Page 18 of Ignited Heat

"Even though I have a stain on my soul? Even though sometimes I can't sleep because of the things I've done?"

I move from my spot to stand next to him. His stance tells me he's closed off, but his eyes tell me how difficult this conversation is for him. I reach out to touch his face.

"Jason, you are a good man. What I see is the protector in you, always fierce and doing what's best for others. For me."

"You'll grow to hate me because of all the secrets a man like me needs to keep. You'll always be in danger because you'll be my weak spot."

"Do you care about me?"

"More than anything."

I untangle his hand from where he's crossing it at his chest and start pulling him towards my bedroom.

"Come, you don't have to say anything. Just show me."

Chapter 7

Cassie

I bring Jason to my room, and before he can find a way to prevent this from happening, I start to take off my shirt. With my arm in the sling, I still need help, and when I falter, I feel his hands guiding me so I can get the thing off. I turn around and face him. His face shows vulnerability, but there's also heat in his gaze—that I can work with.

My leggings are off next, but Jason stubbornly stays clothed. I stand closer to him, so much so that our chests almost touch, and I put my hand over his heart. It's beating pretty fast, and that makes mine hitch a beat. He wants me. I look up into his piercing blue eyes and lick my lips, showing him I want him to kiss me.

For the longest time he just stares at my mouth as if entranced by it. I move my hand from his heart to the back of his head and pull him down towards me. He lets me do this, and then his lips touch mine. The kiss is gentle, warm, and caring. I open my mouth to let him in, and his tongue sweeps inside. Before long, he's devouring my mouth, and I let him.

Every time our tongues battle, a pang goes through my body and ends right between my legs, making me wet for him. This man who is kissing me right now is the most dangerous person I’ll ever meet, but in his arms, I feel treasured and safe. The fire between us starts to grow, and I'm desperate for it to turn into molten lava.

I release the grip I have on his neck, and we come up for air. We're both breathing heavily, and I hope that this night will be just one of many. Jason hesitates for a moment.

"Are you sure you want this, angel?"

"Yes, Jason."

Those two words open the floodgates. He takes his shirt off and then his jeans, leaving his boxers on. He looks amazing. His body is chiseled to perfection, and I'm desperate to lick that eight-pack. I turn my back to him so that he can help me with the bra, and then he slides my panties down to get rid of them.

Being exposed like this to Jason makes me tremble. I've never been as attracted to someone as I am to him, probably because my feelings for him are involved. He moves my hair to the side so that my neck is exposed and then places a kiss there, making my skin flare up with goosebumps. His hand goes up and down my arm as he places soft kisses on my neck. If I'm honest with myself, I want him to bite me and mark me as his.

But Jason is treating me almost like a china doll, and I know in part it's because of my injuries. His slow and tender teasing is torture. Afraid of being too forward but not knowing what else to do, I push my ass backward to tell him I'm eager for him to possess me. I immediately feel his hard-as-steel cock against me and smile with satisfaction.

He turns me around, and the intensity of his gaze stuns me. He's got a few tattoos on his chest, and I trace them with my fingertips. I would have thought Jason to be too straight and narrow to get ink like this, but I love it. Getting more comfortable with touching him, I decide to follow the ink with my tongue. He takes a deep breath in when I do that, but I just continue licking his chest.

"I'm the one that needs to worship you, angel."

I stop what I'm doing and look up at him, trying to convey with my features that I'm exactly where I need to be right now. He takes the opportunity to kiss me again, and I get lost in our embrace. My nipples are hard and brush against him when he pulls me closer to him. The heat coming from his body is making me melt in his arms, and my pussy is pulsing with need. I pull away from our kiss.

"Jason, I need you inside me."

"Are you sure? I mean, it’s so soon after—”

“No, it’s not. I need you to erase all the bad.”

I can hear his low growl, and then he touches my face. “Are you okay with me bare? I'm clean. I haven't been with anyone in years."

"Yes, I've got an IUD, and I've always required the use of condoms before."

He takes my hand and guides me to the bed. I get in, and he follows, but as soon as he's on top of me, I realize I'm still too tender to have his weight on me, even if he's supported by his arms like this. A groan of discomfort comes out of me, and he immediately moves to the side.

"You want to stop?"

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