Page 200 of Detectives in Love

“No,” I whisper. It comes out broken, but I can’t stop the grin that pulls at my mouth.

His brows knit, like he doesn’t believe me. “I’m sorry,” he murmurs. He shifts his weight, suddenly awkward, not meeting my eyes. “I shouldn’t have—I just—” He cuts himself off, looking almost ashamed.

I stare at him, stunned. He’s apologizing? After what he just did?

A laugh escapes me—breathless, shaky. “Sorry?” I echo. “Xavier, that was…” I trail off. I don’t even have the words.

His gaze flicks up, cautious, as if he’s bracing for me to hate it.

“That was the hottest thing anyone’s ever done to me,” I finish.

His face flushes deeper, and he blinks at me, caught between relief and disbelief.

I reach up, cup the back of his neck, and pull him down for a kiss—slow this time, tender. My lips still buzz with the taste of sex, my whole body humming with the aftershocks.

And I know I want him to do it again. Every fucking day for the rest of my life.

Xavier pulls out, careful, like he’s afraid I’ll break. I shiver at the loss, my body sensitive everywhere. He strips off the condom, ties it, then tosses it on the floor.

For a second, he goes still, looking lost, then lies beside me, close but stiff, like he’s not sure if he’s allowed. I turn my head and look at him. His cheeks are still red, his chest rising and falling fast, his eyes avoiding mine.

“You’re quiet,” I murmur, brushing his arm with my fingers.

He swallows hard. “I’m sorry,” he says again, a flicker of shame in his voice. “I don’t know what—I shouldn’t have—”

I grin, unable to stop it. “You really think I didn’t like that?”

His eyes dart to me, nervous, then drop again.

“Xavier,” I laugh, half-disbelieving. “You just fucked me senseless and made me come without even touching my cock. And you think I’m mad?”

He covers his face with his hand, groaning. “I lost control. I didn’t mean to…say those things out loud.”

I shift closer, tugging his hand down so I can see him again. “What, the part where you said I’m yours? Or the part where you said you want to fuck me for the rest of my life?”

His face goes crimson.

I smirk, leaning in, my voice low in his ear. “You’ve been thinking about that, haven’t you? Was that one of your dark little fantasies about me?”

He tenses, embarrassed, like I’ve just pulled a secret straight out of him. “Newt—”

“Don’t look so horrified,” I tease, planting a quick kiss on his jaw. “That was insanely hot.”

He lets out a shaky breath, still red, flustered, but I can see it—how stupidly in love he is, even when he’s ashamed of what he just let slip. And it makes me want him even more.

Xavier still looks like he wants to hide under the sheets, but instead he clears his throat and shifts, propping himself on one elbow. “You need to eat,” he says, serious. “What do you want?”

I smile, still sprawled against the pillows. “Sushi.”

He nods, decisive, and reaches for his phone. We lie there side by side as he scrolls, his brow furrowed in concentration. A minute later, I realize he’s not stopping. He just keeps adding.

“Xavier,” I say, laughing. “That’s enough. You’re not ordering for a soccer team.”

“You need to eat,” he repeats, not looking up. “You just burned through half your strength. You need it back.”

I can’t stop grinning. “Well, yeah, but I don’t need a hundred rolls.”

“You’ll thank me later,” he mutters, tapping in the final order.