Page 182 of Stick It
He pinches my skin when I don’t respond. “Y-yes, Captain.”
He hisses, eyes flashing.Oh, he likes when I call him that.
“Good girls do what their captain tells them,” he grits, voice strained. “Now be good and come.”
My orgasm washes over me like a tidal wave, whiting out all other noise. Everything ceases to exist except the feel of mymuscles clamping down around him, his skin slick beneath mine, his breath hot on my cheek, and his murmured “Good girl” ringing in my ear.
Sweaty, limp, and exhausted, I collapse against him, sated and feeling lighter than I have in days. He wraps his arms around me, pulling me flush against him, his cock slowly softening inside me. Our hearts thunder in sync, the only sound other than the whoosh of blood in my ears.
Curled up against him, I have no desire to move—ever. I press my face against his neck and allow my eyes to drift closed, basking in his warmth, his protection, and knowing I’ll never know life without that again.
“Spend the night with me?” I ask when I’ve finally regained my voice.
He strokes his hand along the back of my head, and I feel his lips brush my temple.
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”
55
DYLAN
Doyou know something no one ever talks about? Afternoon showers. They arehugelyunderrated. Having a shower in the middle of the day just because you can? I had not realized this was something I was missing from my life until today. Typically, my showers are bleary-eyed early morning ones, exhausted end-of-day ones, or hurried ones after practice. But relaxed, midday showers, where you have time to shave your legs, body scrub,andmoisturize? That is where the shit is at!
I have never, in my entire life, felt as primped and smooth and supple—yes,supple—as I do right now, as I stare in the mirror with a towel wrapped around me while I run a brush through my wet hair before pinning it back with a large claw clip. I swear, my skin is glowing, and I can’t stop stroking my forearm.
“What are you grinning at, pretty girl?”
My gaze snaps to Griffin’s through the large mirror hanging over the bathroom sink. He’s leaning casually against the doorframe, legs crossed at the ankles as though he’s been standing there for some time, watching me.
“Stalk much,” I tease with a smile. “I thought you had class this afternoon?”
He lifts a shoulder in a careless shrug.
When he gives no verbal response, I roll my eyes. “I’m perfectly fine to be left home alone.”
There was a whole debate about it this morning. I’m taking one more day off before heading back to classes, and while the guys wanted to play hooky and join me, they have to attend their classes if they want to play in Friday night’s game.
Finn owes me twenty bucks, though. I told him Griffin would be the one to cave and cut out early for the day.
I’m actually happy to see him. As great as it’s been having the house to myself, I was growing bored—hence the midday shower. Plus, it totally gives me the warm and fuzzies to know he couldn’t stay away all day. Admittedly, now that Kyle isn’t a constant threat hanging over my head, I’d been a little nervous. Until now, the guys have felt obligated to spend time with me. Now, though, they’re free to do as they please.
However, Ethan has been demanding hourly check-ins, Finn has been messaging me nonstop, and Jax keeps sending me memes for this new apocalypse game he downloaded for us to try out.
“Maybe so,” Griffin eventually says, pushing off the doorway and stalking closer. “But I wasn’t fine being without you.”
His voice is low and rough, curling around my spine like smoke. The towel suddenly feels far too thin for the way his hungry gaze steals over me, devouring everything in sight.
He comes to a stop behind me, his hands moving to rest on my bare shoulders. His thumbs drag across my collarbones, slow and reverent, and when our eyes meet in the mirror, the heat there is scorching.
“You smell like sugar and sin,” he murmurs, nose brushing up the column of my neck. He inhales deeply, and I sense it’s more than just the smell of my moisturizer he’s inhaling. It’s me. The scent of life. The reminder that I’malive. His gaze remains on mine, and despite the desire I see there, it’s masking a deeper emotion. Fear.
I lean back into him, and he sighs, like he’s been waiting all day to feel me in his arms. “I’m here,” I murmur, sensing he needs the reassurance as I dance my fingers over the warm skin of his forearms.
We haven’t had a chance to talk one-on-one since…
“If you hadn’t…” His throat bobs, and his eyes drift closed as he buries his face in my neck, breathing deeply. “If you had died…” His hands clench around my hips, his jaw locking, and the sentence cuts off abruptly as though he can’t even bear to finish it. “I would have followed you straight into the fucking dark.”
His declaration is practically growled out. Said with such certainty and vehemence that I know he means every dark and foreboding word.
