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But all I saw was his familiar smile, as he reached a hand across the island, holding onto mine. “I think I finally get you now.”

“Finally get me? What do you mean?”

“Well, you were such a mystery to me before,” he replied. “But it’s all starting to make sense. You’re all about control, Nicholas Cooper. It explains why you always seem on top of everything, even the way you move is so graceful and restrained, like you’re considering your every step. But now I understand why. Because you know the consequence of losing control, you try to always keep it close.”

Parker smirked before he went on. “It also explains why you’re so controlling in bed, too.”

“You think I’m controlling in bed?” My tone was filled with faux innocence, as I feigned a shocked expression. “I have no idea why you would say something like that.”

“Are you serious right now?” Parker playfully scoffed in disbelief as he moved away from the kitchen island, his cup of cider in tow.

“Where are you going?”

“Why does it matter? Do you need to control where I’m going?” he joked. “How about you stay right there and try to be chill about it?—”

By the time he almost finished his sentence, I was already standing in front of him, blocking his path in the hall. I gently placed a hand underneath his chin, forcing him to look up at me, my words coming out sweet and light. “And just who do you think you’re talking to?”

“Ah, there it is.” Parker chuckled before he turned around, taking a seat on the living room rug, right in front of the fireplace. “You couldn’t help yourself for even five minutes, could you?”

“You don’t want me to help myself,” I replied as I settled in beside him on the floor. “Admit it. You like it when I’m a little controlling.”

“Maybe so.” Parker grinned. “You should admit it, too, though.”

“Admit what?”

“That you like that I let you control me,” he said, a grin still on his lips. “You like it when I’m being all submissive, taking your orders, taking your cock?—”

“Careful.” I gently kissed him on the cheek after I spoke. “If you want to finish your apple cider in peace, you really shouldn’t talk like that around me.”

“What are you going to do to me?” he pressed. “If I keep talking like that around you? If I keep talking about how much I want your cock inside me?”

“If you keep talking like that, I’m going to fuck you,” I said, matter of fact, gingerly trailing a finger down Parker’s cheek. “But I’m not just going to fuck you. I’m going to ruin you. You’re going to be a complete mess by the time I’m done with you, Parker, an orgasmic, spasming, sobbing mess, who can’t tell if they want me to stop or if they need me to keep going.”

“You promise?” Parker whispered before he set down his drink, his hands sliding underneath my shirt. “Do you promise to make a complete mess of me, sir?”

“Abso-fucking-lutely.”

11

PARKER

Shit.

My apple cider had just spilled, the cooled contents of the cup now somewhere beside my head as Nicholas’ body was pressed against mine on the rug. I was thankful for its coolness, although, even if it’d been blistering hot I probably wouldn’t have noticed, my attention fully taken by Nicholas’ mouth on mine.

God.

He tasted just like the apple cider that’d disappeared from my cup onto the floor.

I grinned at the thought of it, the idea that I was still drinking apple cider in a way, still getting what I wanted just in a much better package.

“What are you smiling about?” Nicholas asked as he stared down at me on the rug, his hands resting on either side of my head.

“Nothing,” I murmured, a little embarrassed to admit the truth. “It’s just… you taste like apple cider right now. I like it.”

“You taste like apple cider, too.” He smirked before continuing with the kiss, the heat radiating from the fireplace mingling with the heat between us. He then started to make his way down to my neck, pressing soft kisses against my skin, one of his hands pulling my shirt over my head. Once I was shirtless, he shifted from kissing my neck to kissing the very top of my chest, taking his time with every connection of his lips.

He repeated the same, deliberate motions as he kissed my sensitive nipples, one at a time, lingering just enough to make me moan. I watched as he moved down to my stomach, still kissing my skin soft and slow, like he had all the time in the world.

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