But it was working now. She shed her blouse and pants as she followed him into the bathroom.
“Why can’t it work?” It felt so right to be alone with her. All the faking-his-own-death shit had kept them apart for days. He’d been worried the time would push her further from him, but he’d brazened through and before she’d known what was happening, he’d had her on his lap.
The key, he’d discovered, was simply overwhelming her with what she needed so desperately—love and affection.
And no small amount of dominance.
She frowned even as she worked her bra free. “Because real life would come into play and you can’t just order me around all day.”
Her breasts were really lovely. She was beautiful and feminine, and damn but he was already hard. “I don’t intend on ordering you around every day. I intend on being your partner. You’re smart. I’ll listen to everything you have to say and when you know more than I do, I’ll happily follow your lead. Off with those panties. They offend me.”
“They’re perfectly nice panties.” She shoved them off her hips. “They match the bra and everything.”
“But your pussy matches your breasts even better. God, you’re beautiful, Phoebe.” He shoved out of his jeans and boxers. He wanted to spend as much time naked with her as he could. A certain peace fell over him the minute he touched her, as though something fell blissfully into place and he was finally complete.
Her eyes went right to his cock. Even though he knew she wanted to deny him, she wasn’t going to. There was something deep inside Phoebe that couldn’t refuse his claim. “You’re a pervert.”
She could try to fight it all she liked, but she belonged to him now. “I’m your pervert. Come here.”
She hesitated for a moment but walked into his arms.
He guided her into the shower. “Relax and let me take care of you.”
She leaned back against him, letting the water caress her breasts while he picked up the soap and made long, slow circles with his hands. He soaped her breasts slowly, not wanting to miss an inch. His thumbs flicked over her hard nipples. She couldn’t hide her response to him.
But they had things to talk about. “I know you’re scared.”
She was silent, only the slight tension in her shoulders proof that his words bothered her.
He wasn’t going to shy away. She didn’t need him to respect some distance that served neither one of them. She needed his strength. “What happened at Sanctum scared you.”
“I’m fine, Jesse,” she murmured. “I’m a fully trained operative. I’ve been in bad situations before.”
She was going to fight him every inch of the way. “You weren’t scared for yourself. You were scared for me, baby.”
The tension in her body was no longer slight. She went totally stiff and started to move away from him. “I don’t want to talk about this.”
“Then just listen.” He knew she wasn’t ready to admit anything and that was all right. “I didn’t die. I’m not going to. I’m here and alive, and I’m going to take care of you. I know you don’t believe me, but I’ll prove it.”
She shook her head. “When this is over, I’m leaving. I have a life to get back to.”
“Your life is with me now. If you still want to walk away in a week, then I’ll accept it.” He was pretty sure that was a lie, but it was one she needed right now. “But for now, I won’t pretend I’m not planning a life with you at the center of it. You’re the sun in my sky.”
“I can’t be.”
“You already are. There’s nothing for you to do.” He pushed her hair to the side and let his lips find the soft skin of her neck. This was where he’d wanted to be for days. He’d needed to be here with her, even if she was crying and afraid. She would be that without him. She would be that way for the rest of her life if he didn’t fight for her. He couldn’t stand the thought of her being alone.
Oddly, he could be alone because he would think of her. He would allow himself to dream about her, to share her with the man she’d loved. But if he didn’t break through, she would utterly pine away.
“Reach over and lean on the bench in front of you.” She only cried the once and then during discipline. She needed to cry and he could give that to her.
Her immediate obedience was proof to him that he was doing the right thing. It was the first move she’d made that was eager. Her ass was in the air almost before he finished the command. She wanted this. Needed this.
“You disobeyed me in a dangerous situation.”
“I also helped you.” Her ass wiggled a little, an invitation to play.
He thought about how fast Ace had moved, his gun in hand. He’d turned toward her, ready to shoot, and Jesse had known he could lose her.
Maybe she wasn’t the only one who had bad dreams about that day. “He could have killed you. My number one job in life is protecting you. You made me fail and I demand satisfaction. It’s a count of thirty.”