sent another jolt straight through me.
His lips quirked and that dimple appeared. “I don’t think you need my hand right now,” he chuckled. “You’re doing perfectly on your own.”
“But I want your hands on me,” I whispered. When I opened my eyes, I saw Tate shaking his head.
“Nope,” he whispered, leaning back. “I’m here—but you have to do this yourself, Shelby.”
“I hate you,” I managed to say through a trembling smile, and shot him a quick glance from the corner of my eyes.
His grin was the only response I got. I closed my eyes and imagined Tate’s hand between my legs—imagined his lips on my neck, traveling up to my mouth and ravaging me. A whip lashed through my body as the tension shattered, diffusing my thought-ridden mind into an array of random images and—feelings. Oh God, the feelings. I spasmed around the vibrator, and my swollen, hot flesh cooled as the tremors rocked through me. They spiraled down to my fingertips and toes, my spine straightening as the tingles quieted.
I panted. The water had turned tepid somewhere between my getting in and my first ever orgasm.
My first ever orgasm.
Holy. Shit.
It actually happened.
I opened my eyes. Tate sat with one leg up, elbow resting across it. “Welcome back.” His grin widened, if that was even possible.
I sighed, lowering my face and head into the water to rinse away the sweat that had gathered along my hairline. Tate’s eyes flashed as I stood in the tub, dripping water like Niagara Falls.
Grabbing the largest, fluffiest towel from a hook on the door, he wrapped it around me. His hands clasped my shoulders, pulling me in for a kiss. “That might have been the sexiest fucking thing I’ve ever witnessed.” His breath was warm against my mouth, and as his grin pressed into my lips, all I responded with was a soft sigh.
Instead of words, I slid my hand up his thigh, landing with a grip on his erection. It was steel in my fist, and I worked it in up and down strokes. Within a couple of seconds, he gently held my wrist, lowering my hand. “Shelby,” he whispered. “Tonight’s about you. Only you.”
And with that, he lowered to his knees. He darted a tongue out gently, licking my length and sucking my clit into his mouth. I cried out, grasping his hair. Oh my God…no, I couldn’t. Not this soon after. How could someone go from zero orgasms to two in a ro—Oh. His tongue delved inside, thrusting deep before he moved back to my clit, flickering his tongue in a motion so quick it put the vibrator to shame. Heat slammed into my veins, traveling fast like a river, and I tensed with the flash of delicious warmth. A shiver skated across my skin with his deep, raspy chuckle from between my legs. His hands held my hips in a way that made me feel safe. His tongue worked deeper, more urgently against me, and his hand slid from my thigh to my ass where he cupped the tender skin there. I nearly toppled over as lightning struck twice, sending another bolt directly into my heart and, well—elsewhere.
He smiled up at me proudly and pushed to his feet. He smoothed my wet hair back, and I closed my eyes against his tender hold. Then, he stilled, hands frozen in my hair. Silently, he leaned in closer to examine me. Not my eyes, but…oh God. No. My stomach dropped to the floor, and I slapped a hand to my temple, where my wet hair had revealed the angry scar that traveled the edge of my hairline.
Fear and panic erupted inside of me, drowning any bit of happiness and passion I had felt earlier. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the scene before me to disappear. This was not how this was supposed to play out.
“What happened?” he whispered. And there on his face, I saw it—the same thing I saw on everyone who discovered my scar. Sadness. Pity.
Yanking out of his hold, I smoothed my wet hair into place over the scar, clasping the towel around my dripping body.
My lip trembled as I stumbled back a step, heel colliding with the cold tub. “I need to go,” I croaked.
His shoulders stiffened, and he stepped in my way as I attempted to push past him. “Christ, Shelby…talk to me.”
“Please, just let me go.” My voice broke right along with my heart as I moved past Tate and into the bedroom where I’d