Page 52 of Queen Rose

Aria

My eyes slam shut. No fucking way. No. My stomach twists into a knot and my throat practically closes. That bastard doesn’t get to steal these moments from me. Not when everything between me and Nate is so, so good.

Nate grimaces as he whispers, “Shit! Is that your dad?”

I slick my tongue over my lip, nodding. “Yeah. My dad.” I look away, knowing damn well that’s not my father. “Don’t worry about it.”

“Aria!” comes another bellow.

“I’m in the shower!” I raise my voice, but I’ll be honest, I don’t know if Conner can hear me over the rush of the water. And I’m out of fucks to give.

There’s a minor commotion in the hallway, and then silence. I’d bet the Aston Martin that was Franny’s doing. I bite my lip, knowing I owe her so big, but also that she’ll refuse any form of repayment.

“Was that Franny out there? Are you sure you don’t want to see what’s up?” Nate runs his hand over his hair. “I could stay here while you go. You’re worried about him finding me here, I can tell.”

“Franny will calm him down. She has a way about her. I trusted her with your family for a reason, Nate. She’s the only one in this house who cares about me.” I blink up at him. I don’t want to have a discussion about my shitty family while we’re naked. “Now, are you getting in this shower with me or not?” I plant a hand on my hip and cock it to the side, giving him the full power of my Queen Aria attitude, even if I don’t feel sassy on the inside right now. I extend my hand and he allows me to pull him under the spray of the water.

We stand there looking at each other while the water rains down on us. Finally, Nate breaks our stare, looking somewhere over my shoulder. He murmurs, “Aria, I’m not buying that you’re unaffected by what’s going on between you and your dad. It’s okay.” He reaches for my shower gel, squirting some into his palm. He eyes me warily when I don’t answer, calmly rubbing his hands together, creating a bunch of suds. “But I guess if this is what you want right now, I’ll do my best to help you put it out of your head.”

A rattling sigh crosses my lips. It’s a precursor to another meltdown I don’t want to have in front of Nate. I look up at him from under my wet, spiky lashes. “Please help me.” My lips tremble. I hadn’t realized what I was going to say until it came out of my mouth. “Help me, Nate. Make it all go away.” I rake my teeth over my lip.

He swallows, then nods, sliding his soapy hands over my shoulders and down my arms. It reminds me of when he washed me at the lake, only his touch isn’t businesslike this time. It’s sensual, the way he caresses my body from top to bottom. And there’s no reason for me to stand here and not reciprocate, so I squeeze more of the soap into my hand, and begin to work the suds over him, too.

My fingers skim over every indentation of his abs, tracing the deep V-lines that head toward his groin. At the same time, he’s lightly teasing my nipples with the flat of his palms. They’re hard-peaked and so needy for his touch. I moan as he wraps his arms around me and pulls me to him, our wet, naked bodies fully connecting, only slick soap between us. We slip and slide together as he holds me to him with one arm around my back, the other cupping my cheek. He devours, thrusting his tongue into my mouth, lick after lick. I boldly meet his onslaught, loving every second of our dueling tongues. My hands wander south from around his waist to his taut ass. He groans, flexing the muscles I’m holding. Allowing his hands to coast over my body, he covers every square inch of me. The twitching of his cock against my belly makes my heart hammer hard. I know what I want.

“Nate. Need you. Need this,” I whisper against his neck as he lifts me, pinning me to the tiled wall. His hand slips between us, playing with my clit until my hips begin to move, and I’m frantically rubbing against his hand. I need Nate like this. I need him bare inside me. I need the purest connection that two people can have. “Please. Only you. Only ever you.” The word rips straight out of my soul.

Undisguised emotion fills Nate’s eyes, his chest heaving against mine. His voice is low and husky when he rasps, “I would give you anything.” This bond between us has grown so strong, I can’t look away. Instead, I get lost in the blue of his eyes.

I’m breathless, staring at him, willing him to understand what I need from him. And I know he does when the head of his cock nudges at my entrance, and he pushes inside me.

It’s indescribable how right, how good it feels. We go slow at first, Nate thrusting slowly in and out of my body with my legs wrapped tightly around his hips, my back pressed hard against the wall of the shower. Our lips meet in a devastating kiss—one of those you remember all your life—as our hearts entwine together, the same way our bodies have. No barriers. Just him. Just me. And everything we feel for each other.

Tears spring to my eyes as pleasure washes over me. My body pulses around his cock, making me gasp and writhe. Nothing has ever felt so good to me, and I revel in it while I give my body over to pure sensation.

“Fuuuck. I feel that. Your tight little pussy squeezes me so good, baby,” he grits out as he continues to pump his hips, milking out every last drop of my orgasm. He kisses me again, the wet slide of our tongues matching those of our bodies.

“Nate, I need you to fuck me now. Like, really fuck me. I want to know what it’s like.”

He looks momentarily stunned.

“Sweet lovemaking over. Time to fuck.” I lean in and bite his bottom lip. “Show me what you’ve got.”

“Princess,” he huffs. “The things you say to me.” But he begins to fuck me, the wet slaps of skin echoing through the en suite, water splashing everywhere as his movements become faster. Harder. He holds me tightly as he slams into me, his pace feverish. “Fuck, baby. You feel so goddamn good.” He groans, and I feel him tense. “I—” He pulls out of me, setting me on my feet. His lips crash over mine, and we kiss as he strokes his dick between us until he erupts onto my breasts and stomach, all while moaning my name.

He gathers me close, and we kiss some more, lazily coming down from our high, ignoring the mess we’ve made between us. My mind is definitely elsewhere. Because I’ve gone and lost my heart to Nate. I’ve fallen hard, and I don’t know how to handle that. Except to keep trudging forward, one day at a time… and hope by some miracle I can escape the darkness that Conner brings.

I’m strong enough to stand up to him. I think I’ll be ready soon.

“Nate?”

He brushes damp strands of hair from my face, looking at me so tenderly, it makes me ache. “Yeah?”

I bite my lip. “I don’t want to deal with the drama tonight. Can I come home with you?”

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