The world blurred, the ground underneath me shifted, and my body turned limp, my limbs heavy.

Rowan’s belt rustled as he righted himself. I noted that from my spot, still reveling in the aftermath of one of the most intense experiences of my life.

Rowan’s form moved as his feet thumped faintly on my floor.

Again, I noted this with detachment, my chest rising and falling rapidly.

When he came back, he had a washcloth, and he was gently cleaning himself from me.

The act itself was tender, intimate.

Before, I’d been so hot, I thought my body was going to burst into flames from his attention, from him getting off on watching me.

But the only way to describe how I felt now was warm. Comfortable. Him taking care of me, treating me with reverence.

I looked at him through my lashes, still unable to fathom that this was real. He was real. But he was real. This was real.

“Cupcake, that was the hottest thing I’ve experienced in my whole fuckin’ life,” he told me in a rough voice, taking me even further from what I’d thought reality was.

“Can’t wait to get my cock into that pretty pussy of yours,” he continued. “Know it’s gonna be sweet, tight… fuckin’ heaven.”

And although I thought my body was spent, all pleasure inside of me sated, my thighs pressed together at his words, need for him blooming in my stomach.

Rowan’s eyes were blazing as he leaned down and laid his lips between my legs, on top of my soaked panties.

Then he inhaled. Deeply. Me. The smell of my pleasure, of the aftermath of what we’d just done. What I’d just done.

His eyes found mine, sending my heart into my throat.

“Sweet,” he murmured.

My mouth was dry, every single one of my limbs tingling from the word, from his gaze. From him.

Then, from somewhere outside, a bark sounded, Maggie yanking us back into reality.

Though a large part of me was disappointed, I was somewhat relieved too. There was only so much a girl could take. I needed to regain my bearings.

“I’ll go check on her,” Rowan said, standing up.

“Good idea,” I replied lazily.

He didn’t go right away. He stayed there for a moment, staring at me like he was committing me to memory or something.

“I’ll be down just as soon as I’ve regained use of my legs,” I informed him.

A grin cut through the hunger in his gaze, and he chuckled warmly. I liked the sound of it, the way it brushed against my already sensitive skin.

“Take your time,” he said. “Let me know if you need me to bring you down the stairs the way you came up.” He winked then walked out to check on Maggie.

I watched him leave, unable to connect the winking, chuckling man with the one who, just an hour ago, had been threatening to kill someone who might’ve hurt me.

They didn’t seem like the same person.