His hot gaze raked over her, admiration settling over his handsome face. "Look at you," he muttered, sliding a hand beneath her hair, around her neck, and pulling her in for a scorching kiss.

His tongue tangled with hers, while at the same time, he backed her up until her legs. .h.i.t the couch. She toppled backwards onto the soft cushions. She adjusted herself, letting her sandals fall to the floor.

She kept her gaze on his, watching his every movement. He stripped off his shirt and kicked off his shoes. Pulled a condom from inside his wallet before removing his shorts, taking his boxer briefs with them. Finally he stood before her, his naked body a thing of beauty.

Without thought, she unhooked the front clasp of her bra, extricating her arms from the straps and freeing her aching b.r.e.a.s.t.s for his viewing pleasure. He stared down at her, green eyes glittering with arousal, his erection strong, thick, and big, making her mouth water and her body moisten with desire.

"I still can't believe we're here. Together," she said, voicing the thought she couldn't get out of her head.

He placed the condom on the end table and came down over her, his hard c.o.c.k sliding over her s.e.x, causing a rush of need to wash over her.

"It's us," he a.s.sured her.

She moaned, her c.l.i.t pulsing and her body clenching with the desire to be filled by him.

"Grey, I need you." She scored her nails over his back, hoping to entice him into moving faster. Sure enough, he arched his hips, thrusting against her, causing another delicious wave of longing to toss her around but not take her over.

"You want to run the show?" he asked, sitting up suddenly and pulling her with him. He grasped her hips and shifted her around until she straddled him, her knees on either side of his muscular thighs. "Grab the condom."

Her heart beat out a rapid rhythm, but she did as he asked and plucked the foil packet from the table.

"Now open it and slide it on me," he instructed, his voice gravelly.

"I've never done that before." But excitement buzzed in her veins because she wanted to do it with him.

"Good." Grey brushed a thumb over her cheek, as amazed as she was that they were together. He wanted to memorize every second, make it last, keep her here with him forever. He'd been her first ever, and d.a.m.n but he wanted to be her last.

She curled her soft fingers around his aching shaft, and he held himself still, watching as she bit the inside of her cheek and ripped open the package, removing the condom. Pre-come had already formed on the head of his c.o.c.k, and he clenched his jaw and gripped her hips harder, all in an effort not to embarra.s.s himself too soon.

His hold on his body was a tenuous one. Unaware of his strain, she rolled the condom over him, moving slowly, carefully, the glide of her fingers a tease he could barely withstand until, finally, she reached the base of his shaft.

"Done!" she said, her voice filled with pride.

She was such a mixture of innocent and sensual woman, was it any wonder he found her so f.u.c.king special?

"Now ride me, sugar," he said tightly, hoping he made it past the first grip of her p.u.s.s.y before exploding.

"Can't say I've ever done that before either, but I'm game to try." With a s.e.xy smile on her face, Avery placed her delicate hands on his shoulders and raised herself up on her knees.

Her wet heat hovered over the head of his c.o.c.k, and he gripped the base until his shaft nudged its way inside her. At the first clasp of her p.u.s.s.y, sweat broke out on his skin. She moved herself up and down until she was able to slide all the way home, cushioning him inside her completely.

"Oh my G.o.d," she said on a groan. "You feel ... This is ..."

"Intense," he said, completing her sentence in the only way he could. His d.i.c.k was on fire as she squeezed him in her narrow pa.s.sage. If she didn't move soon, he might die.

"Incredible," she murmured, leaning forward and sliding her lips over his.

The kiss broke open a dam between them, and he arched up into her at the same time she rocked back and forth, her snug p.u.s.s.y contracting around him until he couldn't see, breathe, hear, think, or feel anything but her. How could he when she was grinding her s.e.x into him and her b.r.e.a.s.t.s were gliding against his chest, her tight, hard nipples grazing his skin?

He gripped her hair, tilted her head, and ran his tongue along her neck, nipping at her flesh with his teeth. She whimpered at the tiny bites and began to f.u.c.k him harder, raising and lowering her hips until he was meeting her moves with pitched thrusts of his own.

"Harder, Grey, please!" She dug her nails into his shoulders, and with each downward plunge, she arched her s.e.x forward, seeking more friction.

He slipped his hand between their bodies, his fingertips coming into contact with her c.l.i.t. He ma.s.saged her moisture around the distended bud with determined circles until her breath came in shorter gasps, her rocking motions became less fluid and more jerky as she chased her climax.

He was d.a.m.ned close himself, flashes of heat singeing him, but he wasn't coming without her. He wanted to watch, knowing that seeing her go off would send him over the edge right after her.

"Come for me, sugar." He rubbed her c.l.i.t harder.

She clenched around his c.o.c.k, her hips rocking against his. "Oh G.o.d, Grey!" She cried out his name, began chanting it as she came, her entire body a writhing ma.s.s of need and want. And when she wrapped her arms around his neck and rocked herself into him, she was still coming, still whispering his name. It triggered his own release as he pumped his hips upward, relieving himself of hot, sizzling come.

Avery held him tight as he came, waiting until he collapsed beneath her before she did the same. He wrapped his arms around her, knowing that he'd finally gotten it right. He'd come home.

Avery woke up and immediately realized she was in a strange bed. She looked over and didn't see Grey, so she climbed out of bed and wrapped an afghan around herself before heading out of the room. She found Grey in the kitchen, drinking a gla.s.s of water. Unlike her, he was nude and clearly not bothered by that fact.

Neither was she. Looking at him was something she could do every day or night.

"Everything okay?" she asked.

"Yeah. I was just thirsty." He held out the gla.s.s. "Want some?"

"No thanks. I'll meet you back in the bedroom."

She turned to go, and he snagged her around the waist and spun her to face him. "Now that you're awake, I'm hungry too."

She blinked up at him, her eyes adjusting more in the dark room. "You are, hmm?"

"For you, pretty girl," he said, sealing his lips over hers.

She melted into him, winding her arms around his neck and kissing him back. The blanket fell to the floor, and she was skin to skin, his hard erection pressing against her belly, causing a rush of liquid to pool between her thighs.

"Bed," he said between kisses.

She wasn't going to argue, and when he lifted her, she wrapped her legs around his waist and let him carry her into the bedroom. He deposited her in the center of the bed and crawled down her body. Starting at her navel, he pressed a soft kiss there, moving lower, licking and nuzzling his way down her stomach. Her skin quivered, and arousal thrummed in her veins, her s.e.x feeling needy and swollen as he teased her. He slid his tongue lower, tasting her slick outer lips, suckling first one, then the other into his mouth.

She moaned and gripped the blanket, writhing beneath him on the mattress, her inflamed body needing more than the leisurely laps of his tongue. As if sensing she was at her limit, he slid one long finger inside her, keeping his thumb pressed hard on her c.l.i.t.

"Grey!" She arched her hips, and he blew a stream of warm air over her wet s.e.x before adding a second finger.

"Do you feel me, sugar?"

"Yes." Her hips bucked upward, pulling his fingers deeper.

"d.a.m.n, you feel good. So hot and wet."

His words sent her soaring, taking her out of her head. He pumped in and out, spreading her wider, taking her higher. And when he sucked her c.l.i.t into his mouth, she shattered, his hard fingers bringing her up and over, waves of pleasure soaring through her body over and over.

At the sound of ripping foil, she opened her eyes and welcomed Grey as he came over her and thrust into her wet sheath. She'd have thought she was finished, that it was his turn, but he was so thick, so hard, he hit a spot inside her that she'd never felt before.

"So good," she said, arching up, taking more of him.

"The best," he said, staring into her eyes as if he could consume her whole.

Jaw set, he began a steady pumping of his hips, each slam inside her awakening nerve endings that caused sparks of heat and light to wash over her as another o.r.g.a.s.m, stronger and more powerful than the first, took hold. She lost herself in sensation, in waves of spectacular feeling, her climax consuming her. He followed her over, coming with a shout and a loud groan, collapsing against her in a sweaty, male heap.

She wrapped her arms around him and held on, knowing it was too late for her heart, the thought scaring her to death. They shared a quick late-night shower before crawling back into bed. Grey immediately fell into a deep sleep, Avery following quickly after.

Avery woke up to find her heart racing way too fast. A quick glance told her Grey still slept. He lay close. In fact she'd been cuddled into him for most of the night, his body heat comforting her. She wasn't used to sleeping with a man, yet she'd slept well. Another reason for her sudden anxiety-she was getting too attached.

She drew a deep breath in, holding it before blowing it out, counting down slowly the way she'd been taught to calm her galloping pulse and thoughts. It had been a long time since she'd woken up to pure panic, but she wasn't surprised she'd done so now. Last night had been intense, to the point where her emotions had been so big and overwhelming they'd threatened to choke her. Certainly they'd brought her to the verge of tears.

They were good tears, coming because she and Grey had made love, but the beauty of that had taken her off guard and threatened the walls she'd built to keep herself safe.

Despite all her intentions to be smart and careful, she'd allowed herself to get into a situation that was bound to end up hurting her in the end.

She stared at his sleeping form for a little while longer, studying his beloved face, as if she hadn't already committed it to memory years before. She took in the changes, the adult version, and she didn't see the musician the world loved; she only viewed the man she loved.

Loved.

That sent her thoughts into another spiral. She didn't want to walk away from Grey until she had to, but she needed some distance in order to regain perspective. She wouldn't find it in his bed, watching him sleep.

The covers fell to his waist, revealing his bare chest with a liberal sprinkling of dark hair. She curled her fingers into a fist in order to resist the urge to run her hands over his skin. She couldn't risk waking him, because she needed to sneak out before he woke up. When he asked later, she'd explain that she'd had work to do on her prom plans and on her blog, but the fact was she needed to get away.

She slipped out of bed, boxing up the L word that would surely wreak havoc with her life and tucking it away. She couldn't think about loving Grey, because he was the musician the world adored.

And that was that.

A little while later, she dressed in last night's clothes and texted Rick to pick her up in front of Grey's building. She had a list of things piling up in her head, and she knew she could keep herself busy with work. She didn't have to dwell on the fact that she'd bailed on Grey and would have to deal with him later.

Rick left her to her thoughts on the ride home, for which she was grateful. He pulled into a spot in front of her building and met her outside her side of the car.

Like most of the men who worked for her brothers, Rick was former military. He was tall, with big muscles, cropped dark hair, and a commanding demeanor. But because Avery knew most of them, she was never intimidated.

"Thanks, Rick," she said, looking up at him, unable to see his eyes thanks to his aviators. "I can walk myself up."

"Sorry, but I'm taking you to your door. Boss's orders."

Avery bit back a retort about what her boss could do with those orders and smiled at the man who was just doing his job. "Then let's go."

They made their way to her apartment, no paparazzi or strange person in sight. "See? n.o.body's here outside or in," she said as they walked down the hall to her door.

"You never know where they'll pop up, so it's better to be safe than sorry," Rick said. "Do you have your keys?"

She dug into her purse as she walked, realizing as she always did when she looked for something in the abyss that she really ought to carry a smaller bag. Unfortunately she liked knowing she had all sorts of items on hand, wallet, lip gloss, nail file, tissues, mirror, iPad mini, phone, water bottle, among other things. Just in case.

"Son of a b.i.t.c.h," Rick said in a harsh tone that had Avery looking up from her search.

Before she could focus on what was wrong, he braced his hands on her shoulders and pushed her against the wall protectively. "Wait here."

Her heart rate picked up speed. "What's wrong?" she asked Rick, but he was already on his cell, barking orders that included, "Problem. Call 911 and get over here now."

She stepped around him, determined to see what had him so thrown. She got a glimpse of her front door, where the words wh.o.r.e, s.l.u.t, and one other she couldn't bring herself to even think about were scrawled in bright red. And the piece de resistance, a note taped to the door with words printed on it-Grey is mine. Break up or die.

She gasped, a combination of horror and outrage filling her.

"Stay back," Rick said and yanked her behind him.

"Too late," she muttered, her stomach churning at the thought that someone had gotten so close to her apartment. And if she'd been inside, they'd have gotten that close to her.

Grey woke up and immediately knew he was alone. The warm body that had been beside him all night was gone, and his gut told him he wouldn't find her anywhere in his apartment. He ran his hand over his eyes and groaned.

He'd wanted to spend a leisurely morning eating breakfast in bed, showing her the apartment next door and his plans for a sound-proof studio and a place to write and work. Instead he had Avery's scent and the lingering smell of s.e.x surrounding him, he was sporting wood, but the woman he wanted in his arms was nowhere to be found.

He didn't doubt for one minute that she'd panicked and run. He was disappointed but not discouraged. He even understood. Nothing about last night had been simple or easy. Everything between them had been serious and emotional. He'd originally thought he was fighting insecurities instilled by a selfish, neglectful parent and the damage Grey himself had done by leaving and not staying in touch. Now he knew there were real psychological issues at work, anxiety she couldn't always control. All he could do was provide a steady presence and trust she'd work through things inside her head. If there was one thing he was okay trusting in, it was Avery. Now she had to do the same.

He dressed and headed over to see her, surprised to find her door open and her brother's raised voice from inside.

"You d.a.m.n well are moving in with me, Ian and Riley, or Scott and Meg for the time being."

"Agreed," another male voice said. "And you can break up with that a.s.shole who's bringing all sorts of trouble to your door."

The door, Grey noticed now, that had crude insults scrawled on the front. His stomach churned at the sight.

"You both need to back off now," Avery yelled at them, and Grey figured there was another brother getting protective.

He was equally p.i.s.sed at how they spoke to Avery, made decisions for her, and wanted to cut him out of her life. He pushed the door open and stormed inside.

"Grey!" Avery met his gaze, clearly startled to see him in her apartment.

"f.u.c.k. Haven't you done enough?" Scott asked. He stood beside Tyler, both similar in looks with their dark hair and Dare sibling violet eye color.

Grey met the man's angry stare head on. Grey counted himself lucky he was spared Ian's presence, because of all the brothers, he was the most volatile. Not that Grey couldn't handle him and would for Avery, but these two were enough for now.

"I'd say you're the one who's done enough." Grey slammed the door shut behind him. "Don't you think your sister can make her own decisions? She wants to be with me, and I sure as h.e.l.l intend to be with her. So how about we agree to keep her safe and stop trying to cut me out of the picture. Because I won't tolerate it."

Both brothers eyed him warily.

"And just how do you propose to keep her safe when you're the one bringing the crazies to her door?" Scott asked.

Avery stepped up beside him, but she didn't get close or give him any real indication of her feelings. He couldn't imagine the fear and panic she must be holding inside. He wanted to pull her tight against him and promise her everything would be all right, but she didn't seem to want the intimacy they'd already established. He wasn't sure if she kept a physical and emotional distance because of her brothers or if she was pulling away all on her own.

"Can we all just calm down?" she asked.