Page 55 of Linger

And then she whispered the words, “Evan, please,” and I thought my heart would give out right there.

I hadn’t associated with that name in so long. I’d felt like I was in someone else’s skin on the rare occasions I had been called it over the years. But with how my entire world stopped the instant those words left her mouth, I knew I would be him...

Evan. Diggs. Tracker. Bloodhound. Rebel.

Whoever Willow Bennett needed me to be, I’d be him because I’d never wanted to be someone so badly until I’d heard her say my name.

“I need you.”

Her breathy plea twisted around my torrent of thoughts and broke something inside me. Next thing I knew, I had her on her back and was slamming into her again. Wondering how I’d ever kept myself away from her when nothing had felt like this before. When having Willow clench and shudder around me and listening to her moans fill my head was my version of Heaven.

Keeping one of my hands on her thighs, I leaned over her. My hand racing up her body and over the swell of her breasts until I was at her harshly-pitching chest and then her slender neck.

Her satisfied eyes flared with sensual alarm when I slowly curled my fingers around her neck as my hip’s movements lost all sense of rhythm. As I began fucking her wildly. Savagely.

Her full lips opened on a stuttered breath when my grip tightened, and her head fell back just enough to break our eye contact as she reached behind her, grabbing the comforter for something to hold onto.

But I wanted those pale green eyes on me. I wanted to see the exhilaration that overwhelmed the fear as she struggled to take a deep enough breath. I wanted to see the trust and adoration that overpowered everything else.

Turning my hand, I put just enough pressure against her throat with my palm and tightly gripped her jaw, forcing her to watch as I gave her all of me.

My heart. My soul.

Cutting myself open and baring myself as I claimed her because this girl was mine.

I came with a low curse, my body shaking as I held myself above her and relaxed my hand against her neck until I was spent. Until all I wanted was to roll onto the bed and pull her against me, but I forced myself to focus on her. Quickly taking in the way she was breathing and reaching for me—the way she was looking at me.

Once that adoration and trust assured me she was okay, I dropped my forehead against hers as I rolled off her and to the side, all while my fingers made soothing passes along the red marks already forming on her neck and jaw. “You need me? I’ve got you. Always.”

She nodded lazily as a soft, stunning smile tugged at her mouth. “I couldn’t have imagined it could get better with you.”

I grinned wickedly in response. “Just wait until you’re begging for it.”

At that, a deep blush rushed up her neck and over her cheeks before she managed to cover her face. “That’s embarrassing.”

“Your pleasure?” I argued. “You not being able to hold back because of how fucking good it feels?” I pressed my mouth to where her hands were still hiding her face. “Nothing embarrassing about that, Tree.”

The only thing that could’ve pulled me from her then was the knowledge that, for the first time, I wouldn’t be leaving her in a few minutes or hours. So I pushed from the bed and headed for the attached bathroom, my stare drifting over her body. Flushed, covered in a sheen of sweat, and still gently trembling from the aftereffects of her orgasms.

Beautiful.

Just before I turned the corner, I caught sight of her head tipped back so she could watch me.

The softness and pureness in those eyes begging me to turn right back around and wrap her up in my arms. Hold her forever. This girl who was so far removed from my world but was brave enough to step into it.

Gripping the doorframe as I wavered, I studied her for a second longer before forcing myself into the bathroom to dispose of the condom and clean up. All the while, I fought the thoughts and fears that rose so easily once she was out of my sight.

The deep-rooted instinct to protect her from my life, even though she was already in it. To never have collateral damage waiting beside me. To never let anyone steal my focus again.

I wondered if there would ever be a day when those fears stopped trying to overwhelm and sway me.

But then I stepped out of the bathroom and found her there, blonde hair spilled out across the pillows and body covered in my shirt, and I knew it didn’t matter. Because Dare had been right: My world didn’t exist without her.

Moving through the room, I found and pulled on my boxer briefs, then knelt on the bed again. When she reached for me, I curled my hand around hers and drew my nose along her forearm until I reached the spot on her wrist that always smelled the sweetest. The heady combination of lavender and vanilla so damn strong right then.

“Fucking addicting,” I murmured before nipping the same spot and releasing her hand.

That gorgeous blush darkened her cheeks all over again. “It’s funny...” she began as she watched me settle in beside her. “I considered the real possibility that you were a vampire because of all this smelling business.”

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