CHAPTER SIXTEEN SHOW ME

Rebel—

Straddled over Brayden, I rock slowly against him, not losing his eyes. My breathing is coming quicker now as I get closer and closer.

His gaze drops to my swaying breasts, and his hands close around them, his thumbs strumming over my nipples. He’s letting me take all the time I need to get off, and I love that. No pressure, no urgency.

“You’re beautiful, baby.”

I put my hands on the wall above his head, panting as I thrust against him, every movement dragging my clit against his hard body. This new position shifts my breasts closer to his waiting mouth, and he wastes no time sucking one nipple into between his lips.

His teeth drag across the sensitive nub and when he sucks hard, a jolt of pleasure shoots through me to my womb.

“Oh, yes,” I moan.

His hands cup my waist, holding me, and he shifts his mouth to my other nipple, giving it the same attention.

“I’m so close,” I say, breathlessly.

He sucks hard again, and it pushes me over the edge into ecstasy.

When I float down to earth, my body melts into Brayden’s, and his arms wrap around me. He rolls us until he’s on top of me, staring into my flushed face, and a slow smile forms on his.

I’m filled with such overwhelming feelings for this man that I have to voice them. We don’t have much time, and that ticking clock is constantly in the back of my mind. So, I say the words I would usually hold back until much later. “I love you, Brayden.”

He stills and expels a long, slow breath. “My God, you don’t know how much hearing those words rocks my world. I love you, too, Rebel. I never thought I’d feel this way so quickly about a woman, but I do.”

Joy floods through me. I’m suddenly high as a kite. It’s euphoria times ten. “Really?”

He laughs with joy then and nods. “Swear to God.”

I giggle, too, and we’re both shaking with laughter, and I realize he’s still hard inside me. I roll my hips, urging him on. “Show me, Brayden. Show me. Fuck me like you can’t get enough of me.”

His smile disappears, and he’s as serious as I’ve ever seen him. Like I’ve given him a mission he has no intention of failing. His muscles go tight and his abs ripple as he thrusts in and slowly withdraws, building us both up, one stroke after another, increasing his speed until he’s powering into me, his breath sawing in and out of his lungs.

“I’ll never get enough of you, Rebel. Never,” he growls, and one hand dips between us, and his thumb finds my clit. “Come with me, baby.”

That rollercoaster is chugging toward the precipice, and nothing is stopping it.

I throw my head back, and his mouth clamps on the tender skin where my neck meets my shoulder. I fly over the top and hurl into a second, even stronger orgasm, and this time he comes with me, roaring my name.

When he collapses on top of me, I wrap my arms around him and hold him tight, pressing kisses to his cheek and neck. I feel little kisses trail along my shoulder in return.

He moves off me, flinging to his back and breathing heavily.

“Jesus Christ, woman. You’re gonna be the death of me.”

I go up on an elbow. “Death by orgasm? What a way to go.”

That brings a smile to his lips. “Definitely.”

I move over him while he’s still panting, both our bodies slick with sweat. “I don’t want you to leave.”

“Tonight, or ever?”

“Both.”

He cups my face and strokes my cheekbone with his thumb. I think he wants to assure me we’ll work this out somehow, but he can’t find the words to do it. Because maybe there are none. I’m not stupid. I know he has to go back to California, but I want desperately for us to find a way.

He looks like he’s about to say something, but doesn’t.

“Say it,” I press.

“When I go, would you go with me?”

I don’t know if I expected that question, or if I’m even ready to answer it. I’ve got the garage to run. I can’t just leave it. But I can’t imagine going on with my life without him. Not one day. I can vividly imagine the loneliness that’s coming when he leaves. How will I ever drag myself out of bed? For what? Nothing will matter anymore.

“I don’t know. I just know I don’t want to live another day without you in it.”

He strokes his thumb over my lower lip. “I feel the same. Everything’s different now, and I don’t think I can go back to the way it was before. I’ll go back to California, but nothing will be right. I’ll go home to my place alone, and I’ll probably start to drink.”

“Don’t say that.”

He gives me a sad smile. “Let’s not talk about it now. We still have time together.”

I nod, but sadness settles over me. It’s not fair that God put us together only to tear us apart again so soon. It’s not fair that after all this time, I finally find the right man, and he has to leave me. “Stay tonight. Please.”

He kisses my lips and pulls my head to his chest. “Get some sleep.”

“You won’t leave?”

“I won’t leave you, baby.”

“Say it again.”

“That I won’t leave you?”

“No. The other.”

“I love you, Rebel. With all my heart.”

“I love you, too, Brayden.”

His heartbeat is in my ear, lulling me to sleep. He’s a part of me now. I feel like I’ve searched my whole life for him, for this. Now I’ve just got to figure out a way to hang onto it.