No sweet nothings. No cocky jabs about how I’m finally giving in to him. None of what I expected as he lays me down on the bed. He’s heavy as he settles on top of me. A reassuring weight that this is real. He’s here and this is happening.

Kisses that turn my body to flames and light my soul on fire, touches and caresses that are hard and rough yet soft and caring. The dizzying emotions that spiral through me make me break the kiss and bury my face in his neck.

“Are you okay?”

I dip my head, not trusting my voice. I’m nervous. So nervous. I want this, but I don’t want it to be the end either. If I sleep with him, that will be it. I know this. Have known it. And I want it more than my next breath, but I’m so not ready to give him up.

He rolls to the side and pulls me next to him so that my back is at his chest. He presses kisses to my neck and brushes my hair behind my ear.

“Estás asustada,” he whispers.

My body molds to his and I can feel every hard inch of him. I can’t help it, nerves or not, I wriggle my butt against his crotch. He groans and that makes me feel braver. I reach around and cup him through his jeans and he groans so desperately right before he takes my hand and wraps it, with his, on my stomach. I move our connected hands down and the heat of his palm and the contact, so close to where I want it, makes me squirm.

“You’re killing me, Kitty,” he practically growls as he moves his hand higher and wraps it protectively around my waist.

“But I thought—”

“You’re not ready and as much as I want this, I want there to be no doubts when I ravage your pretty little body.”

He’s right and I hate that I can’t shrug my inhibitions to be the girl that Joel has hot, dirty sex with, without having to stop before he’s even copped a feel.

Oh, and I can feel how very much he wants to do just that.

“Hey, Joel?”

“Yeah?”

“Christian wakes up at five. If he sees you here, he’ll ask questions and…” My voice trails off because, ugh, this is hard.

“I’ll be gone before he wakes up.”

“Joel?”

He sighs. “Yeah?”

“Thank you.”

I know he’s smiling as his hold tightens around me. “You’re welcome, Kitty.”

22

JOEL

My phone vibrates in my pocket and I turn on my back and pull it out only opening my eyes enough to see the screen. My daily wake up text from Nathan. Shit, that means I missed the first wake up alarm. How the hell did I sleep through Z pounding on doors?

Opening my eyes fully, my attention falls on my surroundings and I remember where I am. Shit, it’s after five which means I failed to get out of Dodge before Christian woke up. I sit up in the bed and run a hand through my hair. As I’m trying to decide whether to risk a getaway, Katrina opens the door and slips inside.