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.
The roughness of his voice sent a thrill of adrenaline through me. I rose up on my knees over him, and he shoved his boxers down to free himself.
“I need you to understand one thing,” he said as he gripped himself and leisurely stroked. I shivered as his knuckles grazed my clit. “Whatever happened before you has already been forgotten. You’re all I want. All I need.”
He pulled my panties to the side, his fingers lightly stroking me.
“Soaked for me already. That’s my girl.” Pulling the damp material down my legs, he discarded them at the end of the bed.
I eased down over him, both of us gasping when he entered me.
“So warm. So snug. So perfect.” He grunted as I eased down further. “This is all I want. You. Me . . .” He groaned aloud as I picked up speed, circling my hips to find the depth and angle that made us both cry out. “And if we want toys in the bedroom, we’ll pick them out together.”
My heart overflowed with happiness. I didn’t know those were the words I’d needed to hear, but his answer was perfect. I was enough. Together, we were enough.
Soon I was riding him—well, that wasn’t really correct. I was on top, but he gripped my waist, shoving me up and down on his cock, using me as his toy. His mouth was everywhere, biting and kissing and nibbling on my breasts and my neck.
I knew tomorrow I would wear his marks, and nothing could make me happier.
Epilogue
Nolan
One Year Later
At the picnic table behind the hospital, Lacey took the brown paper sack from my hand. “Thanks. You’re a lifesaver.” She pecked me on the cheek.
“No problem, babe.” It was my day off, so I’d just been puttering around the house when I noticed that Lacey had forgotten her lunch. “Want some company while you eat?”
“Sure,” she chirped, and we sat down next to each other.