Page 36 of Unlocked Dive

“Maybe.”

“Not maybe. You’re getting stronger every day. In another two months, those fears you’re fighting will be a distant memory.” I squeeze his wrists once, then pull them down, shaking my head. “It would be stupid for either of us to get attached to what’s happening here.”

“What if I’m already attached?”

I stare at him, ethereal in the darkness, knowing all too well how real he feels under my hands.

I should shut this down right now. Ignore the way my heart is pounding and send him back up to his bed on the couch—hell, back to LA if I was smart. Because no matter what he thinks he’s feeling, he will leave eventually, and I’ll be the one left behind.

But he’s made me selfish. And I want him more than I want to protect my foolish heart.

“Don’t,” I whisper, but it sounds likeplease.

16

Echo

“Don’t,” he whispers, but it sounds likeplease, and I launch myself into his arms.

His hands come up under my ass as I wrap my legs around him, claiming his mouth and dismantling his protests with my tongue. I want to kiss away the scars of everyone who’s come before me and suck their venom from his wounded soul.

What comes later is a problem for another day.

He carries me back to the mat without breaking the kiss, stumbling slightly when his foot hits the edge in the dark. I’d happily go down with him, but he catches himself and sets me back on my feet. I tear my mouth away long enough to strip out of my shirt and go back to devouring him as I start on his buttons.

He doesn’t stop me, for once matching my urgency with his own, tugging open my jeans and shoving them down my thighs before palming my eager cock. The night is warm and dark, the nearest neighbor is half a mile away, and Elke…Elke can have my bed. I’m having Byrd here on the mat, and fuck all if I’m sleeping on the couch tonight.

I tear through the last few buttons and push the crisp cotton shirt from his shoulders before dropping my head to suck along his collarbone as I step out of my jeans. He’s peeling his own off now, one handed and clumsy, while he continues to stroke my cock. Our knees knock against each other, and my hands fly everywhere, too greedy to be graceful. His hair brushes against my abs and over his shuttling hand as he bends to tug his last foot free, and the silky texture caressing my crown steals the strength from my legs. I fall back onto my ass, pulling him on top of me with a sound halfway between a moan and a laugh.

“Shit,” he rasps, raising up on an elbow to take in my face. “Are you okay?” His shirt is tangled between us, still caught on his wrist, and he shifts his weight so I can tug it free.

“Yes. Do that again.”

“Fall on you?”

“Your hair.” I push at his shoulder. “Use it on my cock.”

“Mmm. Like this?”

“Yes.Oh.” I writhe beneath him as he hooks my knee and presses it open, letting his burnished waves fall down over the crease of my thigh and trail along my aching shaft. The whole mess of it pools in my groin, and I lift my head, wishing the moon was up so I could take in the full glory of the visual. Then he rubs the soft stubble of his beard lightly over my balls, and my head falls back with a whimper.

“Fuck, that’s insanely hot.” I reach for him, and he finds my seeking fingers, lacing them together, palms pressed against my open thigh.

“I can make it even better,” he says, and nuzzles deeper, running the flat of his tongue up the seam behind my balls. I jolt against his mouth, and he slides his other arm under my free leg, splaying his hand across my hip to hold me still.

“I like you like this.” He peers up at me through the fall of his hair.

“Desperate?” I groan, wrapping my hand around myself and pinching the tip. Precum slicks my fingers, and I bring them to his lips.

“Trapped.” He catches one in his teeth and sucks it clean. “Mine.”

Yours.

And even though I’ve never been the guy who gets off on surrender, my whole body shudders at the thought.

And then he dips his head and proceeds to take me apart.

His tongue is worship and torture—a delicious invasion, sucking and spearing at my entrance until I’m a dripping, defiled mess.