Youve Always Been Mine (Mine #2) - Jenika Snow

YOU’VE ALWAYS BEEN MINE YOU’RE MINE, 2

JENIKA SNOW

Contents Copyright Newsletter You’ve Always Been Mine Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Epilogue Free Book Excerpt: Say You’re Mine Excerpt: Dirty (A Real Man, 8) You’re Mine Series A Real Man Series About the Author

YOU’VE ALWAYS BEEN MINE (You’re Mine, 2) By Jenika Snow www.JenikaSnow.com [email protected] Copyright © January 2017 by Jenika Snow First E-book Publication: January 2017

Photographer: Wander Aguiar Cover models: Jonny James & Tiffany Marie Photo provided by: Wander Book Club

Editors: Kasi Alexander and Lea Ann Schafer Cover Creator: Popkitty

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED: The unauthorized reproduction, transmission, or distribution of any part of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. This literary work is fiction. Any name, places, characters and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or establishments is solely coincidental. Please respect the author and do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials that would violate the author’s rights.

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Paige

WHEN ERIK LEFT TOWN, I thought my world had ended. Even at the tender age of ten I knew how hard my life would be without him. And as I grow older, as the letters between us became sparse to nonexistent, I can’t help but feel like a wall has been built around my heart. There is only one boy for me, and I know I’ll never see him again.

Erik SHE WAS MY BEST FRIEND, the only person I knew I couldn’t live without. But we had to leave each other. Time went on, we drifted apart, and it always felt like I’d left a piece of myself back with her. But I’m a man now, a wounded Marine, and fate brings me back to the one girl who completes me. Paige has always been mine, and now it’s time to prove that to her.

WARNING: Tighten that seat belt because you’re about to go on an over-the-top, totally unbelievable ride. Featuring a possessive and devoted hero who saved himself for that one girl, it’ll still have that sugary-sweet aftertaste you crave. Don’t forget that cold glass of water, because you’ll need it for the heat this book— and Erik—is packing.

PROLOGUE

Erik Ten years old and time to say good-bye want to leave. I didn’t I didn’t want to let go of her.

“It’s time, Erik, sweetie,” I heard my mom say, but I didn’t care. “I’ll never forget about you,” she said softly against my ear. I pulled away, not because I wanted to but because I wanted to look in her face, the one girl who held my heart. I saw the tears rolling down Paige’s cheeks, and a part of me wanted to lean in and kiss them away. I reached into my pocket, grabbed the little red string I had, and started tying it around her wrist. I made a bow to finish it off, the loose strands on either side hanging from her tiny wrist. “It’s not much, but when you look at it, you’ll know I am wearing mine.” I lifted my arm and showed her the red string tied to my wrist. “When you look at that string, you’ll know we’re connected.” “Come on, Paige honey,” her mom said and started moving forward. “I don’t want to go, Erik.” Paige pulled me in for another hug. “I don’t want you to go either,” I whispered, and my heart clenched hard, painfully. Her mom gave me this sad look, and I wanted to lash out. I wanted to scream, to hurt someone as much as I was hurting. I wanted to make a big scene because I was being forced to leave my best friend. I gave Paige a kiss on the cheek, tasting her tears. It was a salty flavor that I knew I’d never forget. Her mom pulled her away, and our limbs were untangled from each other. I didn’t stop staring at her as she was put in the back of the car. She placed her hand on the window, her face red, her tears falling really hard now. My Paige. I didn’t stop crying either.

I felt like a part of me was breaking away, and I’d never get it back. “You’re so young. You’ll feel better as time goes on.” I didn’t say anything after my mom spoke. I didn’t bother telling her that at ten years old I’d never forget about Paige. “You can always write to Paige, maybe even call her from time to time.” That wasn’t good enough. I wanted to be beside her, to hold her hand and go on walks with her to the creek like we used to. I wanted her to tell me what made her happy. I just wanted her near me. “Come on, honey, we need to load up the last of the boxes and get on the road.” I didn’t care what anyone said, didn’t even want to hear anything aside from the beating of my heart. Because it beat for her. Paige would always be mine.

CHAPTER 1

Erik Welcome back: Twelve years later been so damn long since I’d been back to this town. I t had Twelve years.

One hundred forty-four months. Six hundred twenty-five weeks. Four thousand three hundred and eighty days. It seemed like a lifetime ago. It was a lifetime ago. But I never stopped thinking about her. I stared at the sign that greeted us. Blue Springs. The town I’d moved away from all those years ago. I was a different person now, a man. I was a Marine, had seen violence, horror. I had a bad leg to show for it, scars, a memory of what I’d done in my life. My memories held darkness and pain, but it wasn’t just about getting injured while fighting that stayed with me, that coated me like this thick second skin. It was about who I’d left behind. The town held so many memories for me. When I’d first left, as a child, not knowing how to cope, I’d cried myself to sleep so many times. “Can you believe we’re back here after all this time?” I turned and looked at my mom. I knew she was tired, scared, and pissed most of all. But she put up a good front. She stayed strong, and I knew it was because of me. Even if I was a grown man now and should be taking care of her, still she tried to shelter me. Even though I’d seen war and death, been on the receiving end of it all, still she was a mother. I knew it was for me. I reached out and took her hand in mine. “Everything will be fine. I’m here now, he’s out of our lives, and we can start over.” Well, it was starting over in the place we began, but she knew what I meant, I was sure.

And if I ever saw my father again, I’d kick his ass. Not only did we uproot our life all those years ago because of his new job, but it was only recently that we found out he’d been banging the office secretary for the last five years. He threw away his family for a piece of ass, a twenty-something-year-old piece of ass at that. My mom smiled. I was really proud of her for not putting up with his bullshit and having the strength to leave. I rubbed my leg absently. “Is it bothering you?” she asked, and I shook my head. “No. It’s just a habit.” When a bomb had gone off, shrapnel had gone straight into my leg. Now I had a scar that ran the length of my thigh to my knee. I told myself things happen for a reason. Although I was no longer on active duty, I’d earned a Purple Heart, and was now home to be with my mom during this shitty time. She left, and I left with her. No way in hell would I let her do this alone. Even at twenty-two I knew I had to be there for her. I could finish school in Blue Springs. I’d already applied for the spring semester at the community college, and I’d find work somewhere. “I hate that we had to leave all those years ago, only to come back and stay with your cousins and aunt.” I shrugged. “It’s better than staying there with that asshole.” I had my hands on my thighs, wanting to punch him right in his fucking face. “He’s still your father. Don’t talk about him like that.” I clenched my teeth but was respectful enough not to say anything else. I could have said a shitload about him. Him fucking that woman explained a lot; why he’d seemed distant, stayed later, was gone on “business meetings” on the weekends. He’d neglected us to get his dick wet. Yeah, I had no fucking sympathy for that bastard. Silence stretched on for long minutes, and my thoughts went back to all those years ago, to happier times, to a person that hadn’t ever let me down. Paige Masterson. She’d been my best friend since kindergarten, and for the next four years we’d been inseparable. Leaving her behind when we moved had been the hardest damn thing I’d ever done. I might have only been a child, but even now I still remembered her. I remembered the sweet smell of her and how she made my heart race. “It’s a shame you lost contact with Paige,” my mother finally said, breaking up the silence. I stared out the passenger side window. It was a fucking tragedy that we lost contact. But I was back in town now, and I had the rest of my fucking life to make it up to her, to be there for her in all the ways that counted. I thought back to how it had all gone away, how we’d drifted apart. I should have tried harder, been a better friend.

For a year after we moved I wrote to her every day. And if I was lucky I was able to call her. But back then my parents didn’t have a cell phone with unlimited minutes. We didn’t have the Internet where I could Skype with Paige. I was at the mercy of letters, a calling card if I was lucky, or my parents being generous and letting me call her long distance. But seeing her again, actually coming back to Blue Springs back then wasn’t an option, not when it was a three-day drive straight through, and I didn’t have my license. My parents also couldn’t afford a plane ticket. And by the time I was old enough and had enough money, we’d drifted apart, to my devastation. So those few phone calls had been my saving grace. But as the years went on, those letters we wrote back and forth grew less and less. Schoolwork, friends, and the distance put this wedge between us. I hated that it had come to that, loathed that we hadn’t tried harder to stay connected. Then I’d gone into the military right out of high school. Four years later and here I was now, coming back, wounded, my heart still beating for one girl. “Yeah, it’s a shame.” It is a fucking tragedy. But I never forgot about Paige. I never stopped thinking of her as my best friend, never stopped seeing her as my soul mate. And coming back to town had this excitement tunneling through me the likes of which I’d never felt. “Although she won’t recognize you,” my mom said and started laughing. She glanced at me, eyeing my arms and neck. “You went crazy with the tattoos and working out. I doubt even your cousins will recognize you.” The working out wasn’t just for my sanity, but because I had to be strong to be a Marine. Not just in body but in mind, as well. I stared out the window again, thinking about her, imagining what she’d look like now. We might have sent pictures back and forth as the years passed, but I hadn’t seen one of her since we were thirteen years old. Was her dark hair still long and wavy? Did her blue eyes pop with color still? The last time I’d physically seen her had been when I was a devastated ten-year-old, wanting to hold her tight and not let go. I could still hear her voice in my head. How much had she truly changed? As drastically as me? God, I want to see her so badly. Even through the shit storm that was our current situation, I’d anticipated coming to Blue Springs and reconnecting with Paige. I had no doubt it would be like I’d never left. You don’t have a friendship like that without knowing that person even a thousand years later. But the one thing that stuck with me, like a living nightmare of reality, was the possibility that she had someone. Hell, she was twenty-two now, the same age as me. For all I knew she could be married, have children.

The very thought of her with someone else, of having a family without me, made me so damn anxious I shifted on my seat. No, I wouldn’t go there. If it came to it and I found out she did have someone, that she was happy, I’d gladly take her in my life as a friend. I’d take her any way I could have her. Are you sure you can just let go like that, though?

CHAPTER 2

Paige

“W elcome to Sweeties,” I called out when I heard the bell above the front door

chime, but I didn’t look up from the cash register. “Have a seat wherever and I’ll be with you in just a moment.” I gave the customer I was checking out their change, offering a smile. Then I went to make a shake. I filled the malt cup up with vanilla ice cream, grabbed the chocolate syrup, and started pouring it into the mixing cup. The sauce sprayed out unexpectedly, and I cursed. I looked down at my chest, chocolate sauce all over my breasts and stomach. Fantastic. I made quick work of trying to clean off my shirt, but all that did was smear the sauce. “Might make bigger tips with that all over you,” Big Bill said. I glanced up at the cook. The older man grinned, but it wasn’t lewd. He was as protective of the girls who worked here as he was at cracking annoying jokes. “You got that shake ready?” Cait asked, the only other waitress that had shown up to work today. “I’ll have it in a second.” A squirt of whipped cream. A cherry on top. A straw shoved inside. I glanced up, spotted the group of three guys that had just come in, their backs to me, and grabbed some menus. After dropping off the milkshake at a table, I headed over to take their orders. It was busy, we were short staffed, and my feet were killing me. I also had another hour left on my shift, and I already felt like pulling my hair out. Not to mention I had a term paper to finish that was due Monday for my economics class at the local community college. Once at their table, I set a menu in front of each of them, grabbed my pad and

pen out of my apron, and focused on my paper. “Cheeseburger and fries. Coke.” I recognized that voice. When I glanced up, I looked between the two guys who were seated to my left. Will and Cal Michaels. They were brothers, twins, and had gone to the same high school as me. But they were in a totally different social group than I’d been in. I’d been the nerdy girl, and they’d been the jocks. They were also Erik’s cousins, although while growing up they hadn’t been close, like at all. I doubted they even kept in contact with him after he moved. “Same for me, but give me a cherry shake,” Cal said, getting the exact same thing as his twin. I nodded and wrote down their order. “And for you?” I asked, turning my attention to the third guy. He had his head lowered, and the baseball cap he wore concealed his face. I took a second to look at the numerous tattoos that covered his arms, even his hands, and the ones that lined his neck. No doubt that ink also covered his chest and back. This guy really didn’t look like he belonged in Blue Springs. The tattoos alone made him stand out, but I couldn’t help but appreciate them. Our town was small, intimate. We had Friday night football games where the whole town came out and watched, a big rodeo once a year, and ice cream socials during the summer. This guy was covered in tattoos, had a baseball cap that said F*ck Off, and looked broody as hell, even though he hadn’t said one word to me or even looked my way. He’d used his body as a canvas, and although I didn’t know who he was, I felt like it suited him well. “Can I get you something?” I asked again, feeling like I’d been standing here staring at him for hours. “She doesn’t recognize him,” Cal said, but I still stared at this mystery inked-up guy. “I can’t blame her,” Will said. And then the tattooed guy did look at me. The first thing I noticed was the intense brown of his eyes. Eyes that were familiar, that had recognition filling me. His dark hair was short, but I could see the strands peeking out from under the cap. And his face, covered in a days’ worth of dark scruff along his cheeks and jaw, was hard, angular, and very masculine. He was familiar, but I didn’t think I’d ever seen him before. No, I would have remembered this guy if I’d seen him. I felt goose bumps form along my arms the longer he stared at me. He looked at me like he knew me, like he’d known me for my whole life and could see into me, pick out my deepest desires. For as hot as I was running around the diner today, this sudden chill raced over me. “I’ll have the same,” he said, his voice deep, rich … dark. “Just water though.” He was a big guy; even sitting down I could tell he’d tower over me. And his muscles

… God, he was just a big man all around. I nodded and turned, leaving, needing to get out of here, needing to get some fresh air. As it was I felt like I was suffocating, like someone had reached in and grabbed my lungs, ripping them from my body. I glanced over at him, and shock speared through me when I saw that he watched me. I was confused, not sure where to place him, but knowing deep down this wasn’t a stranger to me.

CHAPTER 3

Erik he didn’t recognize me. SMy mother had been right.

I watched her walk away because I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I couldn’t have looked away even if I’d wanted to. I didn’t give a shit that Cal and Will were staring at me, their gazes like a fucking slap to my face. “Dude, didn’t we say you changed?” Cal said, but I ignored him. Paige was all grown up now. She was gorgeous, so fucking beautiful it was painful. “She used to be so nerdy in high school. Now, damn, she’s a hot piece of ass.” I snapped my head around and looked at Will. “You shut the fuck up.” Will sobered instantly. “What the hell? Dude, what’s gotten into you?” Cal stared at me like I’d lost my mind. Truth was I didn’t even like Cal and Will all that much. They might be blood, but they were also assholes. The only reason I was even with them right now was because my mom had begged me to get out and reconnect with them. Reconnect? We’d never connected to begin with. But even if they were pricks and I’d dreaded hanging with them, I was glad I’d come. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have seen Paige. I didn’t even care that she didn’t recognize me. I sure as hell recognized her. “Don’t fucking say that kind of shit about her.” I could see Will didn’t like that I’d put him in his place, but neither of them would challenge me. I was bigger, stronger, and they knew I’d have no problem beating their asses. Or hell, maybe they would push me. It had been a long time since we’d seen each other. And if they did want to go there with me, if they did want to talk shit about Paige, well, I’d show them how hardened I’d become. I’d have no problem drawing blood from family members if it meant defending Paige’s honor.

Paige IT WAS hard to finish up work knowing he was sitting just feet from me. And still I couldn’t place him. I racked my brain trying to recall where I’d seen him. Or maybe I’d never seen him? Maybe that instant electrical sensation I felt when I looked into his eyes was making this all happen, the catalyst to me losing my mind? Hell, he probably thought I was rude. I’d given them their food without so much as a word, then left to finish out my other duties. I really wasn’t trying to give them the cold shoulder—well, not the mystery guy. Cal and Will were pricks in their own right, and although they hadn’t especially shown me that “quality” while in school, they also hadn’t been very friendly. I’d been on the bottom of the totem poll of the social chain, and because of that they’d wanted nothing to do with me. But that had been fine with me. I glanced at the table, but to my disappointment the guys were gone. I felt my shoulders sag but couldn’t place why I cared so much that the mystery guy had left. “You okay?” Cait asked as she rang up a customer’s bill. “Yeah,” I said but was glancing at the table again, now empty. “But did you know that guy with Will and Cal?” She’d gone to school with us. She glanced up at me. “I saw them but couldn’t see the guy they were with. Why?” I just shook my head. I wasn’t about to go into it. He was gone. I didn’t know him, so I’d leave it at that. “Never mind.” I smiled, and she left it alone. By the time I could leave, I breathed a sigh of relief. “’Bye,” Claire called out. She had another four hours left on her shift, and I couldn’t help but feel guilty that I was leaving her. But I had things to study for, and if I didn’t get it in now, while I had some free time, I wouldn’t pass the class. I headed toward the parking lot, my focus on my purse but my mind on those brown eyes. So expressive. So rich, deep. So familiar. He’d stared at me like he knew me, like there wasn’t anything else more important to focus on. Those brown eyes, ones that looked deep into my very soul. And then it hit me like a ton of bricks. The air was sucked out of me, I froze midstep, and the world tilted. He’d stared at me like he knew me better than anyone. The years might have passed in a blur, and we might have drifted apart, lost contact, but I should never have thought twice about who he was. I should have known who sat just a foot from me, should have recognized the connection I felt to him. Erik. He’d been right there, right at my fingertips. I’d heard his deep, male voice, felt it stroke over me, yet I hadn’t known.

No, that couldn’t be right; that couldn’t be him. It had been, what, twelve years since I’d seen him last? Surely I’d recognize him instantly. Not if he’s changed so much; not if he’s basically a different person. My chest ached, my heart clenching fiercely. No, that had been Erik, and I hadn’t even realized it. I rubbed my chest, feeling like the world had just swallowed me whole and I was trapped in this dark pit. “You remembered,” a deep voice said from a few feet from me said. I snapped my head up to see Erik leaning against a car. He had his arms crossed, his hat pulled down low, but his focus right on me. Now that I knew it was him, I couldn’t believe it took me so look to recognize the boy who’d stolen my heart for so long. My chest ached, longing claiming me like an old friend. I found myself moving forward, although it felt like I was on automatic. He’d changed. So much. He was so tall, at least half a foot taller than my five-foot-seven height, maybe even more. I stopped right in front of him, smelling the scent of the cologne he wore, or maybe that was just the way he smelled; spicy, woodsy, and all male. We didn’t say anything for long seconds, but I wouldn’t have known what to say even if the words came to me. And then he smiled at me, and it was as if no time had passed at all. It was as if we hadn’t been separated by distance, by the fact that he had to leave me when neither of us was ready. “I’m sorry,” I said. I was sorry for not realizing he was who he was. I was sorry that we’d lost contact. I was sorry that I hadn’t tried harder to make sure our friendship didn’t suffer. Standing right in front of me was the boy who’d held my heart, who’d given me that little red string that I still had to this day. But he wasn’t that boy anymore. He was a man now, big and strong, with tattoos covering him and a hardness in his eyes that had never been there. I didn’t know what he was doing back in Blue Springs, but I didn’t want to waste time. I wanted to get to know him again, reconnect with the man he’d become … with the one person I had known was the other half of my soul. We might have only been ten, and I might not have known what love or lust was, but I’d known Erik was the one person who could make my heart race with just a look. “Sorry?” he said, the confusion thick in his voice, like a blanket covering me, trying to steal my air. “Paige.” The way he said my name was almost pained. “There’s no apology needed.” I didn’t know why I felt like crying, but the sting of tears pricked at my eyes. I blinked rapidly, not wanting to do this right now. It would be a sign of weakness, this wound that spread open and covered me in the aftereffects of what I’d buried long ago. I wanted to reach out and touch him, to run my fingers along his bare skin and make sure he was truly here, that my mind wasn’t just conjuring him up because I ached to have him near, to have him right here with me. “You’ve grown up,” he said, a little smile on his face that made my heart jump.

“I could say the same about you. You’re not that scrawny ten-year-old anymore.” We’d sent pictures of each other back in the day, awkward teenagers with goofy smiles as we posed for the camera. But even the most recent picture Erik had sent me didn’t compare to the man in front of me. For one thing, in the pictures I had from him, he didn’t have any ink. Now he was covered in it from neck to God knows where else. I found myself skimming my gaze down his big, muscular body, and felt my face heat at how I must look. Snapping my eyes back up to him, I saw he watched me, the smile gone, and this heavy-lidded expression covering his oh-so-masculine face. “It’s been a really long time, Erik.” He exhaled and nodded. For a second I thought he’d say something, but he just continued to stare at me, to watch me as if he were trying to understand what was going on too. I swallowed, my throat tight, scratchy, like I’d swallowed sand. “What are you doing back in Blue Springs?” I finally managed to ask. I glanced at the car he was leaning against. “Did you drive here?” Erik pushed off the car, and I took in the full height of him. I had to tilt my head back to look in his face. “That’s a long story.” He didn’t elaborate for a second. “Maybe we can hang out, catch up? I can explain why I’m here and all that.” I nodded. “I’d like that.” I’d really like that, in fact. “Good,” he said, his lips quirking up at the side. God, he looked so good, so strong. I felt wholly feminine standing next to him. Gone was the child feeling I had. Now I was looking at him as a woman looks at a man, appreciating what was in front of her. He nodded again, his smile widening. “I mean, I’m sure it’s not, but you still have the same number?” I shook my head. “I mean, it’s still my mom’s number. I don’t live there anymore.” His brows furrowed. “I have a cell number, though.” There was this moment of silence before he nodded. He shifted on his feet, looking weird all of a sudden. “How about we exchange new numbers then?” I nodded. We pulled out our cells, and he gave me his number. Once I had it, I sent him a text. “Now you have mine, so feel free to hit me up whenever. I can show you around. Things have changed a little since you’ve been gone.” My heart hurt saying that. “Don’t be a stranger and forget to call,” I found myself saying, then felt stupid, desperate even. For all I knew he didn’t feel that kindred friendship like I still did. We might not have been actively speaking for years now, but that changed nothing. I still saw him as my best friend. “Believe me, I won’t forget.” The way he said that had this chill racing up my spine. “I’ll see you soon, Paige.” And the way he said my name had my heart racing. I stood there, confused as I watched him start to walk away. “Hey, where are you parked?” He stopped and glanced over his shoulder at me. “I’m not parked anywhere. Will

and Cal left with the car we came to the diner in.” He shrugged one broad shoulder. “No worries; it’s all good.” Was he staying with Cal and Will? I knew they lived a good ten miles outside of the square of town. “Are you staying with your aunt?” He gave a sharp nod, lifted his hand, and started walking away. His body was so big, his movement fluid like a wild animal. “Wait,” I called out and he stopped again. “Let me take you there. I’m not about to let you walk all that way.” “It’s all good, Paige.” I exhaled, exasperated. “Get in,” I said and tipped my chin toward my used Honda. It certainly wasn’t a looker, but I didn’t need it for any other purpose than to take me to work, home, and school. Once we were in the car, I looked over at him. He was so big, taking up the entire space of my tiny Civic. “Are you back for good?” He was facing straight ahead, his profile sharp, all male. His expression looked severe, and I wondered if maybe that had been the wrong thing to say. “Yeah,” was his reply. He didn’t elaborate, and I knew well enough to leave it alone … for now.

CHAPTER 4

Erik know how long I stood there, watching the road, maybe thinking Paige I don’t would come back, like it wouldn’t be weird between us. I didn’t want it to be

like that, but I guess it was unavoidable. “You got it bad,” Will said from behind me, and I clenched my jaw. Staying with them and my aunt was temporary, as in I was already going to look at a few places for my mom and me. Yeah, moving back to town had been short notice, and yeah, they were family, but Will and Cal were already riding my ass, and I hadn’t even been here that long. I should have told him to fuck off, but instead I just turned from the street and made my way up the porch. My mind was on Paige, how pretty she was, how grown up she’d become. She wasn’t that cute little girl anymore. She was a woman, a gorgeous woman. And mine. First thing I needed to do was find a car. I hadn’t needed one, not since I was in the military, away from home, with nowhere to go. But this was different. I was back in Blue Springs, Paige was here, and I needed to be able to get to her. But on that thought I remembered what she’d said. She had a place, her own place. But did she share it with someone? I’d looked to see if she wore a ring— which she didn’t—but that didn’t mean she wasn’t taken. No, she’s mine. She’ll only ever be mine. “Fuck,” I mumbled under my breath and headed toward the back room. I also needed to get out of here, like yesterday. I knew my mom liked being here with her sister, but I couldn’t stand Cal and Will. One of these days they’d push me, say the wrong thing, and I’d beat their asses. Once in the room I shut the door and grabbed my cell. I stared at Paige’s number, wanting to call her, wanting to be with her even though she’d just left. And even if she was with someone, I didn’t know if I could just let it go. I didn’t know if I could just stand back and be her friend, even though I’d said I would take

her any way I could. I meant it when I said I wanted her as mine, and that had just cemented itself back at the diner when I saw her for the first time again after so long. Meet me tonight for dinner? I shouldn’t have sent her that message. She’ll think I’m a fucking creep for sure. Damn it. I ran my hand over my hair, breathing out, feeling tightness in my chest. It was the same feeling I’d gotten when I first saw her at the diner. It was the same sensation I’d gotten when I watched her drive away all those years ago. I rubbed my chest at the same time my cell vibrated. Paige: I’d love to. We had a lot to talk about, a lot of time to make up for. I just hoped she hadn’t fallen in love with someone, because she was meant for me. We were meant for each other.

Paige THE BUTTERFLIES in my belly were fierce, moving around, taking up residence. I felt the beads of sweat on my palms, a damp reminder that I had no control over my body. I’d just seen Erik earlier today, was shocked he’d messaged me before I even gotten home. But I’d been ecstatic, the feeling of being right where I was supposed to be filling me like water in a tub. And then the door to the diner opened and he walked in. He took up the entire entryway, his big body not just stunning but commanding as well. I felt simple in his presence, plain in every way. Things had changed. We’d changed. He had a baseball cap on again, the bill low, but his focus trained right on me. His jacket was black, forming to his thick biceps and hanging loosely around his trimmed waist. I didn’t miss how the female population stopped and stared. I couldn’t blame them. My heart beat like a jackhammer on cement. I felt the organ slam against my rib cage, a painful thumping that let me know I was alive, that told me it was beating for him in this very moment. When he took his seat across from me, I placed my hands in my lap, not wanting to show him they shook slightly. I was so nervous, my throat dry and my tongue feeling swollen. “Thanks for agreeing to see me. I know I probably came off forward.” I shook my head. “No, you didn’t come off that way.” Even my voice sounded thick. Breathe. It’s just Erik. Your Erik. It’s the boy you grew up with, the one who was your best friend, who would have gone up against anything with you. “I’m glad you wanted to meet up. It’s been a long time.” God, my throat was so dry, the words feeling thick as I spoke them. The waitress came by, and even

though I should have eaten something, I couldn’t. I was too nervous, my belly in knots. Instead I ordered a cup of hot chocolate and a piece of pie. At least I’d have them to keep myself busy or have something to look at when I couldn’t stare at Erik. But he ordered a large meal: a hamburger, extra fries, a Coke. He even ordered a slice of pie. I supposed a man of his size needed to eat that much. The waitress left, and we sat there in silence. It was slightly uncomfortable, like the sting of a rose thorn on the skin. I hated it, wanted it to go back to the way it had been before, when all those years ago we only had our emotions. Hell, even at ten years old I knew I’d cared about him so much, but this lust I felt now had been absent. “How have you been?” He broke up the silence with his deep-timbred voice. This tingle went through me, settling right between my thighs. “Good.” I nodded and started picking at my napkin. “You?” He nodded and rested back on the seat. His big body looked comfortable but still so powerful. “Are you in school?” I licked my lips. “Yeah, last semester before I graduate with an economics degree.” “Sounds fancy.” He grinned, just a little of the corner of his mouth that made him look so sexy. “Not really.” I laughed awkwardly. “I never pegged you for a numbers kind of girl.” I smiled, this one more genuine, less awkward. “I don’t think I am, really.” I laughed again. “But it comes easy to me, and it’s interesting in a boring kind of way.” It was his turn to laugh, and the sound made my whole body light up. “I don’t even know what I can actually use that degree for in Blue Springs. I mean, I could probably find something in a bigger city, maybe as an economics professional or in the financial sector with just a bachelor’s degree, but I don’t know what I’ll do.” I shrugged, feeling my face heat as I spoke. He watched me, listening so intently as I rambled on. He shifted slightly on his seat. “Will you leave Blue Springs once you graduate?” His voice seemed thicker just now. I wanted to say no instantly, that he was back in town, that I didn’t want to leave. But I also didn’t know why he was here or how long he’d stay. “Honestly, I don’t know. I don’t want to.” That was the truth on more than one level. “I love Blue Springs, even with its sometimes backward ways. I don’t want to leave my family or my friends, but I’m also realistic. There’s nothing but a diner job for me if I stay.” He nodded, and although he didn’t say anything, his expression spoke volumes: he looked … torn. “That’s good, Paige. It’s good to have goals, to want something more than what you have. You deserve that.” He ran a hand over his jaw. He took off his hat only long enough to run his palm over his dark, short hair.

“What about you? What’s been going on with you?” A moment of silence passed before he started speaking. “After high school I went straight into the military. I was a Marine, got deployed, injured, and I’m here now.” He smiled, but it seemed distant. He’d been hurt, and that caused my chest to tighten. “Are you okay? I mean, you look okay, but I know that doesn’t mean anything.” He nodded, but I didn’t miss how he rubbed his hand down his leg. “I’m alive. That’s what matters.” He stared right into my eyes. “And I’m here with you. That matters a hell of a lot too.” “How is your mom, your dad? Are you here just visiting?” Please say no. Please say you’re here to stay. The air changed after I spoke, and I wondered if I’d touched on a sensitive subject. I felt like I was treading on very thin ice around Erik. He was a different person, and this was a different time. I didn’t really know him anymore, even if I hated admitting that. “My mom and me moved back here because my dad ended up cheating on her with his secretary.” My heart seized for a moment. “He’d been fucking a twenty-something-year-old for the last five years.” Erik’s jaw was tight, his anger clear. His profanity didn’t even faze me. “I am so sorry.” I wanted to comfort him, to just forget about any kind of awkwardness and wrap my arms around him and make things okay. If we were those ten-year-olds again, I would have. I would have just held him tight and told him everything would be all right. But we aren’t kids anymore, and telling him everything will be okay won’t help things. I won’t make him feel any less betrayed. Instead, I thought about what I had in my pocket, what could make him think of something else … a sad but also meaningful moment in our lives. “It’s been so long,” I said. I hadn’t meant to say those words out loud, but they were out there now, ready to be dissected or disposed of, whichever way he wanted to go about it. “It’s just time, Paige.” Then he reached out and placed his hand over mine, his voice soft but deep, meaningful and sad, too. “Time doesn’t mean anything in the grand scheme of things, in the way it matters, in the fact that we found each other again.” I was confused by his words. Maybe he saw that on my face, because he started speaking again. “We are here together again. Distance, time, that look I saw on your face as you drove away all those years ago—” He shook his head, the emotion coming from him raw. “None of that even matters anymore because we are here in this moment, we are together again.” I smiled, feeling my throat tighten, my heart race. “But time does matter. A lot has changed in the years. We both have, our lives, everything.”

He removed his hand from mine, and I hated the coldness, the emptiness I felt in that moment. The waitress came by and set our food and drinks down. I was thankful when she left. I reached into my pocket and pulled out that red string he’d given me so long ago. It was in a little plastic baggie, the red color not so vibrant, the life of it aging the same way everything does as time moves on. I held it up, knowing he’d be able to tell what it was right away. I saw that realization in his eyes, on his face as he reached out, as if he wanted to touch it. “You kept it all this time?” “Of course, although I haven’t worn it for years. I’m afraid it’ll fray and fall off.” The fear of losing it as time went on was very real for me. It had been the only solid thing I’d had from Erik, the last thing he’d given to me. “I still have mine,” he said, a small smile on his lips. That made me feel like things were exactly perfect in the world, that even something as tiny as a piece of thread could mold two people together. I put the baggie back in my pocket, and the silence stretched on, the food and drink being unconsumed. “I’ve missed you.” He finally spoke. I looked up at him, my heart hurting. “I missed you too.” I felt emotion threaten to claim me, drag me under and never let go. “I don’t know where it all went wrong. I don’t know why there was this distance between us, one that had nothing to do with me living in another state.” I knew what he meant. I’d hated it too. “I never stopped thinking about you, wondering what you were doing, what you were thinking.” I also thought about if he was happy, if he’d fallen in love. It was that thought that had the ache in my chest intensifying. “I’d like to make up for that time, Paige. I’d like to be the way we were.” Friends. It was that unspoken word, that relationship we’d had all those years ago that hung between us, unspoken but very real. I was silent for a long time, not because I had to think about what he’d said, but because I was churning stuff over in my head continuously. Maybe I worried him? The way he shifted on his seat and his expression told me he might take my silence as something else. “Or, if you’re with someone—” He cleared his throat, and I didn’t miss the way his hand clenched on the table. “If you’re seeing someone, maybe I could meet them? I just want to spend time with you.” “I’m not with anyone, Erik.” I hadn’t realized until I said it out loud—to Erik— just how good that felt. “I want to spend time with you, too.” And after I said those words and this big, powerful man looked at me like I’d just given him the world, this warmth spread through me like fire in my veins. And I didn’t want to let that go.

CHAPTER 5

Erik

“S he’s all yours,” the car dealer said, his grin cheesy, his hair slicked back and

thinning. I took the paperwork, grabbed the keys he gave me, and nodded. The truck I’d bought was the first step in getting away from my aunt’s house. I loved her and all, but damn, her kids knew how to get under my skin in the worst way. Cal’s and Will’s pompous attitudes were like nails on a chalkboard, running down over and over again until I wanted to rip my eardrums out. “You sure about the color?” my mom asked from beside me, her focus on the truck. I stopped when I got to the driver’s side. The truck was this rich blue, almost the exact shade of Paige’s eyes. “Yeah, I’m sure about the color.” That’s what drew me to it in the first place, like this endless ocean, like this buried deep recognition that filled me until I was drunk off it. “It’s a pretty color, just not what I expected you to ever get.” My mom walked over to where she’d parked her car, and eyed me. I didn’t tell her why I’d picked this color. That was something I’d keep to myself. I got into the cab of the truck, that new car smell filling my head. I lifted my hand and waved at my mom, watching as she drove off. I sat there for long seconds, the weight of my cell in my pocket reminding me of what I needed to do. It had been too long being without Paige. Being back in town, finally knowing having Paige in my life was like breathing after realizing I’d been holding my breath my whole life. Can I see you tonight? I rested my head back on the seat. I wanted to see her right now, but I had a place to look at, somewhere I could be alone, or where I’d much rather bring Paige to. My cell vibrated, and I looked down at it. Paige: I’d hoped you’d ask. And if not I would have I chuckled softly. Can I pick you up? Take you someplace we used to go? Paige: Sounds like that could be a good or bad thing lol. I couldn’t stop from grinning. Nothing to be worried about. I’ll be there at

seven. I wanted to end it with I love you, but that was crossing the line. We’d just reconnected, and I didn’t want to ruin things because of putting my foot in my mouth. I shoved my cell back into my pocket, started the engine, and vowed to get a place today. I needed to have that stability. I needed to show Paige that I had my shit in order, that I could be the man she fell for.

Paige I FELT the heat in the cab as if I were sitting in the middle of a fire, the flames all around me, threatening to creep closer, to swallow me whole, but just teasing. I glanced at Erik. He sat in the driver’s seat, one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting on his lap. I couldn’t help but stare at him, the light from the passing streetlamps casting a swatch of gold across him before being swallowed up by the darkness. The long-sleeved T-shirt he wore formed to his body, and even though he was sitting, even though he had a dark jacket covering most of his upper body, I could still see the lines and ridges of his power, of his muscles under the material. I shifted slightly and stared out the passenger side window. The world was a flash of color, lights, and shapes. My mind was consumed with being in this close proximity with Erik, with smelling the dark, musky scent of him, one that invaded my head and body. Since Erik had come back into town and we’d reconnected, I’d felt my feelings for him grow. We might have started off as friends all those years ago, but even then I’d known how special he was. There was no doubt in my mind if he would have stayed and not had to move, things would have naturally progressed to something romantic and consuming. He slowed and took a left onto a small side road. I instantly knew where he was going, and couldn’t help but smile. “Really?” He chuckled. “Really.” As children we’d come up here more times than not. Telling our parents we were playing at each other’s houses, then sneaking off to hike, try and jump over creeks, even dodging rocks thrown at each other were just some of the things we did. If our parents knew we’d walked down the side of the road and gone in the middle of nowhere to get into trouble, I had no doubt they’d have banned us from seeing each other. Erik parked the truck and cut the engine. He reached into the backseat, grabbed a few flashlights and a blanket, and glanced at me, this look in his eyes I couldn’t quite decipher. We were both out at the same time, and I felt this goofy smile on my face. Being here, with Erik beside me, the wilderness at our fingertips, made me nostalgic. I remembered it all, the details coming alive in my head.

Maybe coming up here when it was getting dark wasn’t the best time, but I wasn’t afraid. I had Erik, a larger-than-life man, and my feelings for him were consuming every part of me. “Want to check out the lake?” I asked. I didn’t know if he’d come up here since being back, but the lake sounded like a good place where we could talk. “Yeah,” he said, his voice gruff, the sound sending little stings of awareness through me, like needles skating over my skin. I don’t know how long we walked, but the silence between us was comforting, the heat from his body and my need for him so intense I started to feel little beads of perspiration lining the valley of my breasts. We found ourselves by the lake before I even knew it, and the way the moon reflected off the water was pretty picturesque. Erik put the blanket down and we sat for long minutes, neither saying anything, but the silence very comforting. I noticed him rubbing the outside of his thighs, and the question was on the tip of my tongue, but I stopped, not wanting to pry. Sometimes asking questions wasn’t always the best route. “You can ask,” he said softly. He turned his head and looked at me. The sun had since set, but the moon was full, and coupled with the flashlight, I saw him perfectly. Swallowing past the lump in my throat, I offered a smile. “Did you get seriously hurt while serving?” He shook his head. “I’m alive, so not seriously hurt. A bomb went off, causing shrapnel to become lodged in my leg.” He ran his hand over the outside of his jeans. “I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “Like I said, I’m alive, so life is good. I have to be grateful and thankful for what I have.” He stared into my eyes, and something shifted in me. I felt like he was searching me, looking deep into my soul, seeking something with me that he’d never had with anyone else. I know I was. I moved closer to him, feeling like all this time that had passed, and all the things he’d been through, needed to be mended. Boldness moved through me. It was like I didn’t have to be cautious, didn’t have to hide anything. I rested my head on his shoulder and put my hand over his. He was tense at first, but as the seconds moved by I sensed his body relax. He moved his hand from under mine, and I felt this ache settle in me, like he was about to put a wall between us. But he surprised and pleased me by wrapping his arm around my shoulder and pulling me in close. This right here, this moment in time where nothing else mattered, was exactly what perfection felt like.

CHAPTER 6

Erik know how long I held her, but it felt so damn good, so right and perfect. I don’t Paige was supposed to be here with me, close to me, in my life, as only

mine. The wind picked up, the breeze brushing along us as if trying to move this forward. She shivered against me, and I pulled her in impossibly tighter. Hell, I would have put her on my lap if I didn’t think that might freak her the fuck out. I wanted to tell her how I felt, what she meant to me. I wanted to explain that even though this might be the craziest fucking thing both of us could experience, all it had taken was one look at her to know she was supposed to be in my life. She was supposed to be my girl. She was always meant to be mine. But coming out and just saying the words seemed like I’d for sure put my foot in my mouth. I was tired of waiting though. I needed to just grab life by the balls and make this happen. If she didn’t want this, I’d respect it. I wouldn’t deny it would be hard as hell, but I had to do this. I had to. “Paige,” I said softly, waiting until she turned and looked at me. For long seconds I just reveled in the color of her eyes, not quite true with the artificial lighting and the glow from the moon. But they were beautiful nonetheless. “It’s been a long time that we haven’t been in each other’s lives physically, but you were always in my thoughts.” I heard the sharp inhalation of her breathing and knew my words affected her. “There wasn’t a day that went by, in all these years, that I didn’t think about you.” I reached out and cupped her cheeks. “You were my best friend from the start. Distance separated us, we grew older, found a niche in our lives, but for me it was always you. You were always in my heart. You always will be.” Maybe it didn’t make any sense or really seem sincere since there was a long gap from when we last spoke, but this came from my heart. It always would. “Erik.” She said my name so softly, so sweetly. I stroked my thumb across her cheek, marveling at how silky she felt, how perfect she was. No other girl had even

held a spot for me. And I knew they never would. It was time I was honest, totally, all-encompassing. “I couldn’t even be with a girl because you were always on my mind.” I love you. I want you to be mine. I want you to be my wife, the mother of my children … my everything. But I didn’t say those things. I couldn’t, not yet at least. And then she did something I hadn’t expected. She leaned forward and kissed me. It started off soft, almost tentative. Just our mouths pressed together, her warm, sweet breath moving along my lips, the slightest bit of pressure letting me know this was real. She pulled away far too soon, and I wanted to bring her back to my mouth, to devour her lips, plunge my tongue inside the sweet, hot depths of her and never let go. “I’ve thought about you every day since you left.” She was the one to place her hand on my cheek, and I didn’t stop myself from pulling her on top of my lap. Wrapping my arms around her waist felt so good, and feeling the way her breasts pressed against my chest had my cock coming alive. I didn’t want to be a dirty bastard, not with her, not ever, but there was this rawness in me that tried to claim me. It tried to claw its way out, push forward, take Paige as its own. It was like its own fucking entity living in me, and I kept it down, kept it at bay. I might never have been with a woman before, but I’d spent nearly my whole life envisioning all the things I wanted to do to Paige. I was pretty fucking sure I could please her to no end. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.” Her voice was thick, her emotions as clear as the moon right above us. I rested my forehead against hers, closed my eyes for a long second, and struggled with my own feelings. “That would never have happened. I would never have allowed us to be apart forever.” I pulled back and opened my eyes, seeing all those raw, untamed emotions covering her face. I knew I wore the same expression. “I love you, Paige. It might have started off as a child’s love back in the day, but it only took one look in your blue eyes to let me know that what I feel for you is down to my very soul.” Her body felt good on me, pressed tightly and securely against my hardness. This wasn’t about sex, wasn’t about anything else but telling this special girl that she belonged with me. “I’ve never wanted anyone else. And as the years went on, as we stopped talking, you’re still the only person I’ve ever wanted, Eric.” A shuttering breath left me. For long moments we just stared at each other, neither speaking, neither even breathing, I suspected. The heat between us was tangible, the chemistry and electricity covering me and leaving me so on edge I didn’t know if I’d ever find solid ground again. I didn’t want to leave this moment. I wanted Paige so fiercely it left me shaking; my entire body was strung tight, my heart racing. “I crave you like no other,” I said, the words coming out of me on their own. I

wanted to be truthful, so truthful I was, laid out bare.

Paige “DO you want to see where I live?” I asked softly. Everything in me was alive. My synapses were firing rapidly, my thoughts were fuzzy, aroused, and all I could think about was pushing everything else aside and just giving in to this moment. Giving in to Erik. I watched as he swallowed, his throat working. He felt hard and strong beneath me, and his arms around me kept me right up against him. I also felt the length of his erection right under my ass, that long, thick, and hard member prodding me. He didn’t act ashamed about his arousal, but then again why would he? Erik was all man. And I’m just as wet as he is hard. “Whatever you want, Paige. I’ll do what you want, baby.” Hearing him say that endearment had my heart palpating. I got off him, which was harder than it seemed. I just wanted to be wrapped up in everything that was Erik. He made me feel safe, protected, but most of all wanted. Erik led us back to the truck, his hand on mine, his body heat seeping into me. I couldn’t let go of the desire that slammed into me, that made everything so clear. It made me hyper aware of every little thing. And once we were in the truck and headed toward my place, I knew I wouldn’t stop this from going further … going all the way.

CHAPTER 7

Erik Paige walk around the kitchen. She was keeping busy, or trying to at I watched least. I could see the way her hands shook as she grabbed some glasses out of

the cupboard, walked over to the freezer, and grabbed a bottle of vodka. That wouldn’t have been my first choice, but it was clear she was on edge. I saw the way her pulse beat rapidly beneath her ear, had felt her lust for me as strongly as I’d felt it in myself. “My roommate is out of the country, and this is her vodka.” She made this face as she held it up, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I’m not a big drinker, but…” She didn’t say anything after that, the last word hanging between us. I knew what she was getting at. She grabbed a can of Sprite from the fridge, poured us both a drink, and turned to give me this nervous smile. I took the glass, drank a few swallows, and wanted to tell her she had nothing to feel awkward about. A little liquid courage never hurt. I watched as she took a long drink, sputtering when she swallowed. I couldn’t help but smirk, although I kept my laugh to myself. She took one more drink, her face red, her expression screwed up. “I should have added more Sprite for sure.” I started laughing again, then took another long drink from my glass. “Not your thing?” She shook her head and set the glass on the counter. “Paige.” I called out her name, and she glanced up, her sweet, beautiful fucking face kissable. That’s what I wanted to do right now. I wanted to just hold her soft cheeks between my hands and kiss her until she was breathless. “Come sit with me.” I wanted to be close to her, wanted her body pressed right to mine. We made our way to the couch, and I took a second to just look around. Her place was small, comfortable. There were pictures on the wall, but none of them were of Paige, so I had to assume they were the roomie. I felt her gaze on me and turned to see her watching me. “Hey.” I smiled.

“Hey,” she said and ducked her head, her dark hair falling over the side of her face. I reached out and pushed the strands away, placing them behind her ear and letting my fingers linger over the soft shell. “Do you want to sit here and talk?” Hell, if she wanted to stare at the wall with me, I’d gladly take it. Anything to prolong my time with her. But when she lifted her head and stared at me, I knew talking would be damn hard. My body wanted her, but my mind roared out to go slow. Then she slowly shook her head. “I don’t want to talk,” Paige said slowly, softly. “We don’t have to do anything but sit here, baby.” And we didn’t. I meant that, wasn’t just saying it, and wanted Paige to know the truth behind those words. “Just being here with you is good enough for me.” She shook her head. “Too much time has passed. I want to be with you.” My cock came alert, my heart raced, and every part of me became strung tight. I looked into her eyes, the blue sweeping me in, holding me down. I realized this was what life was. This was what living was about. Being with Paige was like being in the middle of the ocean, the vast space surrounding me, making me feel like I was the only one around, like I didn’t even have a chance. But the difference was I wanted to be in the middle of that ocean, away from everyone except the space and deepness that surrounded me. I leaned in an inch, our mouths so close if I said one word they’d brush together. “Tell me what you want, Paige.” I had my hand on the back of her head, keeping her close, a part of me afraid she’d leave. “You.” That one word from her had me groaning. “What’s going on?” she asked softly. I could have told her in a long, descriptive explanation that we were meant to be together, that this was inevitable, us, together, always. I’d basically told her as much already. But she wasn’t asking this literally. I knew that. She was just as swept up in this as I was. Instead I said, “Exactly what’s supposed to happen.”

Paige MY HEART WAS in my throat, beating wildly, intensely, threatening to choke me. The flavor of him on my lips from our earlier kiss was more potent than the liquor I’d consumed. The feel of his mouth on mine was a heady reminder of all I’d been missing. Being with Erik right here, everything out in the open despite being fully clothed, fully in control, spoke more about what was really going on between us than anything else. “It feels as if no time has separated us right now, Paige.”

I could only nod, agreeing. Before I knew what was happening, he had his hands on my waist and was pulling me onto his lap. My legs were now on either side of his waist, and he settled back against the couch, getting comfortable, making this so damn intimate. He watched me for long seconds, his gaze heavy-lidded, his face and body so masculine I couldn’t help but feel all female with him. “I’ve never wanted anyone else. Never even entertained the idea of having another girl as mine.” Although I could have found it hard to believe a man—so potent, so attractive— could refrain for so long, I knew he spoke the truth. I heard it in his voice, in the way he looked at me, touched me. “It’s only been you for me, Erik.” I repeated what he’d said, meaning it with the very marrow that was in my bones. He’d always been in the forefront of my mind, taking residence there, refusing to leave. But I’d never wanted him gone. I’d wanted him closer, so close I was suffocating from it all. “If I left tomorrow and the threat of never seeing you again hung on the surface, I’d be thankful I had this one moment with you, this one chance to see you again.” I couldn’t think, couldn’t even breathe after he spoke. His words were like gasoline covering my body, the look in his eyes the match that would light me up. I didn’t want to think anymore, didn’t want to say that this sweet talk, these soft touches, and the chemistry that bounced between us were things I could push back until the “time was right.” The time is right now. All I wanted—had ever wanted—was to be with Erik in every possible way. Giving my body to him, my virginity, had so much anticipation, so much desire coursing through me that there was no denying this was exactly what was supposed to happen.

CHAPTER 8

Erik her on my lap, her legs spread on either side of my thighs, her chest H aving rising and falling because she was nervous, had this thrill of dark desire

tunneling through me. Never had I been so ready, so fucking hard. I reached up and wound my hand around her head, bringing her forward, so close our mouths nearly touched again. “If I told you the filthy things I think about while jerking off—” I stared into her eyes. “You might think differently of me.” I could have kept my mouth shut, but telling her this, seeing the way her eyes widened slightly, hearing and feeling her breath rush out of her, turned me on even more. “Like what?” she asked, and my heart jumped in my throat. I nearly groaned, thinking about telling her what I wanted to do to her, how I’d touched myself and envisioned her right there with me. “Tell me,” she pushed, her voice this breathy little moan. I tightened my hold on her hair, an involuntary act because I was getting strung even tighter. “I’d picture you spread out on my bed, bare of anything, your body so ready for me you were leaving this gorgeous fucking wet spot on my sheets.” She gasped slightly, and I groaned. “I’d jerk off to the image of you touching yourself, spreading your pussy lips that were so wet, so pink.” God, I could come just telling her this stuff. I had my other hand on her waist and used a little bit of pressure to get her to start rocking back and forth on me. She put her hands on my shoulders, and I hummed in approval. Soon I didn’t need to lead her; she was rubbing herself on me, her mouth parted, her pupils dilated. Yeah, my girl was really getting into this. “Tell me more,” she whispered, still rubbing herself on me, still rocking back and forth. I had no doubt she could feel exactly how hard I was for her, how in need I was to feel her clenching around my cock. Fuck, those thoughts would have me getting off in my damn jeans if I didn’t keep the in control. “I’d have my hand wrapped tightly around my dick, thinking it was your tight

little pussy squeezing me.” We were both breathing so hard, and I felt beads of sweat dot my forehead as I strained to gather my control. “But I could never last seeing you on my bed, your legs spread so wide I could see every gorgeous part of you, how ready you were for me.” I lifted my hips slightly, pressing my erection against her jean-covered pussy. Shit, what I wouldn’t give to be buried in her right now as I said these filthy things. “Then I’d be between your legs, my hands on your thighs, my tongue inside your slit.” I grunted and closed my eyes, the feeling of her rocking on top of me almost too much. “I’d lick you until you came all over my mouth, until your juices slipped down my chin.” I opened my eyes again. “I’d need you to get off while I ate you out. I’d be desperate for it.” “God,” she whispered and tossed her head back, her eyes closed, and moved on top of me a little faster. I didn’t tear my gaze from her face. I needed to see her get off while doing this, while rubbing herself on me. “That’s it, baby.” I ground out those words, finding it pretty damn hard to even say them. “I want to watch you get off like this. I want to watch you come unhinged.” I gripped her waist with both of my hands and helped her in her motions. Back and forth. Back and forth. Her pussy ran over my cock seamlessly, despite the denim that separated our bare flesh. I stared into her face, watching pleasure morph across her expression. “That’s it.” I was breathing so damn hard my heart was beating like a freight train, and I felt my pulse racing. I might be a virgin, but I knew what I wanted to do with Paige. I wanted to fuck her senseless. And then she came for me. Her face lit up like a damn fireworks show. She had her head tossed back, her dark hair fanned out over her back and along my hands. Her mouth was parted, and although her moan was almost inaudible, it was the tightening of her body and the way she dug her nails into my shoulders that told me she gave in. When her body relaxed, I grabbed her hair again and forced her to look at me, made her come closer. I slammed my mouth on hers, kissing her until she moaned for me. I stroked my tongue along hers, plunged it into her mouth, and made this guttural sound when she sucked on it. She pulled back, her pupils still dilated, her body still strung tight. “I want to be with you.” My breath stalled for a moment at her words. I lowered my gaze to her mouth, loving that her lips were red, swollen, and a light, glossy sheen covered them from our kiss. I couldn’t help but run my finger over her bottom lip, pulling the flesh slightly down, growing harder by the second. I pushed the digit into her mouth, every part of me coming alive even more. “Suck it into your mouth; run your tongue over it.” I was transfixed at the sight

of her doing exactly what I said. “I need you,” she said around my finger. I didn’t want to deny her. Hell, I didn’t want to wait anymore. “Be with me,” she whispered again, and I felt my cock jerk. I cupped her nape, pulled her in close, and claimed her mouth. I wasn’t going to deny either of us any longer. I was surprised I’d lasted this long without coming in my jeans. While still kissing her, I curled my bigger body around hers, bringing her impossibly close to me. Her breasts pressed right to my chest, and my fingers itched to take hold of them. “Rub yourself on me again, slow, nice and easy, baby.” She started moving her hips back and forth, and I gently bit at her lip. I pulled back, forcing myself to break the kiss, but had my hands on her waist, keeping her right where she was, making sure she kept doing what she was doing on top of me. “I think I loved you before I even knew what that was,” I murmured and lowered my focus to her lips. I ran my tongue over first her top one and then her bottom. She moaned, and I couldn’t help kissing her again. And when she pressed down on me especially hard and let out this hot-as-hell moan, my control snapped. I all but tore her shirt from her, exposing her bra, which barely contained the heaving mounds of her chest. My mouth went dry, and my cock throbbed at the sight of her creamy flesh rising and falling above the lacy material. “Christ.” I dragged my gaze up and looked at her face. “Take it off for me.” I hadn’t realized how coarse or hard my voice was until the words were there. But she did what I said right away, and when her tits were revealed, the large mounds peaked with rose-colored nipples, I about lost it right then. I breathed out slowly. “I need to remember to go slow, to take my time and make this sweet for you.” I hadn’t meant to say that out loud, but the words tumbled out. “Maybe I want that.” Oh fuck. Yeah, she had gone and said that. It was the equivalent of waving a piece of steak in front of a starved beast. And I was about to devour her.

CHAPTER 9

Paige he way Erik looked at me was, possessive, crazed even. He stared at me like T he wanted to bare me in every conceivable way … and then some.

I didn’t deny that this made me nervous, that having sex for the first time with the boy I’d wanted for nearly my whole life made this string in me tighten, threatening to snap. “I’m so … hungry for you.” The words spilled from me on their own. Only a second passed, and then Erik was off the couch, had me in his arms, his strength the only thing holding me up. I quickly wrapped my arms around his neck, my legs around his waist, and held on. I felt his erection right at the most sensitive part of me. Damn, I was wet, soaked in fact. My panties were saturated, the material rubbing along my sensitive folds. He made this low sound deep within his chest as he walked us backward, his mouth on my throat, his teeth and tongue ravishing me there. I felt his erection digging into my belly: a huge, thick rod that had my pussy so wet, so ready to feel the stretch and burn I knew he’d give, that I was seconds away from begging for just that. I felt the wall stop our movement, and loved that he pressed his big, hard body fully against mine. “I want you to show me exactly where you want me to touch you,” he said in this harsh grunt. Tingles spread throughout my entire body. “Go on, baby. Show me, let me see where you want my hands, mouth, and cock.” He said the last word on this guttural groan and then dug his dick farther into my belly. “I want you everywhere,” I said instead of showing him, but it didn’t seem like that bothered him. In fact, the low sound he made told me he liked hearing that just fine. “Maybe I should give you slow, easy. Maybe I should prolong this.” His voice showed that he was teasing me, but I wasn’t all about this erotic torture. As it was I felt like my entire body would combust at any second, just burn me to the ground and only leave a pile of ashes in its wake.

“I don’t want that. I just want you to…” To what? Fuck me. “I know what you want, what you need,” he said against the side of my throat, his lips moving as he spoke, his warm breath fanning along my sensitive skin. “I’m going to give it all to you, more than either of us can handle. And it’ll be fucking perfect.” He ran his tongue along the arch of my neck, but to my disappointment he moved away. I felt the chill in the air when he was no longer pressed against me, and goose bumps formed on my body. I couldn’t help myself from taking in a full, appraising gaze at him. So big. So tall. Every part of him screamed that he was a man through and through. The outline of his erection pressing against his jeans was impressive, if not a bit frightening. “Undress for me. Show me what I’ll be making mine, Paige.” A shiver covered me, took hold and refused to let go. I went for the button and zipper of my jeans, and once those were undone, I pushed the denim down my thighs, bringing my panties with them. I was nervous to be naked in front of him, but I was also so damn aroused I almost felt drunk from it. “When I take you, claim your virginity and give you mine, I’m going to do it in a bed. I’m not going to have you up against the wall, even if right now that sounds pretty fucking hot.” The air left me, his words playing in my head over and over again. “I think up against the wall sounds pretty amazing,” I found myself saying. Truth was I didn’t care where we did this, as long as I was doing it with Erik. He groaned, closed his eyes, and I could see the way his jaw worked overtime. He was gritting his teeth, looking almost pained, too. “Fuck, Paige, baby, you can’t say that stuff.” I swallowed. “Why?” He opened his eyes and pierced me with an intense stare. “Because it’ll either have me coming in my jeans, or it’ll have my control snapping and I will fuck you up against the wall.” Oh. God. Heat blossomed in me like never before. “So fucking gorgeous.” His words were sharp, like a knife running along me. It felt as if my body was made of cement: heavy, thick, unmovable. I stood there for long seconds, not moving, not even breathing as he looked his fill. And God, he was so looking his fill. “You’re more beautiful than anything I could have ever dreamed up.” I finally took a stuttering breath. He didn’t move for a long while, just let his gaze roam over my body. I was bared for him, every part of me on display for his viewing pleasure. And then he reached down, unzipped his pants, and I didn’t stop myself from lowering my focus to what he was revealing. When he pulled his erection out, I felt my heart jump into my throat, felt it pounding in my ears. Erik was a large man in general, and I’d been right to assume

what he was sporting between his thighs was no different. He was huge, thick and long, and the crown slightly wider than the rest of him, a dot of pre-cum at the tip. “I could get off just by looking at you.” He had his palm wrapped around his dick, and he stroked himself, his focus on my body. “Come here,” he commanded, and I obeyed. I was just a few feet from him, me totally naked, and Erik having his shirt still on and his dick pulled through his fly. “What I wouldn’t give for you to touch me right now.” His focus was on my lips. I was about to do just that, but his words stopped me. “But if you touched my cock right now, I’d come.” He leaned in close, his mouth right by mine. “And I want to be inside of you when that happens,” he whispered. “Because in all truth, having you this close to me, naked, wanting me, ready for what I want to do, has me nearly losing it.” I sucked in a deep breath, my body on the verge of exploding for him. “Then let’s stop talking.” And then he had his mouth on mine, fucking me with his lips and tongue. There was no other word to describe what he was doing … and what I desperately wanted him to do between my thighs. I clenched my legs together, trying to stem off the arousal that threatened to slip down my inner thigh. “I hope you’re ready, because I feel like I’ve been waiting my entire life for this.” I’d never been more ready for anything in my life.

CHAPTER 10

Erik aking Paige up against the wall turned me on so fucking much. But tonight, T for this first time, I wasn’t going to be a savage about it.

“Bedroom, baby,” I said, my mouth on hers once more, my tongue fucking her the way my cock would soon enough. Once in the room, I kicked the door closed and quickly stripped out of my clothes. I saw the way she glanced down at my thigh, obviously looking at the scar I sported. She held her arms out to me, and I went closer. My entire body went tight when she ran her hand slowly over my scar, her fingers gentle. Her touch was light, but it did so much to me, made me feel so many things. And then she leaned down and lightly kissed the raised, jagged skin. My cock was hard, my heart was full with love for this girl, and I knew I’d never let her go. When I gently pushed her back, it wasn’t because I didn’t like what she was doing to me. I liked it a hell of a lot. I was desperate to make her feel good. “Lay back for me,” I said harshly. I hadn’t been kidding when I said I could have gotten off just from looking at her. She was all curves and gorgeous lines. Her breasts looked to be exactly a handful, her belly flat, her legs long. And her pussy, hell, I groaned at where my thoughts were going. She had a trimmed triangle of dark hair that covered it, but her pussy lips were visible. I reached for my dick again, stroking the fucker as I stared at her. This was a scenario I’d thought of countless times as I jerked off. “Come here, baby,” I said low, needing her close. She came to me instantly, and I wrapped my arms around her. I walked us toward the bed, and then we were both falling onto the mattress. With my mouth on her neck and my larger frame over her, I nudged her thighs open so I could wedge myself between them. My cock was so damn hard, and precum was a steady constant at the tip. I felt her slick folds surround my cock, and I started moving back and forth, working myself between her legs without penetrating her.

Shit, I could come from this. “Come on, Paige baby, move against me,” I said, not kissing her, but letting my lips brush along hers as I spoke. And when she started moving under me sexually, her pussy moving in tandem with what I was doing, I closed my eyes and groaned. I was so tense as I reached between us and ran a finger along her pussy. “God, that feels so good,” she moaned, her eyes closed, her lips parted. I was feeling like one possessive fucker where Paige was concerned. “This is mine.” I added a little more pressure, slipping my finger down her cleft, teasing her clit and running the pad of my thumb along her pussy hole. I seemed to do all of it in unison, making her writhe beneath me, begging for more. I sent up a silent prayer that I wouldn’t explode before this really got started. I moved down the length of her body, not able to help myself. I’d envisioned doing this enough times over the years as I jerked off that I was sure I could make this good for her. I would make this good for her. “Erik?” she asked softly, her voice filled with confusion. When I had my face right by her pussy, my hands on her inner thighs keeping her legs spread for me, and the scent of her washing over me, claiming me, only then did I lift my gaze and stare at her. She had a wide-eyed expression, a look of almost fear and hesitation on her face. I wanted to make her feel calm, like she didn’t have anything to worry about, that I’d take care of her. Always. Placing my hand on her belly, I felt it hollow in and out as she breathed hard and fast. “Let me make you feel good.” It took her a second, but she licked her lips and nodded. I kept my eyes locked on hers as I dragged my tongue through her cleft. Her flavor exploded along my taste buds; sweet, musky, all mine. I became a beast then, gripping her thighs tightly, knowing there would be bruises in the morning. I dug my fingers into her soft flesh as I ate her out. The silky-smooth feeling of her along my tongue could have been my undoing, but I had a lock and chain on my control, needing to feel her come for me first. Get off for me. Let me taste all of you. I want the flavor of your desire for me covering my mouth. Over and over I licked and sucked on her, knowing I’d never get enough. I wanted to have my face buried between her thighs until my tongue was numb, until my lips tingled with her continuous release. I started pressing my hips into the mattress, the sheets and resistance from the bed giving me the pressure I needed. Over and over I did this, rolling my hips, humping the fuck out of the bed and desperately needing Paige’s tight, wet heat. When I felt her let go, give me what I was after, only then did I give her one more long swipe, dragging my tongue from her pussy hole to her clit and sucking that bud into my mouth. I moved up her body, my dick sliding along her leg first, and finally settled right on her soaked pussy. I took her mouth in another hard, deep kiss. “Dig your nails into me.” She did just that, and I grunted in pleasure, my hips jerking on their own.

“Open for me.” She opened her mouth wider, and I plunged my tongue inside, fucking her there. She panted against my mouth, spread her legs wider, and I pressed my hips farther into hers, my cock sliding right between the center of her. “Spread your legs wider for me, Paige. Let me have you.” I leaned back, bracing my hands on the blanket beside her, and looked down at her, marveling at how pretty she was. “Fuck,” I said, my throat tight. “I can’t handle how damn gorgeous you are.” Her pussy was wet, pink, and swollen. It was all for me. I was done fucking around. I needed to be inside of her. I grabbed my cock and finally placed the tip at her entrance. She smelled so fucking good, like clean cotton and something sweet. “Tell me you’re mine, that it’ll always be that way.” “I’m yours. I always have been.” In one swift move I buried my dick into her wet, tight pussy. She gasped, and I knew I’d hurt her. There was no going around it though. “I’m sorry, baby.” I cupped the side of her cheek and stilled, letting her get accustomed to my size. “You own me now.” I groaned, my jaw tight, my pulse racing. She had her arms around my neck, her nails pricking my skin. I hissed, loving it. I started moving in and out of her slowly, trying to pace myself when all I wanted to do was pound the fuck out of her. After long minutes, when I felt how wet she’d become for me, when I heard her breathing change and saw her expression shift, I knew she was right here with me. I really started moving then. In and out. In and out. Sweat started to coat my skin, my heart raced, and my balls were drawn up tight. I wanted to come so badly, but I didn’t want this to end. If I could make this last forever, I would have given my soul for it. I pushed in deep. “Oh God. Yes, Erik,” she whispered. I couldn’t help but stare into her face, watching the display of what she felt moving across it. I pushed into her once more and stilled, feeling my muscles relax and contract. I could feel the clench and release of her inner muscles around me. She milked me, her body wanting what only I could give her. “Baby, I’m going to come,” I gritted, holding on so damn tight to my control. I reached between us, needing her to explode for me once more. Just one more time before I gave in. I reached between us and started rubbing her clit. Back and forth. Back and forth. I felt her tense beneath me, and then she was tossing her head back, her neck straining, this low mewl leaving her. “Yeah, that’s it. Come on, baby girl.” I rubbed her clit until she relaxed, until she softly said no more. I slowed, but the pricking of her nails in my skin and her shaking her head had me pumping in and out of her again. “Don’t stop,” she whispered.

The image of filling her up, making her take all my seed, slammed into me violently. I was really fucking her now, knowing I should have been sweet, gentle with her. But fuck, I couldn’t stop myself. I couldn’t control myself. “God, so good, Paige. So. Damn. Good.” Instead I pulled out right before I exploded. I grabbed my shaft, pumped my hand over the thick length, and stared at her pussy. I didn’t need anything else to get off, but to my pleasurable shock, Paige reached down, spread her pussy lips, and showed me every single pink inch of her. I slammed my hand down on the bed next to her waist, curled my fingers into the sheets, and breathed out slowly as my orgasm washed through me. I could have come on the bed, or even in my hand. But I wanted my seed on her. Groaning deeply, I forced my eyes to stay open as I came. I watched as my cum spilled from the tip of me and covered her body. Her pussy, inner thighs, and even her lower belly had little splashes of me covering her, like this erotic painting that only I could create. When I was sated, I sagged and breathed out, staring at her body and what I’d done to her. I was feeling so damn feral right now, despite having just lost my virginity to the girl I loved, despite coming harder than I ever had in my fucking life. “Rub it in, baby. Want you to smell like me.” I expected her to maybe scoff, tell me to fuck off, that doing that was pushing it. But she shocked me again—pleased me like no other—and rubbed my cum into her skin. I watched her hand move over her belly, along her thighs, and finally along her pussy. She ran a cum-slicked finger along her clit, rubbing it back and forth, gasping for me. I lifted my gaze to her face. “You like that, Paige?” My voice sounded hoarse, strained. “You like putting my seed all over you?” She nodded. “Yes.” “Good, because you’re mine. Always.” I covered her body once more, my cock hardening again. “And I’m not nearly done with you yet.”

Paige I WAS EXHAUSTED, so tired I didn’t even know if I could have lifted my arms or legs. For two hours Erik had made love to me, he’d had sex with me … he’d fucked me. I could think of a million different terms to say what we’d done, but in the end we’d finally been together. He’d eaten me out until I hadn’t even been able to hold my legs up. He’d made me climax more times than I could even count. And still I knew I’d never get enough. “Hey,” he said, his voice thick with the post arousal we’d just shared. “Hey back.” I thought maybe I’d feel weird, embarrassed even after what we’d shared … what we’d done. But all I felt was this burn in the aftereffects, this glow that encompassed every inch of me. I looked him in the eyes.

“Where do we go from here?” He was silent for a second but kept me close, so close I didn’t need a blanket to keep me warm. His body was enough. I watched as he got up and moved over to his clothes, which were on the floor. I could do was stare and appreciate every inch of him. And when he bent over to get something out of his pants, my focus trained right on his muscular ass. I’d never been the type of girl to really appreciate any part of a guy, but with Erik every inch of him aroused me on. He turned back around, holding up the red string. It was his red thread, the one he’d kept for himself—our lifeline, so to speak. “You kept it,” I said softly, already knowing this. Seeing it made it so much more real. “Are you kidding me?” He looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “No way in hell this was leaving my sight, although it fell off a long time ago.” He slid back in next to me and pulled me in close. For long seconds we stayed like that, the sound of our breathing the only thing breaking up the silence. But the future nagged at me. “Where do you want it to go?” His voice sounded strained. Was he nervous about my response? “I want to be with you, Erik.” That was the best answer I could give right now. I was slightly worried about revealing too much, but I supposed what we’d shared and experienced together shouldn’t have made me feel so shy. “That’s good, Paige. That’s really good, baby. Because I want us to be endless.”

CHAPTER 11

Erik One month later nticipation slammed through my veins. I tapped my fingers on the steering A wheel, my head turned, my focus on the diner where Paige worked. I felt like I’d

been sitting here for hours, and in all honesty I probably could have been, as intensely as I stared at that little building, waiting for her, nothing else on my radar. And then she came out, her body half-turned as she said something to someone inside. I focused on the way her jeans molded over her ass, and the scent of her, although she wasn’t next to me, was ingrained in my brain. Hell, I still smelled her from this morning, when I’d eaten her out until she’d begged me to stop. Then I’d given her more than she could handle. I’d fucked my woman until she’d walked bow-legged out of the house and to work. I straightened, my cock thickening, lengthening at the image slamming in my head. For the last month I’d been searching for a place, but Blue Springs was small, and rentals, let alone houses for sale, were hard to come by. It was one of the reasons my mom and me had to move in with my aunt. Even if my mother still lived there, wanting to be close to her sister, I needed to get my own place. And I had. That’s why I was so juiced up. I finally had a place to take Paige to, to make love to her in, to be alone with her at. Her place was good, more than good, but I felt like I was lacking by not being able to have a place we could be together. And I sure as hell wasn’t going to take her to my aunt’s, not to spend time with her when my cousins would sure as hell make asses out of themselves. I got out of the truck and met her on the passenger side. She smiled up at me, and that was all it took to stop my heart. I pulled her in close, not giving a shit who watched as I cupped the back of her head and claimed her mouth. I felt her gasp against my mouth, her sweet breath moving along my lips. I knew she felt how hard I was, but popping a boner was not something I could control when she was near, when I thought about her, heard her voice … hell, when she breathed in my

direction. “Erik.” She said my name softly, and I held in my groan of satisfaction. I loved hearing her say it, not just when she cried it out while I made her come with my hands, mouth … cock, but when she looked up at me with love in her eyes and said it. “I missed you,” I said in return. I could have kissed her all damn day, could have taken her up against the truck, too. I pulled her in for another hug and glanced up to see a couple guys our age staring at us from the diner window. I grinned, but it wasn’t a pleasant or amused one. I grinned because I was a possessive asshole. I slid my hand down to her ass, cupped the lush mound, and stared them right in the fucking eyes. They glanced away quickly enough. That’s right, asshole. She’s mine. Paige started laughing. “Let me guess, someone was looking our way?” She lifted a perfectly arched brow. I shrugged but smirked. This wasn’t the first time I’d done this, and it sure as hell wouldn’t be the last. “I think they got the message.” “You think?” she teased. I leaned down and kissed the smile right off her face. She melted against me, and I was tempted to grind my cock into her soft belly, but I wasn’t a dirty bastard … not all the time at least. “I got the house.” The wide-eyed surprise she gave me had hints of excitement in it. I dug my hand in my pocket and pulled out the keys they’d given me just earlier today. “Wanna see it?” She’d already seen the house, had gone to the open house, then to the inspection, and finally for the walk-through before I put the offer in on it. “Maybe we can christen the place.” I was only half-teasing. “You want to christen every place we visit.” That was the hard truth. God, just thinking about that now, bending her over the counter, pressing her against the wall as I ate her out, had me on edge. “Come on,” she said softly, and I saw the way her pupils dilated. Once we were on the road, it only took ten minutes to get to the house. It was an old cabin that had been renovated and modernized. Once we were through the front door, I had Paige pressed up against the wall, worked her pants and panties off, and pushed those bitches down her thighs. She kicked them away. I cupped the side of her neck, tilted her head to the side, and claimed her mouth. Right now was about pleasing her, about making her get off. I could slide my cock into her hot heat afterward. First I wanted her to come for me. I spun her around, lifted her arms, and forced her to rest her palms flat on the wall. I got down on my haunches, forced her legs apart, and gripped the big, soft mounds of her ass. The sound of her harsh breathing was music to my fucking ears. I spread the cheeks of her ass, looking at her tight asshole and her pussy slit. She was wet for me, primed. “God, I could eat you out for the rest of my life and it still wouldn’t be enough.” I

didn’t stop myself from leaning forward, running my tongue through her cleft, and lapping up her wetness. She was sweet, slightly musky, and tasted so damn incredible. I sucked on her clit for a second, but what I really wanted to do was run my tongue over the tight hole between her cheeks, get her off that way. I curled my fingers into her flesh, leaned in close, and ran my tongue along her hole. She gasped, but I didn’t stop. Reaching around and finishing her clit was the easy part. Not getting off myself in the process was the hard part. I was like steel right now, wanting to fuck her badly, but I had to practice self-control. I probed the hole, rubbing her clit at the same time. Over and over, licking, sucking, rubbing, teasing. She was on the tips of her toes now, her nails making scratching noises on the wall, her breathing erratic. “Oh. Erik,” she whispered. “I’m … I’m going to come.” I rubbed her clit faster, added a bit more pressure, and ate her ass out like I was starving for it. She came for me like fireworks exploding in the sky. Her high-pitched cry was an auditory orgasm, something only I’d ever hear, and something I’d always relish. When she sagged against the wall, I stood, turned her around, and pulled her in. I loved that she rested on my chest, that she let me hold her up. I stroked her hair, not needing anything but having her close. “It’ll always be you and me, baby.” I felt her nod against my chest. Yeah. It would always be us. Together. Always.

EPILOGUE

Erik Three years later orever seemed like such a tame word to describe what I wanted with Paige. I F stared out into the crowd, my mother sitting in the first pew, Paige’s mother on the

other side. The guest list was small, intimate. It was what Paige wanted. Hell, I would have given her the biggest fucking wedding, or gotten married at the courthouse. This was all about her. It always had been and always would be. Three years had passed since I came back to town, since my entire life changed for the better. Paige had finished school, got her degree in economics, and had been fortunate enough to find a job in the next town over. We still lived in Blue Springs, had a little house on the outskirts of town, a small patch of property. I kept myself busy enough, making sure she was happy, that she didn’t want for anything. I worked part-time at a garage, wanting to keep busy, even if we didn’t need that extra income. But I had to do something, had to provide for her. Truth was I would have preferred her to stay home while I focused on the bills. But she was independent as fuck, had worked hard on her degree and to get where she was. Who was I to try and stop her from living her dreams? I would have followed her no matter where she went, no matter how far she’d gone. It will always be about her, until the day I die. Then the “Wedding March” started playing, my heart seized in my chest, my body going taut, my focus on the double doors open to show me my soon-to-be bride. I felt like I’d waited my entire life for this moment, like time was standing still. The guests rose, turning to stare at the same thing I was, anticipating, awaiting the arrival of Paige. She rounded the corner, her nerves clear on her face. I wanted to take that from her, to let her know there was nothing to be nervous about. But then again I was right there with her. She started walking toward me, her father on the other side, my eyes locked on the woman I loved more than anything else in this fucking world.

I didn’t know what I’d done to deserve this, to even be in this situation, but for the rest of my life I’d show to the world that I was worthy of having Paige as mine.

Paige One month later MY HEART WAS this steady drum in me, like a war song that picked up, became fierce in its tempo and beat. I bounced my leg, a nervous habit I had, my nerves strung tight, my palms sweaty. Everything in me felt like it would combust. I’d gotten out of work two hours ago, went straight to the drugstore, picked up the pregnancy test, and came home to see what the outcome of the rest of my life would be. What the rest of our life would be like. These were the longest two hours of my damn life, waiting for Erik to come home. It had to have happened on our wedding night. It wasn’t like we’d used any protection, wasn’t like Erik wanted anything between us. His passion was raw, unhinged … exactly how I wanted it. But that desire and passion had given us the little life growing inside of me. I heard a car door shut. My heart jumped to my throat. I couldn’t move, aside from my damn leg that wouldn’t stop moving, that couldn’t stop showing my nervousness. I heard the front door open and ran my hands over my thighs. My stomach felt like a million butterflies were in it, flapping around, taking up residence, and making me feel light-headed. “Paige, I’m home,” Erik called out, his voice deep, making my entire body light up. Even after all these years just the sound of his voice made me on edge in the best possible way. “Baby?” Erik called out, a little louder this time. He rounded the corner, stopping when he saw me. “Hey.” His brows knitted low. He had his jacket slung over his arm, his car keys in his hand, and his focus trained right on me. He could tell right away something was up; I could see that realization on his face. “Hey.” My voice was shaky. I couldn’t help it, couldn’t stop the nerves that made themselves known. I was about to tell him, about to change things. I was about to see whether he thought this would be good or bad. We’d only been married a month, and although I was happy, excited, I never wanted to assume my husband might be as well. He loved me unconditionally. I knew that with every part of my being, but bringing a baby into the picture, whether we had that soul-shattering love or not, didn’t mean he’d be ready. “What’s wrong?” His voice was sharper, hard even. “What happened?” He had his coat thrown over the back of a chair, his keys shoved in his pocket, and was in front of me only seconds later. “ Paige?” He sounded worried now. I didn’t want that. “Talk to me, because right now I’m really fucking nervous about what the hell

is going on.” I took a steadying breath. “It’s nothing bad.” I hoped it wasn’t for him. We might have talked about having a family in passing, but we’d never really talked about it. Well, we have to talk about it now. “Paige, baby, you have to talk to me, because right now my mind is coming up with some pretty fucking bad things on what might be going on.” He knelt in front of me, his gaze so focused on me it took my breath away. “We’ve never really talked about starting a family, about having babies.” After a second I could see his worry start to fade away, replaced with something akin to shock. He let go of my cheeks, leaned back on the heels of his booted feet, and just stared at me. Yeah, he knows what I’m talking about. “Paige?” His voice was thick. I reached beside me, picked up the pregnancy test I’d taken, and showed it to him. “I’m pregnant, Erik.” My throat tightened, my heart raced, and I waited for him to respond, to say something, anything. He reached for the test, and once it was in his hand, between his fingers, he stared down at it for long seconds. “A baby?” He lifted his head and looked at me, then lowered his gaze to my belly. I could only be a month or so along, but instinctively I placed my hand on my stomach. I nodded. “A baby,” I whispered. And he grinned, a big, pleasure-filled smile that had me relaxing, feeling like the world wouldn’t swallow me whole. He was on the couch a second later, with me draped over his lap, and his arms wound around my middle like he thought I’d try and leave. “A baby?” he asked, this time a question hanging between us. “A baby.” I cupped his cheek, the scruff under my palm tickling my flesh. “I didn’t expect this so soon. We’ve only been married a month—” He silenced me by slanting his mouth on mine. We kissed for long seconds, and I wound my arms around his neck, pulling him close, feeling so much relief I felt guilty for thinking he wouldn’t be happy about this. He placed his hand on my belly, a heavy, comforting reassurance that he was here with me … that he was here for me. “It doesn’t matter how long we’ve been married, Paige.” He had his hand on the back of my neck, keeping me close. “I am devoted to you. Only you. You’re carrying my baby, a little piece of both of us. I’ve loved you nearly my whole life, and this is all I’ve ever wanted.” “You’re happy?” I asked, the words tumbling out of me like dominos falling. “Oh, baby.” He rested his forehead on mine. “I’ve been happy since the moment you came into my life. This is the next step for us, the right step. This is what I want.” He pulled back. “Is it what you want?” I kissed him them, nodding, tears trekking down my cheeks. I was happy, deliriously so. I whispered against his mouth, “The only time I’d be unhappy is if

you weren’t in my life.” He pulled me closer again. “And that’s something you’ll never have to worry about.” He stroked my hair, slowly, caressing, as if I were fragile. “It’s you and me, baby, forever.” He placed a hand back on my belly. “And our son or daughter growing inside of you; that’s what life is about. Love is what this is all about.” And that’s exactly how I always wanted it to be.

The End

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Felix Six years old The first time I saw you I knew you were mine.

W hen she walked into the room, everything around me disappeared. It felt as if

was just the two of us. She was the prettiest girl I’d ever seen, even though her clothes seemed a little too baggy, had stains on them, and holes, too” Yeah, she was the prettiest girl in the whole world. I didn’t even know her name because the teacher hadn’t introduced her to the class yet, but I didn’t care. I knew I wanted to be her friend. I knew I wanted her to always be near me. “Class, this is Maggie. She’s come all the way to Ohio from Colorado.” The

teacher touched Maggie’s shoulder and smiled at us. “I want you all to make Maggie feel welcome.” I followed Maggie with my gaze as she went to the other side of the room, and finally sat down behind an empty desk. The other kids ignored her, busy working on their paintings. Her hair was the color of the sun, in two pigtails. I couldn’t stop staring at her. I didn’t want to. She glanced up at me then, her eyes so big, so blue, they reminded me of the ocean we had just learned about. I hated that she looked sad, that no one was sitting beside her, talking to her. I had to fix that. Grabbing my paper and watercolors, I walked over to where she sat. The other kids looked up at me, but I was only focusing on Maggie. When I sat beside her, I saw her eyes widen even farther. “Hi,” I said, smiling, hoping she wouldn’t be scared to be here anymore. “I’m Felix.” She didn’t say anything right away and instead looked down at the art supplies I’d brought with me. I couldn’t understand what I felt, but I knew I wanted her to be my friend. I wanted us to be best friends. “Maggie,” she said softly. She looked up then, her blue eyes pretty but still scared. “Wanna be friends?” I smiled. I hoped she wouldn’t laugh at the missing front tooth I had. I’d just lost it and put it under my pillow for the tooth fairy. I’d gotten a whole dollar for it. She shrugged and looked down at the table again. “You can think about it, but I’m really nice, and I won’t let anyone be mean to you.” She looked up again and smiled. It wasn’t a big one, but it was a smile just for me. “Hey, you’re missing a tooth, too.” I pointed to my missing tooth. She stopped smiling, and I felt bad for saying something. “See?” I smiled wider, pointing out the big gap between my teeth. “I lost mine a couple days ago. I got a lot from the tooth fairy.” She didn’t say anything. “How much did you get?” She shook her head. “The tooth fairy doesn’t come to my house.” “Why not?” She didn’t say anything for a long time. “The tooth fairy doesn’t like coming to my house because it’s dirty and my mom and dad fight a lot. She’s never come to my house, not even when my big brother lost teeth.” I didn’t like that at all. She glanced at me again, and the way she seemed so scared had something inside of me hurting. I tried to think of what I could do to make her feel better, and then I looked down at the paper and watercolors in front of me. I grabbed my brush, dipped it in the cup of water the teacher had put on the table, and picked the color I wanted. I knew she watched me. I could feel her eyes

on me, and I liked that. When I was finished, I stared at my picture before handing it to her. Maggie reached out and took it, and for long seconds just stared at it. “This is for me?” she asked. I nodded, feeling proud of myself. What I did know was I was keeping Maggie as mine.

Maggie HE’D DRAWN a pink heart on the paper. Although it was a little crooked, it was perfect. He’d made it. Just for me. I’d never had anyone do anything nice like this for me. What he wouldn’t know was how much a heart on the paper meant to me. “You and I will be the best of friends,” Felix said. I wanted to be his friend, but I didn’t fit in here. My clothes were old, used, and I didn’t have nice things like the other girls in the class. Even Felix looked nice, with clothes that didn’t have stains on them, or shoes with holes in the side. “Why would you want to be my friend?” I asked. He looked at me funny then. “Why wouldn’t I want to be your friend?” I shrugged. “No one ever wants to be my friend.” Back at my old school I was called mean things: dirty, poor, ugly. And then Felix reached out and placed his hand over mine. I looked up and stared into his green eyes. They reminded me of grass in the summer. “I’m gonna be your best friend, Maggie.” I liked how he said my name. “I’m never letting you go.” And for some reason I really believed him.

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Josephine

“P

lease make it to town, you bitch of a car.” I was pissed but prayed I made it at least to town before this piece-of-shit vehicle broke down on me. I saw the sign saying I would be entering Rustin city limits in five miles. “Come on, baby, you can do it.” The puttering sound started, then the squealing. I cursed. It was getting dark, and I sure as hell didn’t want to be stuck out in the middle of nowhere with woods surrounding me and God knows what lurking behind the trees. All those horror movies I’d watched over the years about a deranged serial killer or a family of mutants wanting to breed with a female slammed into my head. I was seriously starting to regret taking on the position at the interior design shop in this out-of-the-way town. But I also couldn’t have turned it down. The salary alone was more than I could have imagined making after just graduating with my degree. Not to mention corporate paid my relocating fee, found me a place to

stay, and made me head of the store. It was one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, and I’d jumped on it faster than I’d given myself time to think. Hell, I was probably just questioning it now because my damn car was acting up. And as if the bitch decided to say a big “fuck you,” the car gave one last stutter before smoke started coming out of the hood. I pulled to the side of the road. The sun was nearly set, and where I was parked was right around a bend. With trees surrounding me, an ominous feeling swept over me. I am not going to think about horror movies. I am not going to think about serial killers. I turned on my hazard lights, double-checked to make sure my doors were locked, and reached across the seat to grab my purse. I pulled my phone out, the dreaded feeling that I’d have no signal filling me. But thank God I had three bars. After searching the Internet and finding the town mechanic’s shop, I dialed the number and prayed they were open. “Gabe’s Garage,” the deep, husky voice on the other side of the line all but barked out. I rested my head on the back of the seat, looked up at the roof of my car, and mouthed “thank you” to whoever was listening. “Hi, yeah, my name is Josephine, and I, um, broke down and am in desperate need of a tow.” There was a heartbeat of silence before he answered me. “Where you at?” The guy’s voice was so deep, so masculine that I actually felt a chill race over my arms. I turned in my seat and looked around for any signs. “Um, I actually don’t know. But I just barely passed the Rustin city limits sign that said I’d be entering in about five miles. I’m coming from South.” Another moment of silence, some papers rustling, and then he cleared his throat. “Yeah, okay. I’ll be out. It’ll be extra though because it’s after hours.” “Yeah, that’s fine. What’s your name?” Another moment of silence passed. “Gabe.” “Thanks so much. I just want to get out of the middle of nowhere. Who knows what creeps are in the woods.” He gave a short chuckle. “You’ll be fine. Just hang tight.” I hoped he was right, because now all I could think about was the shady shit that could go down in the time it took him to get here.

Gabe I SAW the flashing hazards up ahead and slowed. It was already past sundown, and

although the garage was technically closed, I still took after-hours tow jobs. They didn’t come frequently, but when they did, it was usually from some out-oftowner. I pulled onto the shoulder and turned around so I was facing the same way as the vehicle. I drove the tow truck to the front of the car and reversed until I was close enough to hook it up. When I climbed out of the truck, the car’s driver’s side door was opening. The headlights made it impossible to see her clearly. I could see her shape well enough, though, and damn, was she curvy. “Thank you so much,” she said, her voice soft, sweet. And then she stepped in front of the lights and I got a good look at her. Fuck. It was hard to tell in the artificial light, but her hair was a shade of red and long enough to make the image of wrapping my hand around it as I plunged my cock into her body slam through my mind. My cock started to get hard, and I told myself to calm the fuck down. No need to frighten her and make her think I was some depraved pervert because she saw the wood I was sporting. She’d popped the hood when I’d parked, and as I stood there just staring at her, she turned and looked at the guts of the car. She was bent over, her hands on the edge, her ass popped out. The jeans she wore did nothing to hide the fact that her bottom was big, round, and would feel good in my hands. My cock jerked again, and since she wasn’t looking at me, I reached down and adjusted the asshole. “It started making this crazy sound, and when I pulled off to the side and cut the engine, I noticed smoke or steam or something coming out from under the hood.” I didn’t answer, because truth be told I was horny as hell for this woman, and the sight of her presented like some special little fucking gift for me had all words leaving my head. She straightened and turned to face me, and when she took a step forward, I saw the way her body changed. Her breathing increased. She licked her lips. She lowered her gaze and stared right at my cock.

Josephine I DID NOT MEAN to eye this guy’s junk, but when I saw him, got a good look at who this tow-truck man was, it was like instinct. He was huge, easily towering over my not so meager five-foot-six height. The man was a beast, his body corded with muscle, his grease-stained white shirt doing nothing to hide all that strength. He had a dark, trimmed beard, and as I really took

him in, I realized this man put his gender to shame. I’d never been instantly aroused before … until now. I was wet—soaking, in fact. My nipples were hard, hell, maybe even hard enough he could see them pushing against the material of my shirt. And I felt my heart beating fast and hard, felt it lodged in my throat. My reaction was ridiculous, ludicrous even, but it was real. I cleared my throat and looked away. He was hard, his erection pressing against his pants like a third leg. God, he was big. “So,” I said but didn’t look at him. I felt very bare right now, unhinged even. “Think it’s something you can fix?” He didn’t answer right away, and I glanced up at him. He had his focus trained right on me, this dark, commanding presence that had my flesh feeling tight, exposed in the winter’s chill. “I’ll get it taken care of.” He took a step toward me, and I smelled the wild scented cologne he wore. It was manly, slightly musky, and reminded me of the woods after a rainfall. “Go ahead and hop in the truck.” I nodded because I still felt so off balance. He moved past me, the light glow from his taillights washing his huge body in this reddish-orange hue. And when I saw him start to get my car ready to be towed, I couldn’t help but watch the way his muscles played under the flesh of his biceps. I didn’t know what in the hell was going on with me, but I had a feeling I needed to bury that shit. No way was I about to entertain the idea of being with this man in the filthiest way possible. I couldn’t. I wouldn’t. Right?

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You’re Mine Series

Book 1: Say You’re Mine Book 2: You’ve Always Been Mine Book 3: Coming soon

If you like your books fast, sweet, and always dirty in the good kind of way … check out the Real Man stories below. Book 1: Lumberjack Book 2: Virgin Book 3: Baby Fever Book 3.5: A Real Man: Volume One Book 4: Experienced Book 5: Roommate Book 6: Arrogant Book 7: Feral Book 8: Dirty Book 9: Viking: Coming soon

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Find Jenika at: @jenikasnow jenikasnow www.JenikaSnow.com [email protected]