“I’m clean and I’m on the pill,” I blurted.
I wasn’t even sure why I’d said it. I guess because I didn’t want anything between us, and because I was curious about his status too . . . and whether he’d used them with her.
“I’ve never been inside a woman without one. Are you sure?” he asked.
It was everything I wanted to hear. We could share something new together.
“Very,” I said, my voice growing husky with desire.
“Damn, sweetheart.” He groaned again.
And then Nolan’s lips were on mine and his hands were in my hair, and his cock was pushing inside me so hot and hard that I lost myself to the blinding pleasure.
Skin to skin. Heart to heart.
? ? ?
I spent the next two days in Nolan’s bed. He fed me comfort food until I was sure I’d gained five pounds, tended to my bruises as they faded, and made sure I was safe, happy, and comfortable.
My dad had flown in for a brief twenty-four-hour stay. He was busy with work, but he needed to see me with his own eyes, hug me, and make sure I was really okay. And as worried as Nolan had been about dating his boss’s daughter, Dad made it crystal clear that he supported us, shaking Nolan’s hand and telling him to take good care of me. It was due in large part to what an admirable man Nolan was—my dad seemed to idolize him—but also because of my poor choices in past boyfriends. Nolan was a good man, and there was no arguing that.
We’d also gone over every detail of my ordeal. My dad and Nolan listened while I covered my experience with the kidnappers, recounting everything I could remember. As I spoke, Nolan typed it all into his laptop. He wanted to make sure I had it all down clearly and wouldn’t forget crucial details for my testimony, since the trial wouldn’t be for a long time. Then we went and gave my statement to the police too, so it was all on official record.
My dad also seemed to ease up a little—letting go of the reins and understanding that this was my life now. I told him I was staying in Texas, and he’d merely nodded.
And now Dad was gone, and Nolan and I both had to return to work in the morning, and back to reality. As good as it had been to stay here with him, I needed to get back to my apartment, back into my life. I didn’t want to hide in Nolan’s shadow. That was the entire reason I’d come here—I wanted to live, not to cower in fear.
We had finished dinner a short time ago and washed the dishes together in comfortable silence. But even with Daniella gone, there was still something that was bothering me, and I was trying to work up the courage to bring it up to Nolan. Her absence couldn’t erase some of the questions I still had.
It wasn’t until we were tucked into bed for the night that I found my courage. The room was dark, and Sutton was sleeping in his new dog bed on the floor.
“Nolan?”
“Hmm?” he murmured, running his fingers through my hair while my head rested on his warm chest.
“Where do you keep your toys?”
“Toys?”
“The things I saw that night, the . . .” God, why does butt plug have to be so awkward to say? “Ropes, blindfolds, and the other stuff.”
“Those things belonged to Daniella, and she took them with her. Why?”
He raised his head from the pillow, and I sat up too. I knew he had other interests in the bedroom, and I didn’t want to be sheltered from them any longer. If we were going to build a real future together, I didn’t want him tempering his tastes for my sake.
“Show me what you like,” I whispered, wishing my words sounded as bold as I felt inside.
“You’re what I like, sweetheart.” He kissed me deeply, his hand at my jaw while his tongue stroked mine.
I pulled back just an inch, placing my hands on his firm chest and rubbing lightly at the taut muscles. “Please. Trust me enough to let me in.”
“Not tonight, angel. You’ve been through too much.”
My heart started to pound. “There’s this whole other side to you, and I need to know. I need to know I have all of you.”
“You do,” he said.
“Not like this. I don’t want some tame, watered-down version of you. I saw the look in your eyes that night. You shouldn’t have to keep that Nolan in check. I need to know him if I’m going to be with you.”
He let out a frustrated sigh. “You want me to be rough with you? Spank you? Show you all the dirty things I like?”
My heart slamming inside my chest, I nodded.
He kissed me again, his lips searing mine, and I sensed there was an internal battle being waged inside him. Wanting to push him over the edge, I slipped my hand into his boxer briefs and gripped his cock. Then I bit his bottom lip—hard.
Nolan let out a loud growl and flipped us over so that he was on his back, and I was sitting atop him.
“Up on your knees,” he said.