Page 77 of Rebel Hawke

Damn.

I squeeze my eyes closed, that rush of heat replaced by cool regret at my choice of words.

Light, calloused fingertips brush over my cheek. “Open your eyes and look at me, Little Bird.”

The genuine concern and affection in his gravelly voice make me do as he asks, even when I want to hide.

A satisfied smirk still tilts his lips. “I’m glad you’re finally admitting it.”

“Admitting what?”

His grip on my hip tightens as he tunnels his other hand into my hair, tilting my head up even more. “What I knew since the moment you came back. You werealwaysmine.”

“Was I?”

He nods. “Of course…and I have a gift for you. It was delivered while you were across the hall.”

Little flutters of excitement rush through me. “What is it?”

“Come on, I’ll show you.”

He slides his hand from my hip to clutch my fingers and tugs me away from the door, leading me to the staircase and up to his bedroom.

A small rectangular black box with a red bow tied around it sits in the middle of the bed, almost ominously, and I raise a brow at him.

“You’re not going to tell me what’s inside?”

He shakes his head and inclines it toward the gift, releasing my hand. “Open it.”

Trembling with both anticipation and nervousness, I crawl across the bed and kneel, tugging the box into my lap.

Atlas watches me carefully from where he stands at the foot of the mattress, blue eyes darkening to an almost navy as he waits. His hands bunch and flex at his sides, as if he’s fighting the urge to tear into it for me or grab me again.

Whatever is in this box has him all kinds of wound up…

My hands shake as I take the bow off and slip the lid free to expose the contents. “You’re not serious.”

That lecherous grin I have already learned so well returns to his face, and his tongue darts out to wet his lips. “Dead serious, Little Bird.”

I stare at the vibrator, nestled in velvet in the box—a long, hot-pink wand with a bulbous head that might as well be a jackhammer. “I told you, no sex…”

“I know your rule, Wren, and I fucking hate it.” He shifts forward until his knees bump the edge of the bed, as close as he can get, without physically joining me on it. “The last few nights have been absolute torture, making me sleep next to you, feelingyour body pressed up against mine, and you not letting me touch you the way I want to.”

As if it’s been so fucking easy for me?

His strong arms around me. Hard cock pressed to my ass. My body throbbing for him…

I scowl at him. “Because I know if I let you touch me, we’re going to end up having sex.”

He smirks again. “Good. Then let’s just drop this whole stupid rule.”

Shaking my head, I tighten my grip on the box to give myself something to hold on to so I won’t leap across the space between us and actually take him up on the offer. Clearly, I’ve greatly underestimated how hard this would be for me.

But I know what needs to happen.

What’s more important than giving into our most base desires.

“No, you need to concentrate on your recovery, using all your energy for that and training.”

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