Page 159 of Keep Me Never
Six months later
I stand in the doorway, watching her.
She doesn’t hear me at first. Sitting there with her back against the wall, headphones in, and eyes closed, a soft smile on her lips as she loses herself in the music after a long day of work.
The sight is almost too damn perfect, a moment of peace in the chaotic little life we’re creating, just her in her world.
I stand there, just watching as different emotions flicker across her face, curious as to what it is she’s listening to but not enough to interrupt. I love seeing her like this, just existing in the place she has dreamed about for years. She finally gets to spend her days here and I’ve never seen her more at peace.
Slowly, her eyes flutter open. It takes her a second to register the breeze coming from the open door, but when she does, she looks up at the mirror, meeting my gaze. That smile stretching across her face is my prize.
“Hey,” she says, her voice a soft whisper, and she sets her headphones to the side.
I let a smirk curl my lips.
“How long have you been here?” she wonders, pushing her hair back from her forehead.
“Long enough,” I reply, my tone low, full of purpose.
Her eyes flash, and the air shifts—charged now, like something’s ready to crack.
I step into the room slowly, taking my time as I close and lock the door with a soft click. The sound cuts through the air, and she knows exactly why. This is a space for us,onlyus. No interruptions. No roommates, like we’ve got back at the beach house.
She doesn’t say anything, but I can see the way her body tenses, just the slightest shift, the way her lip catches between her teeth. Yeah, she knows.
She knows exactly what’s coming and she’s ready for it.
Always ready for me.
I cross the room slowly, letting my gaze stay on her the entire time. The smile on her lips hasn’t faded, but there’s something deeper in her eyes now, a flicker of anticipation.
I grip the edges of my jacket, shrugging it off and letting it drop to the floor without a second thought. Then my fingers start working on the buttons of my top, the movement slow and deliberate, the sound of each opening a quiet promise. I let the fabric fall open, exposing more of me. My belt comes next, the metallic click of the buckle loud in the silence.
Her chest rises with a full inhale and her pupils blow wide when I don’t come around to the front of her but instead kneel behind her, moving with intention, drawing out the moment. I reach forward, running my knuckles lightly down the exposed skin of her spine, the tiny sports bra she’s wearing giving me the perfect access to her, and she shivers under my touch.
She’s waiting for instructions, for me to tell her how I want her, so that’s what I do. I lean forward, brushing my lips against the soft skin of her shoulder, and whisper in her ear.
“On your belly, baby. Now.”
She doesn’t hesitate, turning with a fluid grace and settling herself as I’ve asked. Her back arches just enough to make me ache with the need to pull her closer, to show her just how much I need this. I can feel her pulse beneath my fingertips asI move, my hands trailing over her, heating her skin with every touch.
The room feels too small, the air thick, and yet, there’s nothing but the steady rhythm of her breath, the quiet sounds of the space we’ve created between us. It’s a dance, one that we both know too well, but with every moment, it feels like something new.
I can’t help myself, my hand drifting to the side of her face, gently cupping her jaw. Her breath catches as I run my thumb over her lips.
“You’re so damn beautiful,” I whisper, my voice rough with desire. My other hand is tracing her spine, just barely grazing the delicate curve of her back. “But you don’t even know how much more you are to me. You’re everything.”
She lets out a soft, shaky breath, eyes closed. I’ll allow it. For now.
“Chase…” she murmurs, her voice tinged with tension, withneed. It’s the perfect mixture.
“Shh.” I cut her off gently. “You know I’m going to give you what you need, baby. Be patient.”
I bend myself over her, pressing her body down to the floor fully with the tips of my fingers, bringing myself close enough that she can feel my every breath. My lips trail down her neck, brushing lightly, just a whisper of contact, and she reacts, tilting her head back, giving me more of her. I take it, slow, savoring every inch of her.
“God, I can’t get enough of you,” I murmur against her skin. I sit back on my heels, watching her, the glow of the dim light catching her features just so. “I’m going to make you feel so good, baby.”
She bites her lip, her palms flattening on the flooring.
