Page 73 of Hero Mine

They stumbled into her bedroom, falling onto the freshly made bed in a tangle of limbs. Bear hovered above her, his eyes dark with need as he traced the edge of her bra with his fingertip.

“All these years,” he said, voice rough. “All these years, and you’ve been keeping this side of yourself hidden.”

Joy reached up, cupping his face. “Not hidden. Just waiting for the right person. Waiting for you.”

He turned his head, pressing a kiss to her palm. “I want all of you, Joy. Every part.”

“You have me.” She arched against him, feeling his control slipping further. “You’ve always had me.”

His hands slid beneath her, unfastening her bra with a practiced ease that made her breath catch. He slid the straps down her arms, his gaze reverent as he bared her to him.

“Beautiful,” he breathed, lowering his head to press a kiss between her breasts. “So damn beautiful.”

Joy gasped as his mouth moved lower, tracing a path across her stomach, stopping at the edge of her panties. His fingers hooked in the delicate lace, his eyes meeting hers, asking permission.

She nodded, lifting her hips as he slowly slid them down her legs, leaving the garters and stockings in place.

“These,” he murmured, snapping one of the garters lightly, “stay on.”

A laugh bubbled up through the desire. “Yes, sir.”

Bear’s grin was wolfish as he settled between her thighs. “I like the sound of that.”

His mouth on her center stole her breath, her back arching off the bed as pleasure spiraled through her. His hands held her hips steady as he worked her with his tongue, bringing her to the edge and backing off, again and again until she was writhing beneath him.

“Bear,” she gasped, fingers tangling in his hair. “Please.”

He raised his head, his eyes nearly black with desire. “What do you need, Bug?”

“You,” she pleaded. “Inside me. Now.”

He moved up her body, pausing only to shed his own clothes and put on protection before settling between her thighs again. The feel of his bare skin against hers made her dizzy with want.

“Look at me,” he commanded softly as he positioned himself at her entrance.

Joy’s eyes locked with his as he pushed inside her, slowly, inch by inch, stretching and filling her completely. They both gasped at the sensation.

“Bear,” she whispered, wrapping her legs around his waist, drawing him deeper.

Something flashed in his eyes—something beyond desire, a tenderness that made her chest ache. He lowered his head, capturing her mouth in a kiss that spoke volumes with words he couldn’t express as he began to move.

Each thrust built the pressure coiling low in her belly. She clung to him, her nails digging into the scarred skin of his back, her body rising to meet his, finding their perfect rhythm together.

“Let go,” he murmured against her throat, his voice rough with need.

It was like his command was all her mind needed to hear.

She fell apart beneath him, his name a cry on her lips as pleasure washed over her in waves. Bear followed seconds later, his body tensing above her as he groaned her name, the sound vibrating through both their bodies.

They lay tangled together afterward, Bear’s fingers tracing lazy patterns on her bare shoulder. The stockings were still on, though the garters had long since been unhooked.

“I can’t believe you’ve been hiding this collection from me all these years,” he murmured, sounding both amused and awed.

Joy pressed a kiss to his chest, right over his heart. “Not hiding. Waiting.”

“For what?”

She lifted her head to meet his gaze. “For us to be ready. For me to be ready to show you all of me.”

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