Page 30

THIRTY

ZEKE

SAVANNAH BARELY STIRS as I slide into bed beside her, easing my body close to hers. It’s nearly three in the morning, but I couldn’t make myself stay away.

Not when I’m no closer to figuring out who’s behind what happened.

I rest my head on the pillow and close my eyes, breathing deep against her hair. Pulling the sweet scent of her into my lungs, I slowly begin to relax after a frustrating day of chasing down dead ends. I should have stayed in Nashville—I know that.

I just couldn’t.

Savannah sucks in a sharp breath, her soft body going stiff in my arms.

“Shhh.” I try to soothe her. “Go back to sleep.”

“Zeke?” She wiggles, trying to turn over. “I thought you couldn’t come back tonight.”

“I changed my mind.” I nearly groan as her ass rubs against my cock. “Now go back to sleep.”

“But…” Savannah continues squirming around, each move she makes waking up more and more of me. “Does this mean you figured out what’s going on?” She finally manages to face me, her green eyes on mine. “Who was it?”

She sounds so hopeful, and I hate that I have to take that from her. “I don’t know who it was yet.” I reach up to smooth back her hair. “But we’ll find them.”

Her gaze moves over my face, the shadows from the glow of the nightlight in the bathroom making her features look more angular than they are. “Why are you back then?”

“I brought your things from the hotel.” I continue petting her, running my fingers through her hair, over her skin. “And I wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“Maddox would have told you if I wasn’t.” She huffs out a little laugh. “That guy takes his job very seriously.”

I knew he would. That’s why he’s here instead of helping me. “I needed to see it for myself.”

Savannah studies me for a second. Then she inches closer. “I’m glad you came back.”

“Yeah?” I drag my hand down her side, letting it rest at the curve of her hip. “Why’s that?”

“You said we needed to talk.” Her fingers tease at the hair on my chest. “That I should figure out what I want.” Her touch whispers across one of my nipples, making me suck in a breath. “But I actually already know what I want.”

I fight my body’s reaction to her closeness, but can’t keep the slight growl from my voice when I ask, “And what is it you want, Savannah?”

A smile lights up her face, like she’s amused by my question. “I thought it was pretty obvious.” Her voice softens. “I just want you.”

My hand slides back to palm the curve of her ass, fingers sinking into the softness there. “You need to be sure.” I swallow, trying to smooth out the roughness in my voice. “Because I don’t know that I’ll be able to let you go once I have you.”

Savannah’s smile holds as she continues tracing paths across my skin with her soft touch. “Are you saying you’d let go of me now?”

I press my lips together, because I don’t like the question she’s asking. Almost as much as I don’t like my answer.

But she just laughs, her head tipping back a little on the sweet sound. “That’s what I thought.” She tries to get even closer, sliding one leg between both of mine. “I’m pretty sure the opportunity to walk away passed a long time ago.” Her smile twists into a cute little smirk. “And you didn’t even notice.”

It would seem I haven’t paid close enough attention to a lot of things since she swept into my life. “I’d still try if you wanted me to.”

“You could try,” she concedes. “But I don’t know how willing I would be to let you go.” Her eyes lift to mine. “And I don’t think I’d even try.”

I’ve been so distracted by the tight twisting in my gut brought on by thinking about walking away from Savannah, that I didn’t notice her hand has gone on an adventure. One that’s headed in a very definite direction.

The elastic waistband of my pajama pants puts up as little resistance as I do, and I suck in a sharp breath as the warmth of her soft palm wraps around my throbbing dick. My fingers dig into her hip as she gives it a surprisingly strong stroke. It takes everything I have not to thrust against her. To take more than she’s giving.

I grit my teeth as she pumps me again, working to stay still even as the need to move makes my muscles and balls ache.

“Hmm.” Savannah shifts a little and her hand falls away.

The loss is stark and significant. But before I can even react, the leg she’s got between mine bends, hooking around the one I have against the bed. Then she’s over me, knees against the mattress, her dark hair spilling down. “That’s better.” Her hands go right for my pants, fingers hooking into the waistband.

“Sweetheart—”

“Yes?” She doesn’t pause, doesn’t hesitate at all as she drags my pajamas down, freeing my bobbing cock before tossing them far enough away I’ll have to get up to retrieve them. Her eyes lock onto my dick, widening just a little as it flexes under her stare.

Anticipation and dread war it out in my gut, each fighting for control of the moment. For control of me. It’s been so fucking long since I’ve been with someone like this—someone I cared about—and I don’t know if I can handle it the way I need to.

I know I told her we had to wait until she decided what she wanted, but that’s not exactly true. I was trying to buy myself time, hoping I could get over this intense need I feel to claim her. To hear my name come through her lips as she comes undone around me. To show her why I should be the only one she ever wants. Ever needs.

But I don’t know that time will help me. Not when she’s so fucking perfect.

Proving my point, Savannah smiles at me again, stopping my heart with the beauty of it. I could wake up to that every day for the rest of my life and never get tired of it. Never take it for granted.

When her smile slips, I reach for her, worried something’s happened. That she’s struggling. I want to comfort her. Fix it.

Then the tip of her tongue traces her lower lip and I realize she’s not the one who’s about to be struggling. I barely have time to brace before she’s descended on me, that sweet mouth that just stopped my heart closing over my cock like it wants to steal my soul. And I would let her. Hell, I’d carve the damn thing out myself if Savannah told me she wanted it.

The air rushes from my lungs as she sinks over me, tongue teasing the underside of my cock. I fist my hands in the blankets because I know I can’t touch her. Know I can’t trust myself.

But my eyes never leave her face. I watch as her lips stretch around me, glistening in the dim glow given off by the bathroom night light as she swallows me down. My plan to keep my hands off her fails as I reach up to trace the line of her lips with my thumb. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”

Her eyes lift to mine, shoving me right to the edge in a single heartbeat. My balls pull tight, ready to spill, forcing me to end this moment.

Tangling my fingers in her hair, I pull free of her welcoming mouth, hissing at the loss. Savannah fights my hold, trying to regain her place of power.

“You’ve got to stop, Sweetheart.” I gently grab her arm with my other hand, bringing her toward me.

Her lower lip pushes out in the hint of a pout. “Why?” The glint in her eyes tells me she already knows damn well why, and it’s sexy as fuck. “Did I do something wrong?”

“Only if your goal was to have me coming down your—” I manage to bite off the last word of filth before it makes it out of my mouth.

Fuck. This is why I needed time. Why I put her off. Why I should still be putting her off. I want her too much to keep myself in check, and I want this to be perfect for her. I want?—

Savannah’s lips part, her pupils wide and dark in the shadowy room. “Coming down my, what?”

I keep my mouth shut as I try to come up with a way out of this. An alternative explanation that won’t sound as bad as the truth.

Savannah leans closer, her palms spread across my chest. “Coming down my, what, Zeke?” Her nails prick my skin. “Say it.”

I don’t want to. That’s not the kind of shit I should be saying to her. She’s too sweet. Too soft. Been through too much.

I must hesitate too long, because in the next second she’s moving away. I reach for her, intending to bring her back. To stop her so I can explain.

But then…

Then…

A low groan rumbles through my chest as her mouth glides over me again. Except now there’s none of the sweetness from before. No soft flicks of her tongue. No slow strokes of her lips.

One hand grips the base of me, holding tight as her cheeks hollow, the suction nearly enough to make me black out. When her other hand curves around my balls, giving them a little tug, I nearly lose it. Desperation makes me rougher with her than I want as I drag her free, flipping her small body under mine so I can pin her in place and put an end to this fucking insanity. “Stop.”

“No.” She shoves at my chest. “You stop.” Savannah gives up trying to push me away. Instead, she grabs my face, her tight grip distorting my mouth as she glares up at me. “Stop treating me like I’m going to break.” Her eyes narrow. “I’m not.” Her hold gentles. “You don’t have to hold back with me.” Her fingers move over my skin, tracing my chin. “I trust you, and I want you to trust me.”

“I do trust you.” She’s not the problem. “I don’t trust myself.” I risk touching her, letting one hand palm her hip. “You don’t know how much I want you.” I take a breath, trying to calm the need still coursing through my veins. “How much I want from you.”

I’m trying to warn her. Trying to make her see why it has to be this way for now.

Showing no sense of self-preservation, Savannah smiles up at me and says, “Then take it.” She takes a quick breath before testing every bit of willpower I have by saying, “I want you to take it all.”

Fuck.

I can hold back from what I want. Even from what I need. She’s a different story.

“Is that really what you want, Savannah?” My voice is rough as I glide my hand up her side, dragging the fabric of her shirt along as I go. “Because it’s not going to be pretty or sweet or gentle.”

The air rushes from her lungs. “That actually sounds amazing.”

That wasn’t the answer I was hoping for. Or maybe it was. I don’t even fucking know anymore. But it’s the answer she gave me. It’s also the answer that pulls the frayed thread of my control taut and neatly snips it right in half, setting me free.

I don’t even remember how I peel away her clothes. All I know is, in the blink of an eye, Savannah’s naked under me, every inch of her skin bare beneath me. I take her in, letting my hands and mouth roam over her soft, warm body.

Her nipples bead under my tongue and tighten against my teeth as I worship each of them in turn, making her writhe against the mattress. The sounds that come from her lips have my dick leaking and my balls aching for release. And I want more of them. More of her.

I groan against the wet heat of her pussy as I settle between her thighs, desperate for another taste of her. Desperate to feel her come against my tongue. To bring her just a little of what she deserves.

Like last night, it’s not long before she shatters, her thighs tight against my ears as she rides it out. Unlike last night, I’m not holding back. Not denying myself or her. Not anymore.

If she wants me to take it all, then I’m going to.

I’m barely notched against her before I sink deep, a curse grinding through my clenched teeth. I’m already fighting not to come, which isn’t a good sign.

Savannah’s hands come to grip my biceps, her nails digging into my skin. Her lips are parted, eyes locked on mine, pupils blown as I rock into her, each breath she takes bringing me closer and closer to the edge.

But I’m not going over without her.

“It’s time to give me what I want, Savannah.” I lean down to drag my lips along her neck, mouth just below her ear when I say, “You told me to take what I want, and what I want is to feel your pussy squeeze my cock when you come for me again.”

She sucks in a sharp breath, clenching around me in a tease of what’s to come.

“Just like that, Sweetheart.” I watch her face as I adjust my angle. When she sucks in a sharp breath, her body tensing, I smile. Gripping her behind one knee, I push Savannah’s leg out so I can hold my position a little easier. So I can give us both what we want.

Her eyes slip closed, head rocking back as I move faster.

“Eyes open, Savannah.” I curve one hand against her face, thumb under her chin. “I need to know you’re right here with me.”

Her lids lift, lashes fluttering as she says, “I’m always with you.”

My cock twitches at her words. The weight they carry. The truth behind them.

She is always with me. In every breath. Every thought. Every step. Savannah has become my life. My purpose.

My everything.

Any hope I had for holding out is gone now, and all I can do is force myself to keep going as my balls pull tight, the battle I waged lost thanks to the sweetness of her pretty words.

Proving her claim, Savannah is right behind me, arching against me, her green eyes never leaving mine as three words slip through my lips.

And I’ll never take them back.