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Fiona and the others be damned. Let them gossip.

“It can be dangerous around here at night for a pretty boy like you.” I busy myself, trying to wipe the counter off. I can feel him at my back, and when I turn around, I come chest to chest with him.

“Ask me what you want to ask me, love.” He peers down at me over his nose, looming over me in an intimidating way. His deep blue eyes are like a hurricane pulling me in.

“All I’m saying is that you could stay if you needed to.”

“Ask me.” Amusement is splayed across his gorgeous face. He is going to make me ask him, and I’m going to give in.

I look away, avoiding his heavy gaze. “Will you stay, Aedon?”

“Of course.”

I relax, and he steps backward. I don’t want him away from me, but I’ve already asked for too much by asking him to stay. I hate that I want him here. I stalk over to the linen closet, irritated with myself, and pull out some blankets and a pillow, thrusting them into his chest.

“Couch is over there,” I mumble before heading back into my room.

Stupid, stupid, stupid, I torture myself as I lay there. Aedon is twenty feet away, and I want him on top of me. The memory of the last time we had sex is torturing me. After too many minutes of lying there, I finally get out of the bed and creep into the hallway. The place is dark. All the lights are off. He must have shut the place down. I usually just leave it all to burn out. I can’t tell if he’s awake, but I can’t take it.

“Pssst,” I whisper.

“We’re alone. Why are you whispering?” he laughs from the couch.

I run my fingers over the fresh stitches. “I didn’t know if you were sleeping.”

“I have never been more wide awake in my entire life.”

Shouts and cheers continue outside.

The words are already spilling out of my mouth before I can think it through. “Are you coming?”

He sits up, blue eyes reflecting the moonlight. His hair is disheveled, and he looks fucking breathtaking. “Do you want me to?”

“Only if you want to.”

He stands up and strides over, pausing in front of me. One hand braces the threshold overhead and the other caresses my cheek. I instinctively lean into him, closing my eyes. His lips gently brush mine, and I kiss him.

He pulls away with eyes full of uncertainty. Instead of kissing me again, he pushes me into the room and down onto the mattress forcefully. I’m fully awake. The prospect of him touching me is too much to bear. He tries to climb over me into the bed, but I wrap my legs around his waist, grinding myself against him with only my underwear separating us.

“Josie,” he warns in a husky voice, the s sounding like the sexiest z I’ve ever heard. “You’re upset.”

“And?” I grind against him again. He sits back and rests his palms on my knees lightly, trying to remain calm.

“I respect you,” he says through gritted teeth.

“What if I don’t want to be respected, Aedon?”

Something animalistic flares in his eyes. “You’re playing with fire.”

I sit up, pressing my chest to his torso, looking up at him with innocent eyes. My hands slide up his thighs over his hardened cock, and I brush my fingers against it, teasing him. “I like to watch things burn.”

He shudders, and his hands shake, gently stroking up and down the outside of my thighs. “You should sleep.” His voice drips with need.

“Aedon,” I purr.

“Stop looking at me like that, love,” he warns.

I unbutton his pants and slowly drag down his zipper. He squeezes his eyes shut and takes a deep breath. I pull him out, and he doesn’t protest. There’s a bead of pre-cum glistening on his slit. I look back up, and he’s watching me. I slide my palm over his shaft, and he swallows, his Adam's apple bobbing.