Chapter 24

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

KATE

N umb.

That's the way I've lived my life. The way I've survived as a child and teenager and, consequently, the only way I know how to function as an adult.

Peeling myself out of bed, I poke my head out of my bedroom door. All is quiet and dark; Jensen must've finally finished his call with whoever was on the other end.

My latest pee over with, I pad back to my bedroom when a muffled groan stops me in my tracks. "Hello?" I whisper.

No response until another groan echoes from the living area.

"Jensen?"

My curiosity wins out and I turn and head toward the sound. Moaning lightly in his sleep, Jensen lies sprawled out across the air bed, the sheets resting dangerously low on his naked waist. In the soft moonlight filtering through my sheer curtains, I can easily make out the glistening sweat across his chest. His hands are clenched tightly by his sides, but it's what lies beside him that has my heart tripping out.

Picking up his brown leather wallet, two scan photos are tucked inside and on display. After the first scan, he asked if he could have a couple of the photos, and this is where he put them.

He went to sleep like this, with his unborn children lying next to him.

I set the wallet down, realization washing over me.

He's right, and so is my gut—I know absolutely nothing about the man lying in front of me. But he knows me inside and out.

He groans again and thrashes to the side.

"Jensen?" I whisper. But he doesn't wake.

My heart racing and pulse beating in my veins, I slowly lower myself onto the mattress beside him. I don't know what's going on with him, but he's offered me kindness and defended me to two people who never once showed me an ounce of it, only ever with strings attached.

He stirs and rolls towards me as I settle with my back to his overheating body.

"Kate?" he groans.

Tipping my head over my shoulder, I bring my pointer finger to my lips. "Shh, it's late, and you were having a bad dream." I look over at his wallet, which I set on the coffee table, still open on the scan images. "You put them in your wallet."

"Hmm?"

"The twins. They're in your wallet."

He lifts his head to see what I'm referring to, his cologne surrounding me from all angles. "Yeah, they're always with me that way."

Warmth floods my chest. "You're a good person, Jensen. I just want you to know that. I'm sorry we got off to such a bad start."

He smiles sleepily. "Everything that's happened between us was meant to be this way. I don't regret anything."

"Me neither," I sigh.

A few beats pass as he relaxes around me, the tension between us so charged that it could spark a fire with the single strike of a match.

"Come here." He kisses just below my ear as his huge hand splays out across my hip, tugging me back into him.

"Tell me to stop," he whispers.

I stay quiet. I don't want him to stop. The closer he is, the safer I feel.

"Words, Princess. Give me your words and tell me to stop."

I say nothing.

Lying back down on the pillow behind me, he pulls me so close that I can feel his hard bulge. He's completely naked, and I have a feeling that at any moment, I will be too.

"If you don't tell me what you want, then I'm going to go ahead and take what I do."

"Take it then," I finally whisper.

His lips caress the side of my neck. "Do you have any hard lines when it comes to the bedroom?"

Looking back over my shoulder, his dark brown eyes are blown wide. "Like things I won't do?"

He nods slowly. "You asked me to take what I want. That's like a red rag to a bull when it comes to my need for you."

I smirk. "There isn't anything you can do that I haven't done already."

"Oh, there is."

"Wanna bet?"

"Yeah, I do." Hauling me up off the bed, he carries me into the bathroom, setting me down on my feet in the walk-in shower. I take in his chiseled body and huge erect cock, and my mouth waters as memories from that one night take over my body.

It's then I notice a small string of words down his left rib cage. Did he have it before? I can't remember ever seeing him with a tattoo.

"What does that say?" I ask, pointing to what I think is a phrase in Latin.

Pulling off my cami top, he takes in my full breasts and peaked pierced nipples. He wets his lips on reflex. "I'll tell you when it's time."

"Time for what?"

Next, he yanks down my matching sleep shorts, and I step out of them. Throwing them behind him, he bites down on his fist. "Goddamn, your body is a fucking palace, definitely fit for a princess."

"Time for what, Jensen?"

"Time for patience but also to let me have my way with you."

Stepping in behind me, he pulls the detachable shower head off the wall and sets the warm water running. Steam begins to fill the dimly lit bathroom.

"Bend over, palms on the wall in front of you."

"I've done this before," I goad.

His eyes flash with annoyance. "I never want to hear you talk about another man again."

Dropping to his knees, he pulls my ass cheeks apart, swiping his tongue over my tight hole. Then, he spits straight into me, teasing me with his finger. "This ass." With the shower head in his other hand, he points the jets of warm water towards my pussy, finding my clit instantly. "This cunt." One more swipe of his tongue over my ass. "Your entire body belongs to me and no one else. Hold the shower head."

Taking it from him, he angles my hand so the water continues to power against my clit. God, it feels so fucking good.

"Tell me no man has ever touched you like this." His tongue finds my asshole once more as he circles it, making me cry out with pleasure. His fingers play with my pussy before he pushes two inside, curling them until they find that delicious spot, and I begin to unravel, my release rolling down the inside of my thighs.

"Tell me."

"No, they haven't."

"Keep coming for me, Princess."

"I can't." I begin to shake, but he doesn't let up, only pumping me harder.

"You fucking can, and you will."

The shower head clatters to the base as it slips from my grasp.

"Oh fuck me, Jensen…I'm coming again."

"My fucking pleasure."

My back is against the wall in a split second, my legs wrapped around his muscular waist.

We're face to face as his feral eyes soften and then fall to my mouth. "What about letting you taste your sweet ass?"

My eyes widen in shock. "Taste my ass?"

"Yeah, your ass is so fucking sweet. Do you want to taste it? Seems selfish to keep it all to myself."

My gaze falls to his full lips. "Will I get your cock afterward?"

"What do you think?"

"I think you can't wait to put it in me."

"Finally, something we agree on." His lips find mine as he kisses me, sending chills throughout my warm body. "Part for me, Princess."

Opening my mouth, he glides his tongue against mine, moaning into me as he lets me taste myself. "See what I mean? Fucking delicious."

My release continues to trickle down my thighs, my pussy throbbing hard. "I think I'm still coming."

"It's begging for my cock."

Slowly, he lowers me down and keeps one hand under my ass, guiding himself inside me. "Daddy's home."

"Yeah, JJ, you are."

His hips roll into me, and I moan. "Say it again."

"JJ."

"Again."

"JJ."

"Again." Each time in perfect synchronization with his thrusts.

"JJ!" I cry.

"That's right, Katherine."

"What are you doing?" I gasp as I feel his hand inch towards my tight hole.

"Tell me, did Tom only fuck you in missionary?"

"I thought you didn't want to talk about other men."

"Tell me." He thrusts into me.

"Yes. I told you it wasn't spicy."

Jensen's fingers tease me as he continues to fuck my pussy with his cock. "You're going to have so many firsts with me, Princess."

For once, I think he might be right.

"I'm already carrying your babies."

"Hell yeah, you are." His hips roll against me. "I know I said I didn't have any, but I do have one regret with you," he says in a breathy voice.

"Which is?"

"The day I came inside you and got you pregnant, I had no idea. So I guess I'm going to have to make up for that."

"Well, you can't get me pregnant again," I laugh.

The tip of his finger eases gently into my ass. It doesn't take much since it's so wet with my own release. "Ohmygod that feels so good."

"Mmm-hmm. I fucking love to play with you."

His tongue finds mine once more as he continues to dominate my body.

"You're the best I've ever been with," I admit.

He laughs against my mouth. "Oh, I know. Your body screams it."

"So cocky."

"Tell me, do you feel sexy carrying my babies while I fuck you and fantasize about giving you more? Does it turn you on?"

"Yes."

"Good. Because it drives me fucking wild. I didn't stand a fucking chance from the moment you told me."

Shaking, I collapse against him as we both come together. "Wow, that was, that was like nothing?—"

"You've ever done before?"

Yielding for once in my life, I nod my head. "Yeah, that was wild."

The look of victory that spreads across his face is comical. "Does this mean you'll be back for more?"

"I'll think about it."

"You make sure you do." Still inside me, he rests his forehead against my chest, blowing out a long breath.

"What's wrong?"

"I just want you to know that I'm here. I'm patiently waiting, and you absolutely deserve to be loved in the way I'm going to love you. If you'll give me that chance."

My fingers tease his wet, dark strands of hair. "All love comes with conditions, with expectations."

"The only condition I have is that you breathe, and you're mine. Just like with my babies, and just like your parents should've been with you."

"I don't do serious relationships, Jensen."

"JJ. And you did with Tom…you gave him a shot."

I shake my head, although he can't see it with his face pressed against me, gripping me tightly around the hips. "Being with you is very different than Tom."

"Tell me how."

"You know how."

"I want to hear it."

"I can't?—"

"Say it. I need to hear how it's different."

Resting my chin on top of his head, he slowly plays with one of my nipple piercings, almost absentmindedly. "Because if anyone is likely to make me feel, it's you. I can't hand my heart over to you when, in the end, you'll just break it. It's not a risk I'm willing to take. I can't be that vulnerable."

Picking his head back up, we're face to face and still connected, his cock still hard and inside me. "I'm scared too, but you should know you have nothing to fear. I'm your protector, your keeper, and your man. Give me your heart and trust me with it, Princess."