“Yes. I do.”
“Good. I don’t want to use a condom with you.”
“I’m sorry. What?” I blink. While he knows I’m on the shot, I never expected him to ask something like this. Not with his kind of history with women.
He cups my cheek. “I don’t want anything else between us anymore.”
My eyes become all misty. I shouldn’t cry, but it’s hard to avoid based on the swell of emotion in my chest.
After being manipulated and abused by too many people, he is willing to give up this last bit of control he has over his life and trust me.
I nod, unsure if I can speak because of how tight my throat feels.
The smile he offers me is one I will never forget for the rest of my life. He stands back up and tugs me toward the edge of the bed with enough power to make me yelp. My legs are thrown over each of his shoulders. I nearly melt into the sheets as he places the softest kiss against the inside of my thigh.
Rowan lines his cock up with my core. “Now that I have you, I’ll never let you go.” He pushes into me slowly.
I claw at the bed beneath me. “I don’t want you to.”
“It’s cute that you think you have a choice.” He pushes more, stealing my breath away. His hands dig into my skin, holding me steady as he slams the rest of the way.
This time, the sex is different. Every touch feels like a promise and every kiss a vow. Rowan’s pace is punishing in a completely different way—with his slow thrusts.
He doesn’t stop worshipping my body as he whispers in my ear.
“I’m not sure what I did right in my life to deserve your love, but I’ll stop at nothing to protect it.” His lips find mine and he softly kisses me. “I’ll work every damn day to make sure you always have a reason to smile, even if it means sharing them with the rest of the world.” He withdraws to slide back into me, this time with a bit more desperation. “And I’ll ruin anyone who threatens your happiness.”
I lose the battle with my eyes, and tears slide down my cheeks. Rowan kisses away each of my tears in a silent promise.
And with a few more strokes, we fall together like we’re meant to.
Rowan holds me tight against his chest. I trace a mindless pattern across it, following the lines of muscle.
“So, I might have said something uncharacteristically mean to your father after your presentation today.”
“While my father is the last person I want to speak about while naked in bed with you, I’m too curious to pass this up.”
I laugh as I smack his chest. “Well, I might have told him to fuck off.”
Rowan explodes. His laugh is heavy and harsh like he can’t get enough oxygen into his lungs.
I absolutely love it and I can’t wait to make him do it again.
“You’ve got to tell me this whole story from beginning to end.” He wheezes.
“There’s not much to say. Martha bore witness to me telling him off for being a lousy father.”
“You said this in public?”
“Yes?” Was I supposed to say it in some secret hallway?
“And what did he say?”
“Nothing.”
Rowan blinks. “You told my father how much he sucked as a parent and to fuck off and he said nothing?”
“Umm…was he supposed to?”
“I’ve heard him fire employees for breathing on him the wrong way.”