Reaching out, I note a slight shake to my hand as I unlock the door and open it.
In a massive rush, all of my doubts and insecurities evaporate the minute I see Cage standing there. He’s wearing jeans, a lightweight crew-neck sweater under his leather jacket, and holds a bouquet of flowers in his hands.
His hair is swept back from his face, his beard perfectly trimmed short, and those green eyes are eating me up as he runs them down my body and back up again.
All thoughts as to how things should go down seem to melt away with my insecurities, and I just react.
I run and jump, knowing he’ll catch me. He does so effortlessly, hands under my ass as my legs wrap around his waist. I’m vaguely aware of the flowers falling to the floor, but I couldn’t care less because our mouths fuse together in a hot kiss that speaks all the words necessary right now.
Cage groans, a sound of longing and desire that shoots straight through to my core. He steps further inside the apartment, kicks the door shut with his foot, and takes one hand off my ass to reach back to flip the bottom lock.
Then walks us to my bedroom.
I mean, our bedroom. As we leave the tiny space of living area, I see the gorgeous flowers lying discarded in the foyer. I’ll make sure to come back and rescue them later.
“God, I fucking missed you,” he growls as we fall to the bed. His lips come back to mine, which is amazing but inconvenient because I can’t talk.
But then he starts pulling at my clothes as I do his.
“I missed you too,” I huff, desperate to feel his skin. I pull a little too hard at his sweater, hearing the seam rip.
Oops.
Soon enough, we’re both naked, rolling on the bed, kissing and touching. Not able to get enough of each other.
I end up on my back, Cage over me, settled in between my legs, so I feel the hard length of him and just how much he missed me. He stares down at me, hands framing my face. “I love you.”
Oh, my heart. It’s fully taken by this man. “I love you, too.”
“And we need to talk,” he says earnestly. “There are some things I need to clear up with you.”
This should make me scared, but, on the contrary, he’s going to give me exactly what I’ve been wanting. To clear up that feeling that there wasn’t quite full transparency.
“Yes, talk,” I say, hands going behind his head to tug his mouth down to mine. “But later.”
Much, much later.
I need this man inside me too much to worry more about words and what-ifs.
There’s more kissing, hands on each other. Fingers dipping, hands squeezing and stroking. The urgency mellows as Cage moves down my body, worshiping me with his mouth. I’d love to return the favor, but after he has me crying his name out, he sheathes himself in a condom and sinks deep inside me.
It’s the most perfect feeling in the world, and my future feels like it has no limits.
♦
Cage holds me close with my ear pressed to his chest. His heartbeat has returned to a steady thump, and I’m thoroughly sated. His hand glides over my hair, petting me, and I’m getting drowsy, eyes starting to droop.
“Ready to talk?” he asks, and my eyes fly back open.
I lift my head, so I can see his face. “Now?”
While yes, I knew we needed to talk, I thought we’d just cuddle for a while. Maybe nap and laze about. We could talk about an early dinner and perhaps a glass of wine.
“I’d really like to,” he says, his face serious. I note what seems to be a glimmer of unease. All my mellow feelings start to churn into something that doesn’t feel mellow at all.
Whatever he sees on my face causes his own expression to relax. He leans in to kiss me. “It’s not bad. At least, I hope you don’t think it is. But I do need to tell you some things. Maybe we could get dressed, grab a beer, and sit in the living room.”
I don’t know how to take that. What does it mean that he doesn’t want to talk while naked and in bed? Is putting on clothing like an armor? Is he going to leave me, and he wants to be ready to walk out the