“I—I’m afraid it will hurt,” she admitted softly.

“Have you done it before?”

She nodded. “Sort of. I mean, I tried to. Nathan made me . . .”

If I thought I hated her ex before, this new level of hatred and disgust was magnified tenfold. I wanted to rip out his throat with my bare hands for making this beautiful girl feel unsure and afraid.

She looked away again, refusing to meet my gaze. I knew that feeling—of not wanting to show any weakness, not wanting to admit your fears but needing desperately to be stronger. It was a push and pull I’d felt often as I worked through my own inner battles over the years.

Leaning down over her, bringing my face close to hers, I whispered, “I would never, ever do anything to hurt you. You know that, right?”

She nodded slowly, her eyes falling closed.

“Only want to bring you pleasure,” I murmured, pressing my lips against her throat, loving the soft, feminine scent of her skin, the way her pulse jumped in response to my touch.

Emma sighed, bringing her arms around me. “I know that. In my head. I do, I swear. But I’m just . . .”

“In time,” I said, encouraging her.

She nodded, smiling softly, her pert breasts nodding with her. “Is it a control thing for you? Wanting to take me there, I mean?”

I weighed her question, letting out a slow exhale. “Partly.” Then I smirked at her, a wicked smile, and her own mouth twitched. “Plus, it’ll feel really fucking good.” My teeth grazed the side of her neck. “For both of us.”

Emma shivered in my arms, and I knew the time for talking was done. I needed to erase the painful memory of what her cruel ex-boyfriend had done to her, and I would, but that would be another time. Right now, I just wanted to push into her and hear her cry out my name in that soft, breathy whimper that I found so utterly sexy.

Drawing her body close, I aligned my cock between her legs, and ever so slowly buried myself in her tight heat, causing her to gasp and tremble. She felt so good, so right, so perfect, and I’d missed this—so fucking much. Despite my desire to go slow, I started fucking her with rough, quick thrusts, grasping her hips for support as I tugged her body down onto mine. Again. And again.

Her breathing quickened, her moans more frequent, and just as I brought her to the brink of climax, I stopped. I pulled out and began entering her very slowly, one tantalizing inch at a time.

As Emma squirmed beneath me, trying to pull me fully inside her, I dipped my head close to hers to whisper all the dirty things she would give me—and soon.

Chapter Sixteen

Emma

This was heaven.

Gavin’s firm body on mine, the weight of him balanced precariously over me.

His hips thrusting powerfully as he rocked into me.

Pleasure skyrocketing through my veins.

He’d surprised me tonight by asking about taking me there. Of course, I wanted to please him, wanted to show him that I was stronger than my past. I wasn’t going to let a few bad experiences tarnish the fun I knew we could have.

But he’d respected my decision and didn’t push it any further. His understanding and quiet acceptance made me feel all soft and squishy inside.

As Gavin continued thrusting into me, driving us both deeper into pleasure, I was struck with an idea. Just because I wasn’t willing to try that didn’t mean I wasn’t game for something else. If he wanted something different tonight, that was something I could give him. If only he’d ease back on his strict control and let me.

“Gavin?” I groaned.

Rather than respond, he reached out and pinched my nipple, sending a wave of pleasure and pain so sharp through me that I nearly came right then and there.

“I want to be on top,” I whispered, trying a more direct approach.

Without another word, he pulled back and sat in the center of the bed. He looked so sexy with his muscled chest and abs, and his legs spread apart so I could see every inch of his powerful muscled thighs.

“You want to ride this cock? Show me,” he demanded.

I didn’t need to be told twice.

Hardly breathing, I climbed into his lap, straddled him, and gripped him with one hand as I led him to the space between my thighs. Slowly, I rolled his throbbing head over my tight bundle of nerves, groaning at the insistent push and pull of pleasure and tension his heat created. But still, it wasn’t enough.

Wanting to make this good for him, I swirled him around the outside of my opening, watching his eyes as I moved slowly, slowly.

“Jesus,” he grunted.

And then I lowered myself, inch by glorious inch, as deep as I could take him.

Bracing my hands on his shoulders, I anchored myself against him as I tested moving up then down, first teasing his head and then dropping lower until he was finally buried to the hilt.

A deep groan of satisfaction rumbled in his chest. “You’re so tight against me,” he ground out.

“Too tight?” I asked, suddenly unsure if he was experiencing pleasure or actual pain.

“Never. You’re utterly fucking perfect.”

It was slow and torturous for both of us, the rising need and then the instant of relief before it was torn away again, but it was driving me to the edge.

I threw my head back as I arched again, pushing my breasts toward his waiting mouth, and he licked each swell before finding my nipple and sucking hard and deep.

Finally, I couldn’t hold back any longer. I rocked harder, faster, needing to feel him deep and thick inside me. Needing to feel the way his cock twitched as he spiraled closer and closer to the brink with me.

This was everything, and when he finally groaned my name, I knew I had his permission.

With a low cry, I broke apart as the tightly coiled tension inside me spread into ecstasy. He gripped my hips and plunged deeper into me as my body clenched and shuddered around him.

He was coming with me , I knew it, but I was so wrapped up in my own waves of pleasure that I could hardly think. Distantly, I heard him cry my name. And when I finally managed to meet his gaze again, I saw what I was feeling reflected back at me.

He might not know it yet, might not be ready to admit it, but he loved me. Gavin Kingsley loved me, and nothing could stop us now.

After we made love, Gavin held me quietly in his strong arms until I drifted off to that space that was one stop short of sleep. Being here with him in his bed, our naked limbs intertwined beneath the sheets, I couldn’t help but think about how far he’d come since the beginning—when he practically kicked me out immediately after sex.

I was so thankful for all the changes in him, so thankful that he was mine and I was his.

It gave me comfort to provide what he needed. Did it mean I was merely a vessel for his pleasure, that I lost my spirit and sense of self? No, quite the opposite. Being his was a powerful thing—and it wasn’t for the faint of heart.

He stroked my hair, gazing down at me. “Good girl. You made me very happy tonight.”

His praise was everything. It was hard earned, and I couldn’t help but take a second and enjoy this tender moment.

He was changing. We were changing. I should have felt tentative and slightly fearful. Change was often scary. Instead, this was exhilarating. This growth in him was everything I’d ever dreamed about.

Gathering my courage, I opened my mouth to speak the words to him I’d held in for the last several weeks.

“What is it?” Gavin asked, smirking at me. It must have been obvious I had something on my mind.

“I know we haven’t fully defined this,” I said, starting slowly.

“Yes, we have. You’re my person, remember?”

I nodded. “That’s true.” Nerves rolled through my belly, but I pressed on. “But for me, it’s more. I have these big, mushy feelings for you. I’m crazy about you.”

“I feel the same way, pet. You’re everything to me.”

“I love you, Gavin,” I blurted. “And I just wanted to tell you. You don’t have to say it back just because I said it, but I wanted you to know how I felt. I couldn’t hold it in any longer.”

His lips parted, and for a moment, he didn’t say anything. “Oh, pet. My brave girl.” He stroked my hair, then patted my cheek. “Thank you for telling me.”