We were silent aside from our heavy breathing, wrapped around each other as tightly as possible. I pressed a kiss to her forehead, sliding my fingers under her chin and tilting up her face.
“Okay, Raven?”
“You really have to ask?”
I chuckled. “I was pretty rough near the end.”
She frowned. “No, you were exactly what I needed. You made me feel wanted.”
“You were. You are.”
She snuggled closer. “That was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever experienced, Damien.”
“I think so too.”
“So, it was okay for you?” she asked, her voice suddenly shy.
“We were amazing. You were perfect. You are perfect.”
“I’m hardly perfect,” she scoffed.
“Well, for me, then. You’re perfect for me.”
She traced a lazy circle on my chest. “I like that.”
“Good.” I pressed a kiss to her messy hair and rested my head on the pillow, surprised to find how much I enjoyed holding her. I was never one for cuddling after sex, yet with Raven, it was different. I had a feeling everything about her was going to be different.
Her voice broke in to my inner musings.
“Should I apologize for the mice?”
I shook with silent laughter. “No, you’re good. I didn’t even see you put the package in the cart.”
“I hid it under some lettuce.”
“And I assume that is why you encouraged me to go get the sour cream?”
“Yep. I had her scan the mice, and I shoved them in my purse.”
“You thought of everything. I’ll have to keep a better eye on you, troublemaker.”
She chuckled, pressing a kiss to my chest. I liked how her mouth lingered.
We were quiet for a moment. “Leo mentioned you hate snakes too.”
I burst out laughing. I had a feeling this girl was going to keep me on my toes.
I rolled her over, staring down at her. Her eyes were soft, her mouth swollen, hair messy, and her cheeks flushed. She looked freshly fucked and completely satisfied.
“Will you punish me like this again?” she asked, looking impish.
I lowered my head and kissed her.
“Bring it on, Raven. You’ll see what happens.”
She grinned. “I look forward to it.”
“Me too.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Raven
I woke with Damien wrapped around me. I wasn’t sure of the time, although the shadows in the room let me know it was fairly early. My back was nestled against his front, one heavy arm draped over me, our legs entangled, and his breath hot on my neck. The position was protective, his entire body against mine. And although he was asleep, not every part of his body was at rest. His cock was pressed between us, hard and ready.
And my body responded.
Last night had been unexpected. Everything about Damien was that way, but I knew neither of us had planned for our relationship to get physical so quickly. But it felt amazingly right. As if it was supposed to be that way. Being with him was easy. He was funny, sweet, charming, yet his darker side was present as well. Always watchful, on alert, ready to defend. I had a feeling when he told me his background, I wouldn’t hear stories of police training. I was certain, if needed, Damien could be lethal. Strangely enough, the thought brought me comfort, not worry.
But with me, he was gentle. Passionate and loving. And sex with him was unlike anything I had ever experienced in my life. He’d had me again, taking his time, drawing out our pleasure. Then in the dark of the night, I’d woken up to his mouth on my neck, his whispered words of needing me in my ear. It was intimate and slow, our bodies locked together, rocking gently, his lips on mine until I came with an intensity that brought tears to my eyes.
And even now in his sleep, he wanted me. No one had ever desired me this strongly before. Not even my ex. And we were supposed to get married.
I shut my eyes, forcing away those memories. I wanted to stay here, in the present, with Damien.
I shifted, and he clutched me tighter, his breathing stirring the hair around my ears.
“Stay, baby. Don’t go,” he mumbled, moving his leg behind me and pulling me tight to his body. “Like you here.”
He slid his hand from my waist, lower, his fingertips ghosting over my center. “Hmm,” he sighed, still mostly asleep. “Nice.” He pressed his lips to my neck. “Mine.”
Wondering how asleep he was, I lifted my leg up and back, draping it over his hip. His cock slipped into my folds, and I tried to stifle my groan at the feel of him. Hot, hard, ready—nudging at my entrance. Unable to resist, I moved, and he slid inside, his hips moving with mine. I felt him wake, already moaning.
“Raven, holy shit, baby, what—” The words were cut off with a low, guttural groan. “Fuck, you feel good.” He tilted his hips, going deeper, sliding his long fingers to my clit and rubbing it.
“Is that what you want, Raven? My cock? My fingers?”
“Yes,” I moaned, pushing back against him.
He grabbed my leg, opening me more and sinking in totally. He began to move, hard, powerful strokes, his fingers never ceasing their teasing.
“Take it, then. Take all of me.”
I cried out as he slid my clit between two fingers, using his thumb to tease it as he massaged my flesh. I was already so close, it tipped me over the edge, and I succumbed, crying out, my back arching as Damien held me close, still moving, setting off another small orgasm within me, then pulling out and gripping me close, coming all over my back.
“Damn it, Raven, you felt too good bareback.”
I shut my eyes, realizing we hadn’t bothered with a condom. I’d been caught up in the moment with him.
“I get the shot. I just had one last week, so we’re covered.”
“I still want you to feel safe.” He sighed heavily into my neck, kissing the damp skin. “I haven’t been with anyone for over a year, so I’m clean.”
“I haven’t been with anyone since my fiancé dumped me. That was well over a year ago, and it had been a while since we’d been together. He said he wanted to wait until we were married. Make it more romantic if we were desperate for each other.”
He held me tighter. “And?”
“He wasn’t as desperate for me as he was for my best friend. I caught them screwing each other in the room at the back of the church when I arrived to marry the bastard. The whole church heard us yelling. Turned out they’d been having an affair for months.”
“Fuck, Raven, I’m sorry,” he murmured.
I shrugged, surprised to find it no longer upset me. Meeting Damien had helped me move past that hurt.
“Is that why you moved?”
“One reason. I hated that my mom had to witness that too. She was sick and never recovered. It’s hard to get past two such personal losses when everyone keeps wanting to talk about them. I got tired of the pitiful looks. I hated it that conversations stopped when I walked into a room. When I’d hear snippets of gossip involving me. Being called ‘poor Raven.’ I had to get out. It was too much.” I sighed. “His defense was that he didn’t love me and was only going through with the wedding because of my mom being ill. He planned on divorcing me once she died. I saved him the trouble.”