Page 135 of Give In

Yeah.

I did.

Despite the late hour, Damien and I were still in his home office. He was finishing grading some papers and replying to any urgent emails. I was straddling his lap, watching HGTV on the TV he’d set up on the small bookcase behind his desk.

Part of why we were still awake was because he kept rewarding himself by kissing me or playing with me or eating me. Sometimes it was a pre-ward, done before he’d even started a task. Not very effective, but I wasn’t complaining.

The other reason he was still working was because he wanted to enjoy the long weekend with me. No assignments. No emails. No responsibilities. And, according to him, no clothes.

Before we got to the naked fun time, though, he had to spend the next day at his parents’ house for Thanksgiving.

“I’ll cancel. Say I’m sick,” he said, licking along my jaw to my neck.

I tilted my head to give him more access. “Your family will show up here,” I reminded him.

“I won’t answer the door.”

“Doesn’t your sister have a key?”

“I’ll change the locks.”

I gave a soft laugh. “It’ll be fine.”

“Just come with me,” he suggested for the twentieth time before biting down on my neck and making me melt.

Shaking my head, I leaned away before him and his treacherous mouth got me to agree to anything and everything. “It’s just a few hours and then we’ll have the whole weekend together.” He opened his mouth, but I put my finger against his lips. “I’ll be fine. I’ve got wild plans that involve reading while I soak in the tub until I’m pruney. Then I’ll take the party train to bed and read there. Maybe I’ll get wild and nap.”

Damien nipped the pad of my finger. “Telling me you’ll be naked all day is not helping your case.”

Despite the joke, there was concern in his eyes.

He’s worried about me.

I hadn’t planned to spend the holiday with him. Usually, everyone I knew went home for the long weekend. Or they spent Wednesday night closing down the bars and Thursday in bed or sprawled on the bathroom floor. I’d been alone the last few Thanksgivings, and even before that, really.

The holidays weren’t warm memories.

Damien hadn’t shared my assumption of a day apart. He’d wanted me to come with him to his parents’. At my refusal, he’d declared he was staying home, too. It’d taken some back and forth, but I’d thought we’d reached an agreement.

I might not have planned on spending the day with him, but knowing it was an option—a stupid risky one, but an option all the same—made it disappointing to have to turn down. It was yet another thing I’d miss out on.

Forcing a smile, I hoped I hid the pang of sadness. “Hey, I can’t remember the last time I was home alone—no way am I putting on pants. It’ll just give you something to look forward to.”

I’d barely finished my sentence when he took my mouth in a bruising kiss. I melted into him, loving the way he consumed me. His hands went to my shirt, and I grasped at the last bit of control I had.

Gripping his wrists, I turned my head away and panted, “You’ve got work to finish.”

“Taskmaster,” he grunted, grinding me down against his hard-on.

“If my often sore and battered ass is any indication, it’s usually you wielding the whip.” I tilted my head and pursed my lips. “I’d be willing to wear some leather and give the crop a swing, though.”

He laughed against my lips. “I’m sure you’d enjoy that payback. But no.”

I shrugged. “It was worth a shot.”

Keeping hold of me, Damien stood before setting me on his chair. “If you’re going to insist on making me read the same regurgitated Wikipedia paragraphs, I need another beer.” He grabbed my water bottle. “Want a snack?”

I shook my head. “I’m good, thanks.”