44

auburn

We somehow snuck out of the Popov house without anyone seeing us. He’d insisted that I come upstairs, so I was sitting in a bath that he’d drawn for me in his oversized tub for two.

“It’s like this building was built for oversized sports players,” I said, kicking out my legs. Ledger had showered, then sat in his towel leaning over the bath. Droplets of water fell from his hair and plunked into the bath.

I ran my fingers through his thick, black beard as he leaned over the edge of the bathtub.

“I’m going to get you wet.” I giggled. His dimples appeared as his hands held my fingers to his face. In a softer tone, I whispered, “I like your beard.”

“It’s scruffy,” he said, pushing my fingers away.

“Eh, I still like it.” I mocked his shrug, and he laughed, splashing water toward me.

“C-can I ask you a question?” I hesitated.

“Of course, Sunshine.” Ledger tucked one of my curls back into the messy ponytail atop my head.

“When we first met, you said something about how you like…sex…to be different.”

He chuckled softly, but his tone was deeper than usual. “I tend to like things…rougher.”

My eyes widened. “Meaning?”

“You want to know?” His voice was laced with something darker.

I nodded.

“I think vanilla…bores me. It’s why I’ve never had a girlfriend except maybe my middle school girlfriend who broke my heart,” he said, clutching onto his chest like he was heartbroken.

“Ha. Ha.” He never broke eye contact with me. “Why isn’t that what we’ve done?” I asked nervously.

Yes, we’d slept together once, but it made me anxious knowing that was what he liked and hadn’t given me. He raised my chin to meet his gaze yet again.

“I…didn’t—” He sighed. “I thought since you mentioned you hadn’t really…I wanted to take things slow.” I shook my head, and a chill ran down my spine. I’d been sitting in this bath for too damn long.

“I want it with you, Ledger.”

“Come here, you’re getting cold.” He lifted me out of the tub bridal-style, and I squealed as the cold air hit my naked body. He set me on the floor while grabbing a towel to dry me off.

I was standing in his bathroom with a towel on. The cold marble flooring beneath my feet drew my attention toward the warmth emanating from his body. The city lights were on display through the large windows around us. If anyone was looking in our direction, they’d see two people dancing around some thick tension.

“Now tell me, Sunshine, what do you want from me?” His voice was a husky whisper.

“I want all of you. I don’t care what it means for the team anymore. I’m putting myself first?—”

“As you should, Sunshine.” His eyes softened as he pulled the ponytail from my hair. My curls bounced free, cascading wildly around my face.

“Listen to me,” I demanded. “I want this. All of this. Don’t fucking hold back.”

He growled and pulled my towel off me. I was standing there, naked and vulnerable in every way in the light.

“You,” he murmured as his mouth dropped down to my forehead, pressing a soft kiss to me, “don’t know what you’re asking for.”

“I know, and I want it all.”

“We have so much to talk about, Sunshine. I can’t have you leaving me,” he muttered against my forehead.

“I don’t want to leave you anymore. I need you. I need your cock in my pretty pussy.” Oh shit. My hand quickly went to my mouth, shutting me up, and an evil grin spread around Ledger’s face.

“Sunshine…my, my, what a dirty little mouth you have. Where have you been hiding that from me?”

Who was I? Seriously, it was like some sort of internal switch was flipped when I was with Ledger. I would do anything to be with him. But, shit, if we were going to go with it, if that was what he wanted and liked, then a dirty little mouth was what he would get.

“Wrap your hands around my neck like they’re the damn crown jewels, Ledger. I want to feel you clutching me tight, making me yours in a way no diamonds ever could.”