25. Kassian

Chapter twenty-five

Kassian

A s I start to wake up, I peel my eyelids open, and every emotion from the last several years washes over me in warp speed when I gaze down at Aiyana's sleeping body, pressed snuggly to mine as she drapes herself over my chest. Her inky hair is hanging over her face, her little breaths blowing the strands around, and I can't help but reach over and wipe them out of her face, sinking my fingers into her thick, silky strands.

My chest constricts, knowing that if she were aware of her current position, she'd be hightailing it out of here.

Her fear of commitment has always been an issue for us.

She's the most decisive person I know. When she wants something, she'll fight tooth and nail to have it, but when it comes to us, she's always been difficult to convince.

I don't even think "fear of commitment" is the right phrase because that doesn't seem to be the issue. When we're together, she's always been happy and sated.

Growing up, she never hesitated to tell me she loved me, even before we ever started sneaking around. Hell, she told me she loved me first. Which I've never really gotten over. I'm still just a tad bit salty about that fact.

I wanted to say it first because I think I meant it first.

I'm not sure where she got the idea that we can't be together. Her parents adore me, my sister would be elated to know we're together, and it's not like our desires for our futures are so misaligned that we wouldn't make sense together.

Neither of us has ever wanted children, and with how independent she is, I can't imagine she'd mind me traveling periodically during hockey season.

Besides, I'd give up every goal for her. I recognize how ridiculous that sounds, but she's endgame for me. Everything about her makes my blood fucking sing, and the last five years have only solidified that notion.

I feel her begin to stir on my chest, and as her eyes open, she blinks several times, looking around the room to get her bearings before looking up at me. She gives me a shy smile, and I can't help my reaction to her. I dip my head, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head, and pray like hell that it doesn't send her running for the hills, claiming things are getting too real .

To my unbelievable surprise, she doesn't move. Just stays there for a while longer before pressing a kiss to my abdomen and pushing herself up. Her big brown eyes bore into me, and the curtain of dark hair cascades over her shoulder.

"You gonna feed me, or do I have to beg for that too?" she asks with a smirk, my cock saluting her at the thought of her begging me to do anything. 1

I run my fingers through her hair, gripping it at the base of her skull, and give her a lopsided smirk. "Don't worry, little viper, I'll feed you. You wanna start with my cock?" I raise a brow at her, and she laughs, a full-bodied one that has her head bent backward, eyes squeezed shut, and the bed practically shaking with the force.

She smacks my chest as the sound calms, climbing out of the bed to search for her clothes.

"Real food, Kas. Trust me, you don't want me sucking your dick right now. I'll bite it off." That has me cupping my cock, protecting it from her as we both laugh.

"Good lord, woman!" I all but screech at her between gasps of laughter.

Ignoring me, she starts getting dressed, so I get up, head to the shower, and peer over at her. "Wanna get clean first?" She shakes her head at me, chuckling at my not-so-smooth advances, but she drops her clothes back on the ground and follows me into the shower.

1. Beg – Leon Thomas & Elle Varner