Chapter Ten

Demi closed the door to her home and pressed her palm against the cold wood to steady herself.

She felt absolutely drunk, but she'd only had three sips of a beer tonight.

She had this excited, buzzing feeling zinging through her veins because of Tyler, and it was equal parts enthralling and terrifying.

All of her old feelings from back when she was younger had returned, but so much more intense.

Her mom was going to maim her if she found out what Demi's animal was doing.

She didn't want to think about that though. She just wanted to enjoy the moment. Enjoy this sensation of flying, or perhaps it was falling—she hadn't figured it out yet.

Her phone buzzed with a message, and she fumbled in her purse to retrieve it fast.

Tyler had sent a text. I had fun tonight.

She closed her eyes and grinned as a wave of excitement washed through her.

She connected a call to him before she could change her mind.

"Hey," he rumbled, and God, she liked the sound of his deep voice vibrating against her ear.

"I don't really know why I called. I got home safe. You said to tell you when I got home safe."

"I know you did. I followed you in."

"Stalker," she murmured, pushing the curtain of her front window aside. "I don't see your truck."

"I left when I saw you go inside."

"Well…do you want to turn back around?"

He got quiet. "And do what?"

She blew out a steadying breath. "And do whatever you want to."

"Fuuuck, Darke. What are you doing?"

"Giving in to the messiness."

He was quiet for a full minute, and her insecurities reared up. "It's a lot. I get it. I should've just said I had fun, too."

"It's not that. It's just…"

"A bad idea."

"Horrible idea."

"The worst," she agreed. "I'll see you at work. You're doing 1010 Swallow Tail Way first thing in the morning."

"Demi—"

"It's totally understandable. I'm sorry I called. Let's just pretend we ended at the bar, okay?"

He sighed. "Yep. Okay."

"Goodnight, Durock."

"Goodnight, Darke."

She hung up the phone and set it on the bench by the door like it was a hot potato. Right. Her cheeks were on fire. She did an about-face and motored on into her bedroom. She shucked her clothes, pulled on a black nightie over her orange bra-and-panty set, then pulled her hair up into a messy bun and headed to the kitchen for a little midnight snack of ice cream to cool down her embarrassment.

Her door swung open, and she froze.

Tyler locked his arms on the frame, and his bright-blue eyes dragged up and down her body. He stood straight and let himself in, closed the door behind himself. "You should lock your door, Darke."

She crossed her arms over her chest. "Don't tell me what to do."

A dark chuckle escaped him as he stalked closer. "I was trying to be a fuckin' gentleman."

"Mmm, sounds boring."

"No, it sounds like what you need. You fight everything, so I was trying to give you time to decide if you like me or not." He came to stand in front of her, glaring down at her. "You just keep pushing me though. Tempting me." He reached down, hooked a finger under the lace V of her black cotton nightie, and pulled it down slowly, exposing the top of the orange lace bralette.

"My panties match," she whispered.

His smile was pure wickedness. "Tell me you want it."

"I thought you said this was a bad idea," she murmured, dragging her fingertips up the zipper of his jeans. His cock was hard and ready, and she pursed her lips against a satisfied smile. She was doing that to him.

"You should know I don't do this," he rumbled. He slid his hand to her throat and squeezed gently. "Say you want it."

"Don't tell me what to do," she whispered.

His lips crashed against hers, and he drank her in as he pushed her back into the kitchen. Desperate to be closer to him, Demi pulled at his shirt. He pulled it off smoothly, tossed it to the floor, and then his hands were right back on her.

His muscles rippled under her hands, and God, she'd never had her hands on a more powerful man. His six-pack flexed under her touch as she ran her hands down his torso and hooked her fingers in the front of his jeans. His kiss was deep, and his tongue brushed against hers in a delicious rhythm.

Her back hit the kitchen counter. He pulled her nightie over her head, tossed it, and eased back to drink her in.

She'd never felt more beautiful than she did under his gaze in this moment. He shook his head as his eyes met hers. The smile that tugged at the very corners of his lips said he loved what he saw.

Tyler set her up on the counter like she weighed nothing. He kissed and nipped at her neck, eliciting a gasp of pleasure from her lips. She gripped the back of his neck and rolled her eyes closed as his hands massaged her, and his lips explored her. She was utterly lost to his touch as he memorized her curves. Demi needed more, so she brushed her fingers down his abs, unfastened the snap of his jeans, and slowly ripped the zipper down.

He groaned as she reached inside his open jeans and gripped his swollen cock. Tyler pushed out of his jeans, and she was awed by the shape of his body. He looked even better than she'd imagined. His skin was tan, and his chest was perfectly defined, and those eyes. Those intensely blue eyes that bore into her soul time after time. In desperation to feel more of his skin, she pulled the bralette over her head and rocked backward as his lips immediately found her breasts.

Hand gripping the back of his hair, she rolled her eyes closed and uttered his name on her shaking breath. Tyler kissed down her stomach, down, down, and hooked a finger in the front of her panties, then pulled. She adjusted her hips to free the lacy orange material, and he slid it down to her ankles and threw it on the floor. His lips found the soft skin of her stomach again, and he adored her body inch by inch as he moved his sucking kisses downward. He pushed her knees wider, and she groaned his name as his tongue found her slick entrance. He licked slowly, and her legs started shaking. His eyes found hers for a moment before he closed his eyes and lapped at her—one hand gripping her waist, and one gripping her ankle. He slowly slid his hand up her calf, to the back of her knee, then pulled her leg to rest over his shoulder as he worked her body into an inferno.

"Tyler, I'm there," she gasped out as her body was suddenly racked with release. "Go deep," she begged.

He pushed his tongue deep into her. Deep. Deep. Fuck!

She cried out as her body throbbed in ecstasy, and then she was yanked off the counter. He put her on the floor on her hands and knees, and gritted out near her ear, "Go down to your elbows."

Chills of excitement raced up her spine as she did as he told her. Ooh, he could be bossy in a good way. She liked dominance in this way.

He gripped the back of her hair gently and pushed down his underwear, slid his dick against her wet folds. "I told you to do something earlier, and you refused."

Oooh, she loved this.

"I don't like when men tell me what to do," she said in a sultry voice, playing the game.

"And that's fine." He pointed at the door. "Out there. With other men. But with me, if I tell you to do something when I'm about to take care of your body, what do you do?"

"Hmmm," she said, pretending to think about it as he rubbed his thick cock back and forth against her.

He slid the tip into her by an inch, and eased out—slid in, and eased out. "What do you do in here with me?"

"Mind you?"

"Mmm, good girl. You know what happens to good girls?"

"They get rewarded."

"They get rewarded," he rumbled in agreement. "Tell me you want it."

She didn't know why, but here with him—on her elbows and knees, back arched, ass in the air for him—she didn't feel vulnerable at all.

Demi felt powerful instead.

"I want you so bad," she uttered.

"Fuuuuck," he gritted out as he slid into her, going deep.

He eased out, and pushed back in. Eased out, and pushed in, faster now. Her tits were bouncing and the tension was building in her middle again, and this made no sense. She didn't even know this position could feel good! But with him, everything felt so intensely satisfying. So bright. So important.

"Tyler? I think I'm going to come again!"

"Yeah you are. I've got you," he ground out. Faster. Deeper.

She was crying out with the pace he set, so loud, and he was gritting out a guttural sound that was so damn sexy to her.

"I want it," she gasped out as he slammed into her harder.

He gripped her waist hard, and yelled out as he tensed. Inside of her, she could feel the pulsing warmth of his release. Her body imploded again, gripping him hard with her throbbing orgasm.

He bucked into her slower, held deep, and bucked into her again, dragging out her release. When she was sated and the pulsing pleasure had faded away, he eased out of her and laid her on her side. "Don't move," he murmured. "Just enjoy the high."

She loved this.

She loved watching him bring her a blanket and pillow from the couch, and tuck her in. She loved listening to him warming up water in the bathroom, and she loved that he returned with a warm washcloth and took his time cleaning her. She loved that he tugged the hairband out of her messy hair, and brushed flyaway strands out of her face before he kissed her. She liked that he didn't just leave as soon as possible. He hadn't used her body, like she'd expected a man like Tyler would. He was worshipping her instead.

"My legs are shaking," she admitted as he laid down beside her.

He didn't carry her to the couch, or move her, or break the moment. He was letting her recover just where he'd fucked her. She would always remember this particular spot in the kitchen now, and that countertop over there where he'd eaten her out. She'd never done that with anyone before. Perhaps tomorrow she would overthink it and convince herself to be embarrassed, but tonight, she felt like a goddess.

He was propped up on his elbow, laying on his side, stroking a piece of hair at her temple as he studied her face. "I really was trying to stay off you."

She gripped his wrist and drew it to her lips, laid a light kiss there, and released him to continue stroking her hair. Felt so good. Relaxing. Comforting. "Are you going to freak out in the morning?" she asked.

"Maybe," he admitted. "You?"

"Maybe." She liked that they could at least be honest with each other.

"Well, then we better enjoy the moment tonight."

She snuggled closer to him and pressed her forehead against his chest. His heartbeat was so strong and steady. "You have always scared me."

"Why?" he asked.

"Because I knew it could feel like this."

He was quiet for a while, just combing his fingers through her hair. She relaxed so much, she started nodding off. It was nice to feel safe with a man.

"Maybe when I have the surgery, it wouldn't suck if you were there when I wake up from it."

His words touched her deeply, and she opened her eyes. Slowly, she hugged him up tight, resting one of her legs between his, and she nodded. "I'll be there." And she would be. It was a promise. It was an oath. He was feeling vulnerable, and his future felt uncertain to him, and he was sharing that with her.

That was a gift from a man who normally masked his problems with jokes and banter.

He was letting her in.

"Why don't you decorate your house for Halloween?" he asked.

She frowned and kissed his chest, then eased back to meet his eyes. "I used to. Years ago. I guess I just get so busy decorating other people's houses…it felt like bringing work home, in a way."

"I can do it for you," he offered.

She was so touched, Demi had to blink a couple times to rid her eyes of the burning sensation of deep emotion. "Really?"

He nodded.

"I would like that."

"I'll bring the lights by tomorrow. Do you want me to pick up some interior decorations at the store?"

An idea hit her. A terrifying idea. One she couldn't get out of her mind once it took hold. "If I show you something, you have to promise not to make fun of me. Or judge me. Or tell other people about it. Not even Rachel. No one has seen it."

He eased back with a frown knitting his dark eyebrows. "I would never judge you. I'll give you shit over stuff because I like playing with you, but I'll never really judge you."

She pushed up and wrapped the blanket around herself. "Put your pants on, we have to walk there."

He got up, dressed, and followed her out the back door. It was scary, exposing herself this way, but she felt ready at the same time.

"The reason I wanted this house," she explained, leading him across the dark yard toward the back fence of her property. "Is because it backs up to the warehouse I rent to store my trinkets."

"Trinkets," he repeated as she led him through a gate she'd installed a couple years ago. It creaked and swung closed, and she made her way to the door of the towering warehouse and entered the code to unlock it.

She blew out a breath to settle her racing heartbeat, and then pushed it open. "These are my trinkets."

She watched his face as Tyler stepped inside. She watched his eyes go wide as she turned on the lights. She watched him scan rows and rows of shelves full of decorations she'd collected over time. He made his way to a workbench and ran his fingertips over the canisters of coins, paperclips, acorns, and small rocks, all organized by size and color. He was quiet as he walked to the towering shelves that went all the way to the twenty-foot ceiling. There were shelves for every décor item any of her clients could possibly want.

He made his way to a crafting table, where several plastic bats had been drying after she'd glitter-sprayed them. She was quiet as he absorbed the part of her animal side she couldn't control.

"Crows collect," he said softly as he came to stand next to the canisters of paperclips and acorns again.

"Yes."

"Is this…is this your safe place?"

She hugged the blanket tighter around herself. "My nest is on the top of that shelf."

He ghosted a glance in the direction she nodded her head. "Can I see it?" he asked.

"It's scary. This all feels scary."

"It doesn't have to be. I'll never tell anyone about this place. It's safe."

She inhaled deeply and nodded. "You can go up and look."

He pulled her in and kissed her forehead, then sauntered over to a ladder that was leaned against the wall. He dragged it over to where her nest was hidden, on top of the shelves in the darkest corner.

He climbed the ladder easily, and she closed her eyes against the tingling that consumed her skin; that said the animal needed out.

Everything was okay.

She shed the blanket and let the crow have her skin. It always hurt, but it was a fast pain—like a bolt of lightning through her system, and then it was done and she was airborne.

She flapped her wings hard and flew up toward her nest. She landed in it and watched his face, ready for the disgust she would probably see there.

He crouched by her enormous nest of twigs and trinkets and feathers, eyes locked on her.

Tyler didn't look disgusted at all. In fact, a small smile tugged at his lips.

He sat next to the nest and leaned back against the wall, studying the bed she sometimes slept in when the human side of her life was too overwhelming and she needed extra time in this form.

"I love it," he murmured. He reached for her, his knuckles out like he wanted to pet her feathers.

She snapped her beak at him, and he flinched back.

She cawed a laugh. Caw, caw, caw. And then she hopped over to him and got still so he could feel her feathers.

"Jerk," he muttered through a chuckle.

He tried again, and brushed his knuckles gently down the length of her back. She was four times the size of a normal crow, but he seemed to be okay being this close to her.

She'd shown him her nest, and he wasn't running.

She'd shown him her crow, and he was still here, relaxed, seemingly content to just exist in the midst of her secret hoard.

He was seeing the real her, and he was okay with it.

"I think we should bring the glitter-bats into your house. Maybe some of the plastic headstones for your mantle. Definitely some of the spooky pictures." He talked to her easily, making plans to decorate her home. She loved this.

Making happy little guttural crow-sounds, she sidestepped closer to him and listened intently.

Never in a million years had she ever planned on showing anyone this side of her, and especially not Tyler Durock—but so far, she had no regrets.

It was nice to finally, finally feel truly seen by someone.