Page 139 of The Fallen One

“My point is, my head and body might be drained of energy, but my cock doesn’t care. You put your ass up against me while I hold you, and it’s getting fucked. At least, one of your holes is.” He shoved down the sweats, showing me how hard he already was. His dick strained against the fabric of his black briefs.

I gulped, trying to register what he’d said. Backdoor access was something I’d never considered, and there I was, tightening my ass muscles in curiosity if such a feat was truly possible.

“I’m not in the best state of mind, and you know how I get when I’m tense and wound up. I don’t want to lose control the way I almost did with you on the jet.”

“When you almost spanked me, you mean?” There went my ass cheeks again, this time in anticipation of his hand swatting my soft skin. That I could handle, though. Well, I assumed I could. I trusted this man to take me only to a safe limit of what I could tolerate, limits that’d result in way more pleasure than pain. When he remained staring at me, jaw as tight as his muscles appeared to be, I broke the silence. “Seems to me you need some tension relief so you don’t snap.”

“Diana.” His shoulders were the only part of him now relaxed. “I just . . . can’t be with you right now.”

“I know. The mission has to be the priority. You’re also upset with how much you don’t know yet, I get it. We have to stay focused. That doesn’t mean you can’t go in the shower and jerk off.”

He dropped his head, but I doubted he was taking in the sight of the massive erection he was sporting. “It’s not that. I mean it is, but it isn’t.”

“I’m not following.”

Instead of explaining as I needed him to do, he said, “The only way I’m not sleeping on the floor is if you can promise me you’ll keep to your side of the bed, and not torture or tease me.”

Could I promise that?

Before I could surrender an answer, he dropped a few more colorful expletives under his breath, garnering a howl from Dallas. “You toss and turn in your sleep, don’t you? You’ll wind up on top of me or under me.” His scowl was almost cute that time, then it transformed to a sharp wince. “No, I didn’t have cameras installed in your bedroom in Amsterdam,” he quickly added, as if worried I’d think he’d taken “checking on me” to another level. The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind.

“I do move around a lot.” I clutched the bedding to my chest, knowing he wouldn’t be pleased with my nightwear. Mya had bought me cute oversized tees to sleep in. Those shirts gave Carter direct access to between my legs. He’d waited for me to get under the covers before coming into the room from the en suite, so as far as he knew, I had on shorts or pants.

“I’m sleeping on the floor.” He went to the closet and returned with two blankets, took a pillow from what would’ve been his side of the bed, then rolled the blankets out, smoothing them across the floor. His movements were methodical and efficient as he prepared his bed. Once he was done, he petted Dallas on the head and told him goodnight.

I wanted the same little pat, too. A kiss would have been even better.

When he stood tall, he came closer and removed my glasses, setting them on the nightstand. “Get some sleep.” His sweet tone was quite the contrast from before. Same with the soft kiss to my forehead. When our eyes connected, I became lost to both time and space. His breathing picked up, and I noticed he’d removed the cross at some point, probably in the bathroom when he’d taken off his shirt before joining me in the bedroom. “You won’t roll off the bed and fall on me now, will ya?” he teased, that sexy Texas accent I loved sliding through.

“I’ll do my best not to toss and turn that much,” I whispered as he pushed away from the bed, taking a knee on the temporary bed beside me. It pained me that he’d be sleeping down there. “You’re sure you can’t be up here and hold me?”

He stretched out but didn’t cover himself with the second blanket, his desire tenting his briefs obvious even in the low light of the room. “I’m sure.”

I lay down and switched to my side so I could better see him. “I’m not sure I’ll be able to fall asleep yet. Maybe you could tell me something about yourself? Distract me from the negative energy and my anxiety. Also, you know so much about me, and I barely know anything at all about you.”

“What would you like to know?” he asked, and to be honest, I didn’t have a ready answer. I’d been expecting a get-to-sleep brush-off.

“Basics for tonight. We can peel back a few layers every night we’re together. How about that?”

His forehead creased, but he relented with a nod.

“Favorite color?” That was as basic as it could get.

“Black.” He rested a hand over his heart, one finger tapping as if in time with his heartbeat.

“Do you like ice cream?”

“There are people who don’t?” He cracked a smile. “Rocky road.”

“Mm. Good choice. Do you know mine?” Of course you do. You know how I like my pizza, not to mention my favorite dessert.

He closed one eye and admitted, “I do. Equal scoops of strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate. But you pour so much hot chocolate on top, you wind up with all chocolate anyway.”

This was already helping ease the tension in my body, and hopefully I’d sleep better because of it. “My questions sound like I’m giving you a survey, when in reality, I’m a bit rusty when it comes to communicating with the opposite sex.” His smile evaporated at that. Right. You hate thinking about men from my past. “Okay, one more survey question for now, then we can shut off the light and sleep.”

Since I hadn’t been prepared for him to let me ask him anything, I had to think of another one on the fly. Sierra hijacked my brain, and I asked what she would’ve. “Celebrity crush?”

He let go of a deep breath, as if the question had pained him. “I don’t have one.”

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