"You just love your mom and don't want her upset."

He spoke the truth, but in a voice I didn't like. Even if I thought my mom would understand, I still felt the need to do this one last thing for her, when given the circ.u.mstances of how I was raised, she had asked so little of me. I swallowed a lump in my throat. His anger dissipated even though I could still feel the thumping of his heart.

"I want you," I said softly, pressing into him further. "It's just complicated right now."

One of his hands reached out and snagged me around the waist. He pulled me toward him until we were chest to chest and I had to tilt my head up to look at him. His chin dipped down and his eyebrows bunched together.

"I won't be hidden from them this time, Blue. I can't play that game again."

"You won't be," I a.s.sured him. "I told Malik there was someone else in my life, anyway. It will get back to my parents soon, I'm sure."

Moments pa.s.sed before he blew out another breath, visibly expelling his tension. Then his lips pressed against my forehead.

"Let's go." He turned, his hand still on my back, and began pushing me toward the bedroom. When I glanced at him, an eyebrow raised in question at his sudden shift in demeanor, one edge of his lips kicked up. "I have some work to do so that come Sat.u.r.day, the only man you're thinking about, the only man you're wanting, is me."

My breath caught in my throat as I let him guide me down the hall. I could have told him that whatever happened tonight or Sat.u.r.day or anything in between would be pointless, because the only man I'd ever wanted was right next to me.

But a bigger part of me wanted to see exactly what he felt the need to show me.

Chapter 14.

By the time we reached his room, my body was buzzing like a live wire. Tyson didn't say much as he walked me toward the bed and spun me around slowly until I faced him. The light from the hallway hit our profiles, giving me only an idea of the look in his eyes.

They were dark and angry, and full of want, too.

I hesitated as his eyes slowly trailed down the length of my body before pausing on my b.r.e.a.s.t.s and lifting back up meet my gaze.

"Stop chewing on your cheek," he admonished and brushed his thumb against the side of my face.

I didn't realize I was doing it, but as soon as he touched me, my lips parted, letting go of the abused flesh.

"Better," he murmured and ran one hand down my cheek and then ran both down my shoulders to the tips of my fingers.

Pleasured b.u.mps rose on my skin, leaving a trail of desire and need following his soft touch. I lost track of everything else I wanted to tell him, actual good news that might have made him smile instead of frown like he was still doing, when his hand fell to hem of my shirt. He lifted it and pulled it off my body slowly, then dropped his hands to my back and undid my bra strap. I quivered under his touch as he gently slid the straps down my arms and dropped the bra at my feet.

"Beautiful," he whispered, his voice thick with l.u.s.t. His hands continued moving, fingers undoing the b.u.t.ton and zipper at the waistband of my wide-leg black trousers before he let go. They fell to the ground and pooled at my ankles. I lifted my feet, kicking them off. Tyson's lips dropped to mine as soon as I did. His tongue slid across my lips and I opened to him.

I had no other choice.

It was always him.

As our tongues slid together, he pushed me backward and down until I fell to the bed and then continued pushing me until I was lying down. He pulled away from our kiss, trailing his lips down my flesh until his lips found my nipple. As soon as his tongue swirled around the hard tip, my fingers flew to his hair.

"Tyson," I groaned, arching into him.

He pulled and tugged, causing my hips to arch and writhe against him. He was wearing only athletic shorts and a T-shirt, and I could feel his erection press against my center as I moved.

It felt delicious.

Perfect.

"Want to taste you," he murmured, moving down my abdomen, pausing only to press his lips against my navel. His fingers dug into my underwear and he removed them, dropping to his knees on the floor while he slid them off my legs and ankles.

"Lay back," he ordered.

I loosened my grip on his hair and complied, lying down until I was propping myself up on my elbows. Before I was able to blink, his mouth brushed against my core and he inhaled my scent before pressing his lips just above my pubic area.

"So f.u.c.king beautiful. Hated not knowing where you went, where you were. Ten f.u.c.king years and I always wondered, even when I tried not to."

My breath caught in my throat as he spoke. We hadn't spoken much about when I left since the night we had ice cream and walked along the riverfront. I had no idea he still thought of that time. My heart stung inside my chest when he closed his eyes and inhaled again, sliding his tongue around my sensitive bud.

"Holy s.h.i.t," I gasped, dropping my head back to the bed. My arms slid out from underneath me and my fingers dug into the bed sheets. "Tyson."

His name. It was all I could think. It was all I could say. All other words escaped me, but I continued chanting his name when he gripped my backside in his large, warm palms and pressed my s.e.x directly to his mouth.

And then he devoured me.

His tongue slid in and around my folds, teasing me until I became a whimpering mess. He murmured encouraging words, telling me how much he loved the taste of me, spurring me on as my hips began bucking against his mouth. He slid his tongue to my c.l.i.t and flicked it back and forth, loosening his hold on me to slide two fingers into my wet flesh.

"So perfect. Love the way you taste."

I moaned loudly, highly aware that I was shameless with the need to be closer to him.

"Tyson," I gasped, as my o.r.g.a.s.m began tightening in my inner thighs. The heat and tremors spread to my stomach and down to my core until I couldn't contain myself. The pleasure was explosive and I felt every part of me clenching and convulsing around his fingers and tongue while he threw me over the edge of abandon with his sure movements.

"Amazing," I muttered, one arm thrown over my eyes. My body still trembled from his heated touch when he stood up and wrapped my ankles around his back. I popped my eyes open, dropping my arm to see Tyson grinning at me.

It was full of arrogance and c.o.c.kiness.

I grinned. "Yes?"

One side of his lips twitched up. "You didn't think we were done, did you?"

"I don't know if I can take more," I admitted, my cheeks flushed from my o.r.g.a.s.m and embarra.s.sment. He laughed softly, reaching into a drawer of his nightstand. I watched every moment as he tore the foil with his teeth and rolled on a condom.

Excitement began to build all over just from watching his fluid movements.

When he was done, he pulled me toward him until my backside hung off the edge of the bed. Standing to his full height, he adjusted me, moving my ankles behind his back, lifting my hips off the bed.

He wrapped one hand around his hard and thick shaft, his gaze focused on my center.

"You can take more," he a.s.sured me with a teasing glint in his eyes.

He proved it by sliding the tip of his erection against my entrance, gathering moisture before sliding inside.

"Tighten those ankles around me," he said, leaning forward to grab onto my hips with both hands. He pulled my bottom up to meet him until my body was angled for him. He slid in all the way, filling me and stretching me until he was fully sheathed inside me. Everything inside me ached for more, even though I felt overwhelmed.

"Wait," I gasped, as a sharp bite of pain hit me deep inside. "Give me a minute to adjust."

Opening my eyes, I stared up at him and saw perspiration beading on his forehead. His forearms were trembling with restraint and I couldn't help but grin. He was holding back on my account and it was killing him. I liked that I could make him lose control in the same way he did to me.

"Okay," I nodded as the pain receded, and began squirming, loving the feel of him. "Move."

"You sure?"

I wrapped my hands around his and tugged. "Please. I need you."

The c.o.c.ky grin reappeared. He pulled out slowly and slid back in; both of us tossed back our heads and groaned out loud. Tyson continued moving slowly, until he picked up the pace, his hips beginning to piston in and out, signaling his strong desire for me. Every thrust and every groan of his caused a delicious ripple of antic.i.p.ation to bloom inside of me.

We continued, both of us cursing and moaning, until he sped up again. I cried out his name as he dropped down, bracing himself on his hands next to my shoulders, and thrust harder. Faster.

"f.u.c.k!" he groaned. It couldn't be helped.

He drove me crazy, completely out of my mind.

It was then I realized what he was doing. He was marking me. Claiming me.

It was possessive and primal.

It was completely beautiful.

I wanted every single thing he could give me, and if he needed to expel his frustrations of the night using my body, I would take it until he was done.

My second o.r.g.a.s.m began building at the thought and I dug my fingers into his lower back, holding him to me. It took two more pumps of his hips before I began thrashing beneath him, the climax coming fast and strong. So fast and strong that as I began screaming out his name, I leaned forward and sunk my teeth into his shoulder.

"Holy s.h.i.t," he cried, dropping his head. Two more pumps of his hips and then he was groaning my name, wrapping an arm around the back of my head. He held me to his shoulder as my name fell from his lips in glorious, wicked abandon.

"s.h.i.t," I gasped when he pressed into me, sinking me further into the bed.

"Incredible," he murmured. He rubbed his temple against mine slowly, and I couldn't care less that he was transferring his sweat to my body. We were both covered.

"Shower with me," he said, extending his hand toward me when he'd reclaimed his breath.

I could barely move, much less walk. "I'll stay here," I muttered, my lips curving into a soft smile.

"You'll feel better when you're sleeping next to me and we're clean."

He had a point. Plus, a shower meant being able to run my hands down his body some more. I lifted my hand limply and rolled my eyes when Tyson laughed at me. Instead of grabbing my hand, he leaned down, wrapped my arms around his shoulders and my legs around his waist, and carried me into the bathroom. He set me down and I watched as he unrolled the condom and tossed it in the trash. That shouldn't have been s.e.xy, but I couldn't take my eyes off Tyson as he touched himself.

"I forgot to tell you something else," I said, the thought popping into my head out of nowhere. "But it's not bad," I added when his eyes began to narrow and his body started tensing.

"What is it?"

He stepped around me and turned on the water, adjusting the levers and checking the temperature.

I grinned at his back. "I got a job today. And an apartment."

He turned and tugged me inside the shower with him and moved us under the spray.

"That is good news," he said, brushing my wet hair back from my cheeks.

"My apartment is in Latham Hills."

His answering grin was wicked and full of carnal intent when he said, "I think that means we should celebrate."

We did.

When we were back in his bed, dry after another round of lovemaking in the shower, I curled my leg over his and rested my head on his chest.

"I've never felt more cared for, or safer, than when I'm with you," I admitted, brushing my lips across his pec.

He froze for a moment, his body beneath me tightening a fraction before he replied, "I've never felt better in my life than when you're in my arms."

It wasn't an admission of love. I didn't know if it needed to be. Based on my feelings for Tyson now, I didn't think I'd ever fallen out of love with him. I still loved him, just as deeply as I did when I was eighteen.

I just needed to find the courage to tell him.

It was the last thing I thought before I closed my eyes and surrendered to sleep, putting the best and longest day I'd had in a long time behind me, choosing to remember only the good parts-especially the parts that included Tyson.

- "You didn't have to come," I reminded Tyson as we stepped into the third home furniture store.

I'd received a call back from Nancy just after lunch this afternoon informing me that my application for the apartment had gone through. After recovering from the shock of hearing back so quickly-realizing the speed of approval was one of the benefits of being a Galecki-and because the apartment was currently vacant, I made immediate plans to move in that weekend.

I didn't have to be ready for the benefit until six on Sat.u.r.day, which meant I had three days to find furniture and schedule a weekend delivery. For the first time ever, I was dipping into my trust fund in order to furnish it, and while I hated the idea, I promised myself I'd pay the money back with my first few paychecks. Tyson had spent the past two hours with me after work, shopping for all that "s.h.i.t" as he called it. When I told him I couldn't see him because I got the apartment, he insisted on coming with me.

He'd been moaning ever since.

"But you already got a bed, a dresser, and a couch."

I eyed him, my grin full of mirth. "And I need tables. Lots of them."

"Lots of tables," he muttered. I laughed and grabbed his hand, pulling him along with me as we weaved through the ma.s.sive furniture store. It took one trip around the store to realize I didn't like any of them. None of them would go with the curved sofa with a chaise longue at one end that I bought earlier. None of them would look good next to my wrought iron bed and gunmetal gray dresser.

"Okay." I sighed and began heading toward the exit. "I'm done here."

Tyson tugged on my hand until I turned to look at him. "Done? You haven't bought anything."

"I know. I'll just have to look more later."

He rolled his eyes to the ceiling in a heaven-help-me gesture.

"Not tonight," I clarified. "Right now, I want to go eat. I'm starving." I laughed as the worry that I would drag him to another store eased from his shoulders.