Page 48 of Three

“Why?” he repeats when I don’t give him an answer. His intense gaze is making a hole inside my head, like he’s trying to dig a reply out of me with only the force of his mind.

And maybe he’s succeeding since I whisper, “Because I need you.” His eyes snap once again to mine as I utter those words. So many emotions swirling in them. I want to touch him so badly just to see if the feel of his skin under mine is as thrilling as I remember.

“To?”

“To feel,” I tell him simply.

“Why me? And not the twink at the club?” Am I imagining the jealousy I see on his face? Or maybe he just dislikes Art.

“Because I didn’t let him fuck me then run away when my senses didn’t go numb again.”

He straightens his back. “Are you telling me that you can smell, taste, and feel touch since I fucked you?”

“Your cock must be magical.” My humor falls flat, and my smirk too. “Look, I know it sounds crazy. But it’s true, I fucking promise you. I’ve been without those three senses for eighteen years, and I don’t want to lose them again.”

“Why do you think you’ll lose them again? Was there any change since last night?”

I sigh. “A couple of times. But I’m not sure if it was just me freaking out. It’s a valid possibility, though, to think I could lose them again.”Right?“All I know is that you fucked me, and now I feel. So it’s only logical to think that, if I stay close to you and we keep fucking, there’s more chances for me to keep feeling.”

Am I grasping at straws here? My speech sounded much better inside my head.

His brow kicks up while his eyes narrow. “For how long?”

I shrug. “I wouldn’t mind doing it for a while. Would you?”

He strokes his head with his hand, a gesture I know now he does when he’s contemplating. It’s still damn sexy to watch his bicep flexing, pec rising, muscles moving.

“So you want me to do what? Let you stay here? Let you touch me? Me do the touching?” Hate when people answer with a question.

“Yes, not all the time, yes, and fuck yes.” Then I add, “I understand if you don’t want to…what am I saying? I don’t give a fuck. I need you to keep making me feel.” I hope he can hear the determination in my voice, and my growing irritation. “You should be all over me by now. It’s kind of insulting, the way you’re questioning me, Bear. I’m giving you access to all of this, for fuck sake.” I wave a hand up and down my fabulous body.

He just keeps staring, still sitting in that damn chair. The fact that he doesn’t look affected by me both angers me and turns me so much the fuck on. I huff at my traitorous body. “I’m willing to give you, in exchange, whatever you want,” I propose.

“Whatever?” He sounds dubious.

“Yeah, well, I don’t hurt innocent people, especially kids and animals, not even indirectly,” I specify.

“The boys will be happy to hear that.”

“The animals are theirs?” I ask.

“They run the pet shelter next door.” The wicked trio might have a chance after all.

“So, what do you want? Money? A gallon of dog shampoo? A car?” I ask impatiently. Because I want a repeat so fucking bad. My heart is kicking hard against my ribcage. I’m already feeling the fire in my gut, the heat in my blood. The ache in my dick.

“Don’t like to be bought.”

“It would be a fair exchange.”

“Let me think about it,” he says after a pause.

Fair enough. “Got it.” I avert my eyes. I’ll give him some time—a day, a few hours. One. One hour is more than enough. I won’t fucking desist.

“No, you don’t.” His growly words catch my attention. “Let me think about what I want, but in the meantime…” He opens his arms in invitation.

I think my eyes are trying to pop out of their sockets. “Just like that?” I ask incredulously. It can’t be this easy.

“We fucked already. I find you attractive. Touching you or being touched is not an issue for me.”