“Turn around,” he instructs, and I do so immediately. There are a million things I want to say and ask, but my mouth shuts when I feel a soft brush moving through my thick, dark hair, and I sigh. “You like this?” I bob my head. I haven’t had anyone brush my hair solely because they wanted to since I was a small child. “I’ll do it as often as you allow me to.”

The intensity from the shower has faded, and in its place is a loving warmth I didn’t think was possible in such a short span of time.

“Want me to braid it?” I bite my lip at his question in an effort to halt the onslaught of emotions brewing and nod instead. “Have a seat on the bed.”

Sitting on the end, I cross my legs and wait. He wraps a blanket around me from behind after he notices the goosebumps breaking out on my skin. It’s such a gentle gesture, but it’s so much more than he could possibly imagine.

As Galen begins to plait my hair into two braids, I can’t suppress the sobs trapped inside my chest. For so long, I’ve been so alone, fighting for everything I have, and I’m still barely getting by. If not for Hael’s family money, we wouldn’t even be able to afford our cozy house. I’m on scholarships and allowances from the college, so extra money is not a luxury I have.

When Galen’s done, I expect him to crack a joke about how emotional I am—it’s what Marcus would have done—but he doesn’t. He simply holds me to his chest until I’ve calmed down.

“Up to bed with you,” he says softly, with a tap on my thigh.

Crawling up the mattress, he meets me there with the blankets pulled back and doesn’t hesitate to climb in beside me and tuck us both in.

“Sleep.” My body seems to slump at the command, and I suddenly feel drained. Whatever else he had planned for the evening has been put on hold so I can get what I need, and I think…

Am I falling in love with this filthy-mouthed stranger?

I think I am.

CHAPTER 4

Galen

Taking care of Piper is my only purpose in life. As much as I wanted to feast between her legs last night for hours on end, I held off because it turned out I didn’t know as much about her as I had believed.

Piper is sensitive and attention-deprived. Washing her hair had set everything in motion for her to have a breakdown in bed while I was brushing and braiding her hair.

I must admit, however, that what we did do was more intimate on an emotional level, and I can’t bring myself to be disappointed or regret what happened. Piper is a restless sleeper, and I wound up sleeping partially on top of her body in an effort to calm her down and get her into a relaxed state.

I left her in bed about twenty minutes ago to make her breakfast before her first morning class. Much as I dislike the idea of letting her out of my sight so soon after finally getting her in my grasp, I know I need to in order to gain her complete trust.

Shutting the burner off under the French toast, I place the last few pieces on the plate in the oven where the rest of the food is warming and make my way back upstairs. Just because I have to let her go and do the things she does every day doesn’t mean I have to do it without marking her as mine.

Entering the bedroom, she’s just as I left her. Mahogany hair fanned out on the white pillowcase, making her look like an angel, and the blanket covering her chest, with one leg sticking out and the other tucked in.

What I wouldn’t give to climb on and fuck her now, plant a baby inside her ripe womb. However, she isn’t ovulating for another day or two, and I can wait until then. I think. I fucking hope.

For now, however, I’m happy to come all over her body and massage it into her silky flesh. Drawing the blanket back gently, I climb onto the bed between her legs. My gaze lasers in on her heated pussy, where she’s already wet for me.

Reaching forward, I brush a finger tenderly through her lips and scoop up some of her sweet honey, slathering it around my aching dick. The beast is more than ready to claim our woman, but we both know she needs a lot more love before we’re unleashed on her.

Working my hand quickly up and down my shaft, I squeeze until it hurts because I know that’s how tight she’s going to be. Piper is so fucking tiny compared to me, and it’ll be a fight to sink inside her body, but I know I’ll get there.

It doesn’t take long before my orgasm races to the surface. My balls pinch tight, and my dick throbs as I work my hand faster. Slipping a finger inside her heat, she gasps as she awakens. Her eyes immediately connect with mine and slowly slide down my body to see what I’m doing.

As soon as I feel her gaze on my dick, I come all over her pussy, stomach, and chest. She whines and opens her legs wider. A feral growl erupts from my chest, and I move my free hand up to pinch her clit. Her back arches, and she cries out her own pleasure as the last of mine drains from my body.

“God, baby doll, do you know how perfect you are?” Meeting her eyes, she trembles as tears leak from the corners. “What’s this?” Her head shakes as she closes her eyelids. Gripping her chin, I force her to look at me. “Tell me.”

I watch as she nervously swallows before opening her watery eyes that look like melted pools of chocolate, and I find I like it. I wonder if I can cause her to cry from too much pleasure. An act I aim to indulge in as soon as possible.

“Talk to me, baby.” Her lip quivers, and I want to suck the morsels into my mouth.

“Nobody has ever made me feel like you do.” Placing my hand on her stomach, I rub my spend into her flesh as I drop down next to her in bed.

“I hate that for you, baby, but Daddy is always going to be here for you.” The way she nibbles on her lip makes me want to give her something else to play with. “Now, I’ve made breakfast for you”—her eyes light up—“and you’re going to keep Daddy Galen’s cum massaged into you until you come home tonight, right?” Her inquisitive eyes move down to where I’m smearing the rest of the fluid into her tits, and she blushes. “Right?” I tweak a stiff peak between my fingers.