Page 34 of Vaughn

The live band playing gets louder at that moment, so I have to lean in, my lips touching the outline of his ear. I've never touched him freely in front of our friends, but I let my tongue sneak out and circle the edge.

"Sure, if you don't care." I give him a smile.

"I never care to. I want you to always feel safe." He always makes me feel safe, no matter where we are, or what we're doing. I'm allowed to try new things, to express anything I'm feeling, and he never makes me question letting him in.

I go to the bathroom, and after I wash my hands, I walk out to the hallway.

Vaughn is in the corner, talking to a friend. He puts up a finger, and I take a moment to catch my breath and hang out in the coolness of the hallway. It's much less crowded here, and you can actually take a few breaths without inhaling the heat of the dancefloor.

"Hey honey, you're looking awful sweet." A man's voice breaks my thoughts.

"No thanks." I move away from him, making myself smaller against the wall. "Just waiting on my boyfriend."

"Where is he?" He looks around. "Probably making that up."

"No. I'm not. If you'll excuse me." I try to walk past him, but he crowds into my personal space, blocking my way. "Move." I tilt my head to the side, but I have to look up because he's so tall.

He reaches out, grabbing hold of my arm. "C'mon baby, you don't really want me to leave you alone." He leans in, and I press my lips together, hoping to block him from taking the kiss he's angling for.

That's when he pulled away, and pushed back toward the table we came from. Vaughn is pushing him toward our crew, talking to him. I can't hear what's being said, but the guy holds his hands up as if he's surrendering. Before we can get back to our table, the man says a few words that appear to piss Vaughn off.

Vaughn reaches out, grabbing hold of the guy's shirt, and lifting him off the ground. I finally get to where they are, and I know I have to do something.

"Vaughn..." I reach forward, putting my fingers around his bicep. "Thank you for wanting to, but you don't have to protect me."

"Yes I do." He doesn't look at me, his eyes stay on the man in front of us. His muscles are tense and ready to defend. "No one else ever would, and I made a promise that you'd never have to wonder if someone would again."

Tears pool in my eyes, because this man - the one that everyone always talks about having fun with life - is the only person who has ever made me feel safe. "You don't have to." I shake my head, reaching up to cup his jaw. I turn his face to me. "I will never wonder with you, Vaughn. You made me feel safe, and I never have to worry that you won't. I don't need you to use your fists with this man in front of you. Just your presence makes me feel like nothing will touch me. Let's go back to our table."

His eyes, the color of coal tonight, are looking into mine for permission. "Okay." His tongue reaches out, licking cracked lips. "If you're good with this, then I will be too."

"Thank you." He respects me in ways no one else ever has, although he's seen me at my weakest, most vulnerable, and moments that would embarrass me with anyone else. He's played my body like an instrument, taught me how to touch him, and forced me to come to grips with things that my family made me feel were wrong. Those things aren't wrong. I know that now because of him. "Let's go." I reach for his hand, leading him back to the table that our crew is using for the night.

When we get there, the girls are looking at him with wide eyes. I don't think any of us were prepared for him to go after this man the way he did, but I'm not scared. I'm thankful, and I can't wait to get him alone to show him exactly how much.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

Vaughn

The light in her apartment, which I now think of as mine too, is low and gives off the impression of illicit things about to happen.

Which they are. There is something I want to do with her, and I think she wants to do it with me. We throw our stuff onto the couch, and I reach over, grasping her hair in my fingers. "Val, there's something I want to teach you. Can I?"

She nods, her eyes wide. "What is it?"

Running the finger of my free hand along her cheek, I put it in her mouth. Moaning when she sucks, I close my eyes. "I'd love to teach you how to suck my cock. Would you like that?"

Her cheeks hollow, before she lets go. "Yes, yes I would. Will you show me what to do?"

"Always, babe. We learn together. You know this. I want you to go at your own pace. Whatever you need to do."

Hesitantly, she puts her hands on my abdomen, before she makes a lap around me, touching softly as she goes. Her palms sculpt my t-shirt to my body. The cotton molds against my abs as she moves back around to the front, mapping the muscles that haven’t been touched in ages. Once she gets to my shoulders,she moves them down my biceps and forearms, until our fingers entwine.

Her tits touch my chest, her belly slides against mine, and her head fits under my chin. I’m breathing roughly as she stands there. When she turns her face into me, I almost jump at the soft touch of her lips on my sternum, and then up my Adam’s apple. A soft kiss drops on my chin, before she starts making her way back down, until she encounters the buckle of my belt, and the clasp of my jeans. Her fingers let mine go, and I immediately miss the connection we shared.

She drops to her knees in front of me, and I’m forced to close my eyes against the visual, because just that is enough to give me a tingling at the base of my back. The way she trusts me, the way she's willing to do things that might be uncomfortable for her. I love this woman more than I can ever explain.

“Shit.” I let out a deep breath, turned on as fuck.

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