Hale

A PART OF HIM EXPECTED Heaven to protest and resist as he lifted her in his arms.

Instead, her body remained relaxed and gently pliant against his, and 's heart thundered against his chest as she curled her arms trustingly around his neck.

What was it about her, dammit?

Why did everything about Heaven feel different?

Precious?

Even... sacred .

Memories paraded through his mind as he carried her up the stairs. His conscience seemed to know it was living on borrowed time and wasn't leaving anything to chance. It reminded him of all the women he had fucked in the past, and even though he had always made sure he brought them to pleasure—-

There was no denying the truth.

He had treated them like they were nothing but objects for sexual gratification.

He had made them cum, but it was only for the sake of his own reputation. He hadn't wanted them to have any reason to complain about his skills in bed.

But to say that any of them had been his lovers would be an utter and blatant lie.

Every previous woman he fucked was just that.

A woman he had fucked.

And left when they no longer held his interest.

But even this early on, already knew.

It would never be so with Heaven.

Because she was... different .

But since this truth threatened to drive him to his knees if he let himself think about it too fucking long—-

Just don't think then.

Just fuck.

But don't think.

Shame engulfed him at the crassness of this thoughts, but he clenched his jaw in resolve.

It's not like I promised her anything.

And it wasn't like he planned to hurt her either.

I'm just taking it moment by moment.

One fuck at a time.

But when they got to his office, and he had settled her gently down on his couch—-

She smiled shyly at him as he crouched down on one knee in front of her.

And instead of fucking and not thinking, he heard himself ask, "What do you want to do?"

Her eyes widened, and her shock...made him want to knock his head against a wall.

Repeatedly.

Because the way Heaven was staring at him now told him she had expected the same thing.

She had obviously thought he had taken her to his office to just fuck and not think—-

So why the hell aren't you doing it?

She obviously wants it, too.

So what the hell's stopping you?

He slowly cupped her face.

Say it, dammit.

Say you want to taste her.

Own her.

But instead he heard himself say, "Whatever you want, we'll do it."

What the fuck, ?

Who the fuck do you think you are?

You're not a good man and you never will be.

had a feeling it wasn't his conscience raging at him this time. But whatever it was, and wherever it was coming from, knew it wasn't lying either.

He was not a good man.

But the way Heaven's blue eyes were shining as she looked at him made think that he could be one.

In time.

And so he promised himself that no matter what she asked him to do, he would do it.

Even if it meant—-

"Can we check on the hamsters together?"

—-checking her hamsters, which he fucking couldn't believe she had asked.

Hamsters?

"Do you think we can also clean their sand bath and their exercise wheels?"

The excitement in her voice reminded him of the first time he had her speak. It was contagious as fuck that he actually found himself smiling as he said, "Yes. We can do all of those things."

And when he saw how his words had Heaven looking at him adoringly—-

Just like the first day, too , he thought dazedly.

She was looking at him the way he had also hoped she would look at him.

"You mean it, really?"

"Absolutely."

As long as she kept looking at him like that, he would do whatever she asked.