Page 106 of Silas

Finally, she releases me.

I let go of her hair and she lays atop me, resting her chin on my sternum and gazing up at me with a giddy, happy grin.

“Hi,” I whisper, smiling back down at her.

“Hi,” she murmurs back. “That was…” her eyes close, and she licks her lips. “Really,reallyfun.”

“Fun?” I echo. “It was…you’re okay?”

She opens her eyes, grinning at me, almost delirious with happiness. “I’m so,sogood, Silas. He’s gone. There’s nothing of him left. There’s only you.”

“I’m glad,” I answer.

Her expression turns curious and nervous. “How did I do? Was it…okay?”

“Okay?” I repeat in disbelief. “I can’t even…” I shake my head and pull her back up to hold her in my arms. “It was…so far beyond incredible that I don’t even have words.”

“I just…I wasn’t sure if I was doing it right. How to…how to make it as good for you as I can.”

“Naomi.” I laugh, kiss her hair. “Couldn’t you tell? You sent me to heaven. I think for a second there I really did die and go to heaven.”

She laughs. “I mean, it seemed like you were enjoying it.”

“Trust me, I was. Enjoy isn’t even almost the right word—I don’thavea word for how amazing that felt.”

“So you’d let me do that again, sometime?”

I chuckle, a rough growl. “Naomi, baby, I’m gonna have to stop myself from begging you to do that all the time.”

“You wouldn’t have to beg,” she whispers. “I don’t want you to stop yourself. Don’t hold back with me, Silas. I want all of you, exactly as you are.” She kisses my throat, my jaw, my cheekbone. “I love you. I want you. I want to do everything with you. I want you to be totally yourself with me. I…I know you’re holding back because you don’t want to scare me.” She cups my jaw and kisses me. “Don’t hold back anymore, okay? If you…If you want something, want to do something to me or show me something or try something, just tell me. Or show me. You don’t have to be gentle, if you’re feeling…rough. Or…or…I don’t know. I don’t know how to put it. Just…I’m not afraid, Silas, and I trust you.”

“Okay, my love. I hear what you’re saying, and I understand. I’ll probably still be a little hesitant to really be rough with you, but we’ll figure it out.”

“Do you…are you usually…rough?”

I shrug. “It’s so completely different with you that I can’t even predict how it’ll be. You make me feel things I never knew I could feel. And I wantyouto explore your sexuality, Naomi. I want you to figure out what you like and want, and I’m absolutely happy to give you the reins while you do that.”

She nods. “I appreciate that, Silas. But if I’m honest, I think I…I think I would be really happy if you would take over and show me howyoulike things. There’s just so much I know I don’t know, and I want you to teach me.” She leans her elbows on my chest and meets my eyes. “You have to trust me. I’m not delicate. I’m not going to break, and you’re not going to hurt me or frighten me. There’snothingwe’ve done together that I haven’t absolutelyloved, Silas. And I want more. I want everything.”

“Okay, honey. I will. I promise.”

She kisses my chest. “You have to go. I’ve delayed you.”

“It’s not like there’s a ticking clock, baby. I just want to have full dark to get in and out.”

She slips off of me and sits on the bed, easy and comfortable in her nudity. “Go, my love. I’ll be here waiting for you when you come back.”

“Will you be naked?”

She nods, biting her lower lip around an eager, sexy smirk. “Ready and waiting for whatever you want to do with me, my love.”

I close my eyes. “I’m so happy I found you, Naomi. You make me feel…” I shake my head. “Happy. For the first time in my life, I’m happy.”

“Me too,” she answers, and pushes at my shoulder. “Go. Be careful and come back to me soon, okay?”

I dress quickly in all black and gray, putting my body armor on last, filling the pockets with spare magazines for my pistol and the silenced submachine gun I plan to take.

I strip both weapons and check to make sure they’re clean and working properly, and then reassemble them. The submachine gun is an older model HK MP5SD, well-used and well-cared for. I clip it to my vest on my right side and let it hang, holstering my sidearm low on my left thigh, rigged for cross-draw. I strap a tactical blade to my chest and another on my right thigh. Last, I unscrew a tin of black-green face paint and rub it around my eyes, nose, mouth, and neck, and then place a plain black ballcap backward on my head.