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“Hey.” He covered my hands that I only just realized were shaking. He brought them to his mouth, kissing the tips of my fingers. “Iamsorry. I’m sorry for pushing you and I’m sorry for not being patient.”

I pulled my hands from his grasp.But you are patient, Cyrus. More patient than anyone I know. And I’m sorry for slapping you. I know that sometimes I need to be pushed. I do know that. And I do trust you. I do. Maybe not completely. Not yet. But over time, I know it’ll happen where I trust you completely.

He gave me a small smile.Do you forgive me?

My stomach tumbled like it always did whenever he signed. I nodded.Do you forgive me?

“No forgiveness needed, pet, but if you need to hear the words, yes, I forgive you.” He grabbed my hands again, leaning his forehead against mine. “I care about you, Ainsley. I care about you a lot.”

My heart stuttered, my eyes fluttering closed.

“I was worried you canceled our date because you didn’t want anything to do with me ever again.”

I leaned back, staring at him.Never, and I care about you too, Cyrus. A lot. I’ve told you things no one else knows. Not even all the therapists I’ve seen over the past few years know half the shit I’ve told you.

“Good. Let’s keep it that way.” He moved to kiss me when my hands landed against his chest. “Baby, let me kiss you.”

A breathless gasp escaped me at the desperation rolling off of him.Let me tend to your wounds first.

“Fine,” he grumbled, sitting back.

I laughed, rising from my chair.I’ll take care of you, Cyrus.

“You already have.”

My smile was so damn wide, my cheeks hurt. While I took care of him and cleaned up his cuts, he stared at me. Before him, I hated being the center of attention. I hated being touched and even looked at. I wore clothes bigger than needed, so I could hide behind the oversized fabric. But now, with Cyrus, with this beautiful man sitting across from me, I wanted to strip myself bare and let him see everything. Every inch. Every shattered and messy piece of me.

“Ainsley,” he growled.

My eyes snapped to his.

“You need to stop thinking whatever is going on in that beautiful head of yours. And you especially need to stop biting your lip.” He pinched my chin, pulling my lip from the onslaught of my teeth. “It’s my lip to bite.” He tugged me forward, crushing his mouth to mine.

The bandages fell from my hands, landing on the floor beneath us with a soft thud. Snaking my arms around his shoulders, I deepened the kiss.

He growled, nipping my bottom lip until it throbbed. “My lip. My body. My pet.”

I whimpered.Yes, yes, I am all of yours.The words screamed in my head but wouldn’t leave my lips.

“Say it,” he demanded, keeping his mouth locked on mine.

Make me, please make me.

“Say. It,” he repeated, moving his hand to my throat.

“Yes,” I whispered.

A snarl left him as he attacked my mouth.

It wasn’t a full sentence, but it was a start. A single word that held so much weight behind it. That hinted for everything I knew he could give me and more.

Cyrus

“Yes.”

That word. One syllable. So many different meanings.

Ainsley shook against me, her small body trembling with what I could only imagine was a need for more. I pulled her into my arms, needing to feel her against me. I craved her moans and her silent pleas for everything I had to offer her.