Page 86 of The Price of Forever

“We need to go back out there,” he told me, clarity in his gaze. “And you need to clarify one thing right away.”

“What’s that?” I asked, unable to rip my gaze from the crotch of his pants.

“I called them your family before, and you didn’t object.” He crossed his arms, satisfaction leaking out of him. “What happened today?”

Prickles of warmth spread through my body at the comment. The man saw me. He knew me. He noticed me. Not to mention he wanted me. I bit the inside of my lip, unsure where to begin or how to corral all the surging emotions.

“We talked some things over,” I said softly. “I guess you could say we finally had the conversation I’ve been needing to have since I was fifteen.”

A genuine smile lit up his face and he nodded. “Good. I’ve been hoping I’d hear that.” He pulled open the door and held it for me, waiting for me to pass through to the hallway first. But as I slipped past him, he gave me one hard crack on the ass cheek.

“That’s for being a brat.”

The satisfied smile on his lips only made me fall harder for him.

I inhaled sharply, squinting through the darkness at my surroundings. I’d come out of a deep sleep like a bear emerging from winter hibernation. I had no idea where I was, where I’d been, or what my name was.

Sheets rustled around me. But these weren’t my sheets. I struggled to orient myself in the shadowy room but couldn’t find a feature that made sense. Where the fuck was I?

Fragments of memories returned to me. A toast to family. A ridiculously delicious meal. And wine. So much wine I couldn’t even recall how the night ended.

I turned onto my side, a dark mass beside me causing me to recoil. But only until I made out the shadowy relief of Seven’s broad, bare back.

I’m in Seven’s bed.

I felt the shirt I wore. Not mine. Extra big, yet comfortable.

I’m wearing Seven’s shirt.

I drew closer to him as if on instinct, nuzzling against his warm skin. The masculine scent of him filled my senses, making my eyes droop. Now this was the spot. But the drowsiness didn’t last long, once my wandering hands found his thick forearms then the hills of his biceps. I stroked his arm, drawing in deep gulps of his scent. There was something about the darkness and the rustling of sheets that set me on edge, took me back to uglier times. But the visceral sensations, the hardness of him next to me, and the drugging scent of him combined to act a balm.

Maybe this is the time.

I clenched my thighs together. Part of the reason I’d drunk so much the night before was to ignore how badly I wanted Seven. Letting my brothers in on anything was a strict no-no, but in his bedroom, in his apartment, in the cobalt hues of morning? This was fair game.

Seven stirred but didn’t face me. I could tell he was awake, or at least rousing. I placed a soft kiss between his shoulder blades, then along the top of his shoulder. By the time I got to the top of his arm, he was turning to face me.

I could catch the dim outline of a smile. “Good morning.”

“Extra good morning,” I murmured as Seven brought me against him. His arms fit around me easily; I felt comically small in his embrace. His radiator-grade heat sank into me, making me dizzy. I nuzzled into his neck, moving against him, making my wishes known.

This seemed like the only chance I had. Not because there wouldn’t be other times, other opportunities. But because first times scared the fuck out of me, and there was something comforting about crossing that bridge the morning after a great night with friends and family.

I’d opened up so much to him—and him to me—that I’d gone nearly wild with desire. This had to happen. Now.

I pushed my hand down the side of his body until I found the waistband of his boxer briefs. I tugged on them gently. In response, Seven rolled on top of me, caging me against the bed. He looked even bigger in the shadowy room, a hulking giant on top of me. A twinge of panic erupted deep in my gut, but I ignored it. This was safe. I was safe. I wanted this.

“You want this, huh?” Seven’s cock was fully hard—and pressed against the crotch of my panties. He rocked against me in a slow, controlled motion, his cock nudging my clit. The pleasure that erupted fizzled quickly. I squeezed my eyes shut, counseling myself through the bad memories that were clamoring for air.

I was safe. This was Seven’s bedroom. This wasn’t my ex-boyfriend’s shitty apartment outside Louisville. I swallowed hard, dragging my fingers along his biceps, bringing myself back to the moment.

“I do,” I whispered, praying my body would catch up once things progressed a little further. It had been so long since I’d tried to have sex with anyone, I felt like a virgin by default. But I was determined to see this through. He turned me on just by breathing in the same room as me. I didn’t want the assholes of my past to still be robbing me of moments like this one with a man like Seven.

Come on. You can do this. This is the time.

I clutched his biceps, my nails digging in. Seven nuzzled the hollow of my neck, soft kisses trailing down my skin and over the T-shirt. He bunched the fabric up, his lips meeting my belly. I focused on how hot his lips felt against my skin, how much I’d been fantasizing about this moment. And here it was—happening. At last.

And all you can think about is how your fuckwad ex pinned you to a bed like this one, on a morning like this one, and had his way with you until you were sobbing and ruined.

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