He cupped her face in his hands and looked down, his expression tender. “I love that you want that from me, Josie. I just want to make sure you’re ready for it. You’ve been through a lot and the last few days have been hectic and stressful for you.”
“Yes, they have,” she agreed. “But do you know today was the best day? The first day in longer than I can remember where I was utterly content. I was happy, Ash. Because of you. Because I was here. I sat in your living room painting, and all I could think was how content I was to be here, working, anticipating the moment when you called to let me know you were on your way home.”
His eyes softened and went liquid green, the color almost electric. “You take my breath away.”
“Now,” she said, rocking back on her heels as she positioned her mouth to take his cock again. “When do we get to the kinky part?”
chapter sixteen
Ash was nearly undone by the sight of Josie on her knees, her mouth around his dick, just like he’d imagined so many times since seeing her that first day in the park. Now she was his. In his apartment. His life.
He knew she’d given him a precious gift. He didn’t look beyond the fact that she offered him her trust. She’d placed her body and heart in his hands, and he’d do whatever it took to protect both. He’d never take for granted what this beautiful, courageous woman was giving him.
He slid his hands through her hair, curling the strands around his fingers as he leaned into her. Deeper. Each stroke the most exquisite pleasure he’d ever experienced.
He’d had many women. He’d been honest with Josie about that. But she was different. And he couldn’t even say why definitively. There was something about her that just spoke to him on a different level. Made him think about permanency when that had never been an issue in his past relationships. But then, him and Jace fucking the same women could hardly be classified as actual relationships.
It had been years since he’d spent any time with a woman one-on-one, and he found the idea appealed to him now. Josie appealed to him.
She was on her knees before him, utterly submissive, and not only submissive, but she wanted the same things he wanted. Enjoyed the same kinks he enjoyed. There wasn’t a more perfect woman for him. Of that he was certain.
He sank deep into her mouth, twitching at the back of her throat before sliding back out, enjoying the rasp of her tongue over the sensitive underside of his dick. Then he withdrew, watched as her eyes, aquamarine pools clouded with desire, found his.
Wordlessly, he extended his hand down for hers to help her to her feet. As soon as she’d risen, he pulled her into his arms, crushing her against his chest. He kissed her, almost forgetting in his urgency to possess her mouth that he should take care. She still wore bruises. Her mouth was still tender. Yet it hadn’t stopped him from fucking her mouth, even as gentle as he’d been.
“Let’s go into the bedroom,” he said gruffly. “I’ve been hard on your mouth. For now I’ll focus on other portions of your delectable body.”
Her eyes flared with heat and anticipation. She’d asked him for kinky. He sure as hell could accommodate her there. His hands itched to redden her ass, to see his marks of possession on her body. It was a primitive urge that completely overtook him. He wanted to own her, for there to be no question as to his ownership.
But as he guided her toward his bedroom, he acknowledged that he didn’t want just to own her body. He wanted to own her heart. And while he would possess her body in short order—as he’d already possessed her once—it would take much more effort and time to own the parts of her she held most dear. Her heart, mind and soul.
He wanted them all. Wouldn’t settle for anything less than all of her.
Now he just had to convince her.