Page 49 of A Worthy Opponent
Tink sucks in a breath. “Shit, we didn’t use a condom.” She props herself up on her elbows as I go still. “I’m sorry.”
I can’t quite make myself withdraw my fingers, but I stop fucking her with them. “I was tested recently and haven’t been with anyone since.”
She presses her lips together. “I, uh, I’ve been tested, too. And I’m on birth control.”
Relief courses through me, but she’s still frowning, so I fight not to let it show. “We can keep using condoms. Whatever you’re comfortable with.” I start to move back.
“No.” Tink catches me around the wrist. “If you’re willing to trust me on this, then I’m willing to trust you. No more condoms.” She presses my fingers deep. “Finger fuck your come into me, Jameson. Make me messy.”
Jesus fuck. I lean down and kiss her hard, and then I do exactly as she wants. She lifts her hips to take my fingers deeper. Wanton woman. She’ll take whatever I give her and demand more. Loving this woman will never be easy. I can’t think about any of it too closely.
Admitting I love her is easy, as simple as exhaling after holding my breath. Dealing with what that looks like in life? Accepting she’s now a target for every single one of myenemies? Acknowledging how fuckingvulnerablethis makes me?
I can’t handle it. I don’t want to. Not with her riding my fingers as if she didn’t just have an earthshaking orgasm a few minutes ago. So I shove it away. I’m good at that, at not thinking too closely about things I’d rather not.
Instead, I focus on making Tink come again.
And again.
And again.
Chapter 19
Tink
Somewhere between orgasm four and five, I almost forget Hook’s damning words.Love. He can’t possibly love me. Yes, we’ve known each other for years at this point. Yes, theremightbe more than just white-hot attraction between us. But… love?
Impossible.
He presses a kiss to my lips and disappears into the bathroom. A few seconds later, the shower turns on, but I don’t have the energy to try to join him. I’m not even sure my legs will hold me if I attempted it, and the thought of him walking out to find my naked ass sprawled on the floor in some testament to his virility is too much for my pride.
The buzzing of my phone distracts me, and for one heart-stopping moment, I’m sure it’shim.
But no, when I crawl to the nightstand and pick it up, I see Meg’s name flashing across the screen. Grateful for the distraction, I answer. “Hey, Meg.”
“I need you to come in.”
I blink. She sounds almost… worried. “What’s going on?”
“Bring your strapping new husband, too. This concernshim as well.” She doesn’t even put an ironic tilt to Hook’s new title. That’s how I know it’s serious. That and the fact she’s calling me before ten in the morning.
“Okay, we’ll be there.”
“Good.” She hangs up.
Apparently my plan to avoid Hook for the foreseeable future while I get my head on straight isn’t going to happen. No one refuses a call to the Underworld—not even the leader of a territory. Especially one potentially in contention like ours.
Ours.
I sit up. This isn’t my territory. Not really, wedding ring or no. Feeling possessive of it when I’ve spent the entirety of my time locked in one room or another. Even before, Peter only trotted me out when he wanted to show off or prove a point. Hook might not share the same motivations, but it doesn’t change the end result.
I’m a figurehead.
The thought doesn’t sit well with me. I press my hand to my chest, but naturally the physical move doesn’t alleviate the strange ache beneath my ribcage. I know better by now. Wanting something of my own—it’s what got me into this mess to begin with. Promises of safety, of family, of a home. None of those things are for me. Wanting them is a weakness I can’t afford.
And yet …
And yet.
