that connection to him. To be one with him.
“Fuck…” He was panting, pushing inside me, stretching me wide. “Relax. Let me have you.”
I could tell he was holding back somewhat, but he didn’t stop until he was lodged balls deep. At that point, he rested on top of me, his entire weight pressing me into the mattress.
He grunted again, but then he started moving, rocking on top of me. Slow, shallow strokes that left me wanting more, had me groaning along with him.
“Mine,” he bit out, his mouth near my ear. “Mine, Jasper. You’re. Mine.”
“Yours, Titan. Always.”
He came like that, hardly moving, buried inside me, and while I didn’t climax, it was the most mind-bending moment of my life.
“You’re sleeping here tonight,” Ransom whispered in my ear. “And tomorrow … we’re going to talk.”
I nodded, because at some point, I knew we had to.
*
RANSOM
I woke up to the sun shining and a man in my arms.
My man, the only one I’d ever loved, the one I’d thought was gone from my life forever.
I was careful to remain perfectly still, not wanting to wake him. He looked so peaceful in sleep.
Memories of last night came back, hardening my body as the replay took hold.
Me and Jasper.
The two of us.
Only the two of us.
None of what happened last night had been planned, but then again, most of our relationship had been that way. I had known he wanted to talk when I saw him standing on my porch, but that was the last thing I wanted. Not with the way we’d left things between us at the clinic. After that enticing role play, Jasper had walked out on me, left me without a word.
I’d fucked up.
But so had he.
And not just this time. The last time, too. All those memories had come flooding back. The times we’d shared, the way things had ended. The pain I’d felt because my heart had shattered when I’d lost him. For the longest time, I’d thought I would never get over him. And then he was right back in my life, filling my world with light and warmth when I’d been convinced it was no longer an option for me.
Jasper didn’t even realize he held all the power here. Always had.
Without thinking, I tightened my arms around him, grateful he was there, warm and solid and in my arms where he belonged.
“Morning,” he said in that gruff early-morning voice.
“Please tell me you don’t have to be at the clinic,” I answered, kissing the back of his neck, his shoulder.
He lifted his head, presumably to look at the clock.
“Not for another hour.”
“Good.”
“Ransom … we need to talk.”
I nodded, my chin brushing his shoulder. “We do.”
Despite that agreement, neither of us said a word. Minutes ticked by, and I continued to hold him, trying to get closer, scared to let him go because I feared it would be the last time I had this opportunity. I’d already been through losing him once; I wasn’t sure I’d survive it again.
“I didn’t pursue other avenues,” Jasper finally said.
It took a second for the words to compute. When they did, I went stone still.
“That Dominatrix you thought I was with … I wasn’t. Her name was Rebecca Dunn.”
I listened, not saying a word. Hell, I wasn’t sure I was even breathing.
“She was actually a doctor at the hospital I was doing my internship at. I’d seen her at the club and she’d evidently seen me, because she approached me during one of my shifts, struck up a conversation. Nothing salacious, but I could tell she was flirting.”
He paused for a moment, but I didn’t interrupt. Couldn’t.
“The flirting increased while we were at the hospital. It seemed I was always running into her, and she would take advantage of it, asking me to have dinner, inviting me out for happy hour. I always said no, but I was polite about it. I couldn’t risk her getting angry. Like I said, I was just an intern.”
Which meant he was the lowest rung on the ladder.
“She had actually asked me to go to the club that night, but I told her I couldn’t. Then when I went to your place, you decided we were going. She thought I was there for her, that I’d changed my mind. When you saw us … she was praising me for something, getting a little touchy-feely.”
I remembered. I’d found the two of them talking, both smiling. Her hands had been on his chest, and I’d felt a surge