out of his body and into mine. In this moment, Dare possessed every part of me—all my senses and thoughts, every bit of my happiness and pain.
And he knew it.
His body melded with mine, his eyes imprisoned me, his mouth consumed me, his scent filled my nostrils, his sounds flooded my ears. Every thrust brought me closer and closer to the edge, until my body was tingling all over and about to burst forth with a vengeance that was three long years overdue.
Sensing my oncoming orgasm, Dare’s fingers threaded into my hair, his pace quickening to match the beat of my own sprinting heart. My hands gripped his back and my nails dug into his skin as he brought his mouth down on mine again, crushing and impatient, our tongues tasting each other as we climaxed together.
Little lights burst like fireworks on the backs of my eyelids as the orgasm rocked through me. My whole body tingled. From head to toe and everywhere in between. I hadn’t felt this alive in so long. And I’d NEVER been so wholly claimed and devoured by another person the way Dare consumed me.
Spent, he collapsed on top of me, breathing heavy, his body glistening with a slight sheen of sweat in the soft light that filtered through the window. I wrapped my arms and legs around him, not wanting to let go, but knowing that I’d eventually have to.
Our breathing calmed and Dare shifted. I reluctantly released him and he pushed himself up, pausing above me. I looked up to find his dark eyes boring into mine.
There it was again, that expression on his face that I didn’t know how to interpret. It was filled with years of unspoken… everything .
Anger. Hurt. Tension. Desire.
Neither of us spoke. Maybe, like me, he feared that words could break this maddening trance we were in. He got up, walked across the room to dispose of the condom, then came back and slid under the covers. I wasn’t sure which way to turn, whether he’d want to sleep alone on his side of the bed, but then he reached for me, pulling me into the crook of his body, skin to skin, and holding me tight against him.
I squeezed my eyes shut, but the tears slid out again.
Silent. Scared. And grateful.
When I finally relaxed into Dare again, we both drifted off to sleep.
six
T he sun woke me, shining in through the window, filling Dare’s room with bright morning light. We hadn’t moved the rest of the night, and were still cuddled up together, his body so warm and alive against mine. I squeezed his arm, hugging it close to my chest, relishing the feel of his nakedness.
And I sighed, happy—truly happy for the first time in what felt like forever.
I was whole again here with Dare. Right. Complete.
He stirred behind me and I nestled in a little closer.
But then he stiffened. And my heart plummeted, fleeing my body entirely.
Without a single word, Dare pulled his arm out from around me and rolled away, sitting up at the edge of the bed. I turned to watch as he rubbed his hands over his face, then leaned down to pick up his jeans and quickly slid them on. He didn’t even spare a single glance my way.
I closed my eyes and shoved the pain in my now-empty chest away. Of course it was this way. Why would I expect anything else?
“You should get dressed and go,” he said from the doorway, one arm up on the frame, his back to me. “I have to work.”
I sat up, clutching the sheet to my body, feeling way too naked in the light of day. God. I hadn’t thought this through last night. At all. Staying here, waking up with him. Leaving.
I didn’t want to leave. But I couldn’t stay.
He didn’t want me anymore.
Fuck.
Dare didn’t turn around, like he couldn’t even bear the sight of me in his bed, and after a moment he started to walk away.
“But…” I said, not quite believing these words were coming out of my mouth. How many guys had said this to me? Karma was a vengeful bitch. “But…what about last night?” It was all I could do to not cringe. I was so fucking
Serenity King, Pepper Pace, Aliyah Burke, Erosa Knowles, Latrivia Nelson, Tianna Laveen, Bridget Midway, Yvette Hines