing but a transaction when it should have been passionate. It’s time she learns there’s more to sex than just the physical act.

“I want to believe that.”

“Believe it,” he says. “Now, I won’t lie and say there are times I won’t want it quick and dirty, but I promise, you will always get off. One way or another.”

Shannon laughs, easing the tension in her shoulders. “Such a gentleman.”

“Have you ever known me any other way?”

“No, I guess not. I mean, I got off twice already. I shouldn’t surprise me that you’d make that kind of commitment.”

Pounding on his apartment door has her clinging to him and burying her head against his neck. He turns his head to avoid shouting into her ear and calls out, “Go away! We’re busy!”

“It’s me,” Brock calls. “We need to talk. Now.”

Knowing this has to do with the asshole after his girl, Beckett turns back to Shannon. “I gotta go talk to Brock. I’ll be right back.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

Climbing out of bed, he slips on his boxers and a pair of sweatpants before walking into the hallway barefoot. Brock gives a quick once over before smirking and saying, “Nice.”

“What’s going on?”

He glances at the door. “Let’s talk in my apartment.”

They walk away, and the moment the door closes, he feels claustrophobic. There’s barely enough room for a bed with all ofthe equipment and extra tables in the room. The air even feels warmer and thicker than the hallway.

Why the hell doesn’t he have a bigger room? Or an office for all this shit?

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