Page 29

I wake with a groan and stretch my limbs. Or I try to at least, but somethings weighing me down. Cracking an eye, I spy a pretty blond sprawled out over me.

I sigh, now remembering last night. It was perfect. It was everything and more.

Next to worshiping him the way he deserves; my favorite part had been the way his features lit up when I said one simple word.

Yours.

There was nothing as captivating as him in that moment. His mouth stretched into the most magnificent smile. No walls, no hesitation. It was a smile that should be on billboards because it would make others smile. Best of all? I’m the one who put it there.

The night didn’t end there.

No, no. There was more.

After I grabbed a warm washcloth and cleaned the mess from us both, we cuddled like teens and Harlyn opened up to me.

That’s right.

He opened up to me. Without provocation.

He told me all about Rex and how he had been at this “compound”, often. He told me how Rex has had some sort of crush on him for years and offered to buy him. That part didn’t sit right with me what so ever, and I told him as much. He isn’t property, or something that can be bought. No human being is, and it's disgusting that he was ever put in a position that required it.

He says his hesitation upon seeing him again was due to something tragic. Rex offered to help him get out from underneath Marcus’s nose and Harlyn was punished greatly for it. He didn’t elaborate on the how, and I sensed that it wasn’t the right time to ask.

Fact is, only Harlyn and his best friend B had known about the plan, along with Rex. He assures me B would never give him up and he had been certain that Rex was the one to flop.

He grew increasingly agitated while explaining it to me, so I snuggled him closer and asked more questions about his best friend to change the subject.

He had given me enough and I was so proud and honored to be gifted so much as a scrap, from someone so strong.

I don't know how I feel about this B character. Harlyn speaks so highly of him, and it's obvious he loves him very much. I just hope that love is platonic from both sides.

Rex has another thing coming if he thinks he can just waltz right in and take what's mine. I saw the jealous look in his eyes, and the way they latched on to every part of me that Harlyn willingly touched, but I digress.

A soft sigh pulls me from thoughts on how to make Rex disappear. Gorgeous blue eyes slowly blink up at me, and that fucking smile is back. It's one of a kind, just like him, and I swear this look is only for me. It's a weapon he’s never used before.

“Hi, my Flower.”

“I like it.”

“Like what?”

“The nickname”, I grudgingly tell him accompanied with an eye roll and he giggles. “You think that’s funny?”

“Considering you scowled so hard when I first said it, yes.”

God, his smile is radiant.

“Sorry”, I grumble.

“Don't be. Your scowl is sexy and makes my cock weep.”

I can't help it; I laugh so hard my stomach shakes. “You have no filter, baby.”

He scrunches his nose, like he hasn’t a clue why a filter is necessary, the heathen. At least this time it wasn’t in the middle of a candy shop.

“Come on, up you go.”

I tap his side.

“What? No...”

He whines. “I wanna stay right here. Heaven on earth.”

His arms wrap around my middle. “Creeks bed.” He rasps and peeks at me before quickly tucking himself in tight.

I chuckle because he's adorable and I'm almost positive the grin on my lips is permanent. It feels foreign, but not unwelcome.

“Don’t you wanna shower?”

His head snaps up, eyes wide. “Together?”

“Mhmm.”

∞∞∞

He stayed glued to my side the whole way to the restroom. I'm pretty sure he was unknowingly touch starved, and now I've created a monster.

I gave him a spare tooth brush while we wait for the water to warm, and he finally released his hold on me so we can freshen up. He looked so grateful when I gave it to him, and it would have been sad if he hadn’t looked so precious, accepting it as if it were a gift. I took a mental note to buy him a real gift. Something that will make his heart detonate, I just need to think about it first.

He literally makes brushing his teeth look elegant and practiced-robotic-, I want to shake him. Just five seconds ago he was hanging off of me with little to no grace, and now he’s poised. I suppose it's one of the things I love about him.

I suppose all of the things I hated; I love about him.

Unique is what he is. I bet he makes pissing look expensive.

He rinses his mouth out and not a drop of water spills over. What kind of shit is that? I have toothpaste running down my chin. I roll my eyes and force myself not to scowl at him as he steps into the shower.

The water runs down his marred skin, the lighting giving him a natural glow. I hate the scars his flesh bares, but I love them all the same. They tell a story-the survivor he is, his strength and resilience. Not to mention an addition to his punishing beauty.

“You going to stare all day, or you gonna join me?”

My lips twitch and I step in. I have to mentally berate my dick to settle down. His soft voice and nakedness is a thing of wet dreams.

He stops me when I reach for the soap. “I want to do it.”

Shy Harlyn is back, as if he didn’t plead all over my dick last night and I have to press my lips together to hold in a snicker.

I close my eyes as he cleanses me. It isn’t sexual in the least, but his hands roaming my bare skin is paradise. Which isn’t helping to keep the cloud of arousal from forming. Last night was his first and I want to give him some time for the soreness to ease before I take him again.

My heads tipped back while he massages the soap into my calves when he breaks the silence.

“You’re exceptional to me, you know.”

My eyes widen when I gaze down and find his lips hovering over my cock. My very erect cock. Jesus. I thought I had that under control. “Can I show you how much, Flower?”

He doesn't wait for permission before driving my dick to the back of his throat and swallowing around me.

A whole-body shiver rocks me and I grab the top of the shower with one hand, and his soft hair with the other.

“Fuck...”

He moans around my shaft, and I groan at the sensation.

If this didn’t feel fuck amazing, I'd laugh. He was meek three minutes ago when he asked to wash me, now he’s bobbing on my dick with no caution.

Conundrum.

It doesn't take long for him to work me over.

“Your mouth is perfect baby, feels so good. I'm almost there.”

His hand comes up to fondle my balls and I grunt. His free hand jerks his cock at the speed in which he sucks me, and the sight is porn worthy. “God, you’re so fucking sexy.”

Another moan from him and I'm spilling my load down his throat with a drawn-out groan. And because my baby is a come slut, his cock sprays his release at my feet instantaneously.

“C’mere.”

He does, a lazy grin on his lips when I help him back to his feet.

“Did I do good?”

“I'm starting to think doing anything wrong isn’t in your settings. Turn around so I can check your batteries, little robot.”

He giggles like a school girl, and I have to take a deep breath, so I don't attack him.

“My turn”, I say, grabbing the soap so I can cleanse him next.

I start at his feet, which are cute and elegant looking. Rolling my eyes, I move on to his legs. I make sure to take extra care of his abused hole when I reach it.

My fingers brush against a one of the only scars on his leg and I look up at him in question.

“Gunshot.”

He whispers and closes his eyes.

“From whom?”

“I do not know.”

He takes a deep breath. “It happened on the worst day of my life. It felt like it was me against the world.”

I don't recognize that he’s crying-due to the spray of the water-until he chokes up. “I cannot say how many people came after me at once. I don't even know how many I killed. But I fought long and hard.” His voice breaks, and I stand so I'm at eye level with him.

“Hey... It's okay, you’re here with me now, I've got you.”

I rub his shoulders and try to put him closer, but he jerks away.

“No! I fought long and fucking hard.”

He’s beginning to hyperventilate and my chest aches because I don't know what to do. I hate seeing him like this. “I tore men and woman apart with my knifes and my teeth, I fought so hard!”

A broken sob echo’s in the open space, and I feel a tear trail down my cheek at his expense. I wish I knew what he was talking about so I could better understand and help.

“Alright baby, It's alright. Let’s dry off now-”

“No! It's not alright because I was too goddamn late! I didn’t even get a chance. I would have! I would have taken any chance. I would have got down on my knees and begged. I would have taken off my clothes and offered myself in front of everyone. I would have turned my blade around and drove it through my own heart had I been given a chance, but I was too goddamn late!”

“God, Harlyn. Please stop.”

I whisper. What the hell did he just say?

Let me in...

My limbs are shaking with freight and the need to wrap myself around him to make it better. But he’s too crazed right now, and I know that he needs space to work this out. “What can I do baby? Tell me what I can do please?”

A crazed laugh escapes him, and I take a step back. “Why are we talking about this?”

He isn’t even addressing me anymore, seemingly talking to air as he waves his arms around. “I don't want to fucking talk about this.” He spits.

His head snaps in my direction and he flinches as if he’d forgotten I was here.

My shower is pretty large, and I've backed myself into the corner to give him space. When he starts toward me I swallow hard.

“No, no... I'm sorry. Please don't fear me, I would never harm you.”

He’s on his knees now, his hands settling on my hips, eyes pleading.

“I-”

I clear my throat when my voice breaks. “I'm not scared of you.”

A lie.

He frightens me when he gets like this. He’s unpredictable and violent. A storm of emotions he hasn’t begun to unravel.

I have a lot of pride in myself and what I do, and in my training, but I'm not a fool. If it came down to it, Harlyn might take me. I've seen him in action and the limits he would go to are next to none. He’s dangerous.

But I knew all of this didn’t I? I knew this before I ever considered giving him the time of day and I did it anyways.

Because he’s good.

Fuck, is he good... He’s a gentle soul, forced to grow up in hazardous conditions and arm himself in any way that he could.

How could I ever hold that against him?

He fortified himself in impenetrable steel and carry’s himself as a dutiful doll when warranted, a soldier when called on and subdued when he’s in my arms.

The powerful man looking up at me right now? He looks like he’d cross the oceans and put out the flames that light up hell fire whilst screaming my name. There is no mask to his features, his walls are down and the look in his eyes promises he’d die to protect me. He doesn't even have to say it because it's written in his eyes and his hands practically burn it into my skin.

“I trust you.”

“Yeah?”

My thumb swipes away a stray tear at his temple before I pull him up.

“Come here.”

Then he’s puddy in my arms once more.

He sniffles as I dry him off and by the time I'm done drying myself his face is blotchy red, presumably from embarrassment.

Let me in.

I take his hand and lead him back to my bedroom. “Let’s lay back down, yeah?”

A shrug and a sniff, then he nods.

I tuck us into the warmth, and him further into me. I hold him until his breathing evens out from sleep, then embrace him tighter. Praying that when he wakes up, he’ll breathe easily and bless me with that glowing smile I'm falling in love with.