Page 23 of Big Gruff Owner

“I know I’m right,” he says with a wink, “and I will help you fix up that breakfast nook in your place, and make it into a small painting area. You should have a space where you can create.”

“Oh no, I wouldn’t want to put you out or take up your time like that.”

He stares at me deadpan. “I didn’t ask, sunshine. I said what Iwilldo.”

I smile at that, my heart swelling with gratitude. “Okay, that would be amazing.”

The waitress brings our food, and we dig in, silent for a few long moments before Nathan’s fork pauses mid-air. He looks at me with those deep brown eyes that seem to see right through me.

“So, last night,” he starts, his tone gentle but curious, “you mentioned that you hadn’t really…done anything before. I wanted to ask you more about that.”

I feel my face heat up as I look away. “Yeah, I guess I haven’t really done much. I’ve never had a boyfriend before.”

Nathan reaches over and grabs my chin, forcing my eyes to his. “Eyes, little girl.”

“Sorry, Daddy.” The title slips from my lips without thought and his eyes darken.

“So, I was the first person to touch you like that?”

I nod, my cheeks burning as I put in effort to keep my eyes on his. “Yeah, you were.”

His grip on my hand tightens just slightly, and I can see the mix of emotions in his eyes—pride, happiness, and something deeper, something protective. “I’m glad,” he says quietly, almost to himself. Then, louder, he adds, “I plan to be the last one.”

His words make my heart race. I’ve never felt this kind of connection with anyone before, and it’s both terrifying and exhilarating. Being with Nathan feels like jumping off a cliff, not knowing where you’ll land, but trusting that it’ll be worth it.

With him though, I know it’s more than worth it.

Chapter Five

Nathan

The drive back from the diner is ridiculously quiet, even while the air between us is fully charged.

The whole ride I can feel her watching me out of the corner of my eye. But, every time I turn my head to catch her, she looks away quickly like she’s been caught doing something naughty. It’s cute—damn near makes me laugh.

What isn’t quite as laughable is the way her little thighs clench and tense. My eyes stray to the milky white skin more times than I can stop them and by the time we finally—mercifully—pull up to the duplex, my cock is straining at the zipper. As I turn off the engine, I try to talk some sense into my body. The girl admitted she’d never had a boyfriend. She may have let me be the first to get my mouth on her, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to her being ready to have me inside of her.Get your shit together, Nathan.

We sit in the car for a long beat of silence. Sadie shifts in her seat, biting her lip, her eyes flickering over to me every few seconds. I can tell she’s got something on her mind, and I’m about to ask her what it is when she blurts out, “I don’t want to sleep in my apartment tonight.”

She says it quietly like she’s embarrassed. I look at her, really look at her, and I see that nervous energy all over again. I hate it. I don’t want her to feel like she has to be ‘tough’ for me and I especially never want her to feel embarrassed about telling me what she does and does not want.

“I don’t want to be separated either,” I admit. It feels weird saying it, but it’s the truth. I haven’t wanted to let her out of my sight since this morning. Actually, since the moment I first set eyes on her.

Her eyes light up, just a little, and she hesitates before suggesting, “Do you want to come inside?”

“To your bedroom?” The words are out before I can stop them, and her eyes widen just a bit. I’m about to laugh them off, play pretend like I didn’t mean exactly what I said, but then she nods, and I feel that familiar surge of heat in my gut. I nod back, and we both move at the same time, practically scrambling out of the truck.

We’re up the duplex stairs and in her house in record time. The second the door closes behind us, we’re on each other. Her lips are soft and sweet, and I can’t get enough. My hands find her waist, pulling her close as I press her against the wall. She’s warm and fits against me like she was made to be mine. I’m having a hard time convincing myself that she wasn’t made just for me. That she wasn’t always meant to be mine.

I haul her in my arms and we stumble our way through the living room, up the stairs, and into her bedroom, barely breaking apart to breathe. My mind’s a blur of want and need, and the only clear thing in all of it is that I would never stop touching her if I were given the choice. Judging by the way she’s clinging to me, like I’m the only thing keeping her grounded, I have to believe she wants me just as badly.

When we finally make it to her bed, I toss her gently on it and she bounces in place, propped on her elbows and looking like an angel of desire. I pause, just for a second, just toreallylook at her. She’s breathing hard, her cheeks flushed, and there’s this trust in her eyes that hits me right in the gut. I crawl over her, kissing her again, softer this time. The moment our lips touch it’s electric and I know, without a doubt, I’m exactly where I need to be.

Sadie opens up to me, her tongue meeting mine in a desperate clash that grows less soft and more heated by the second. She allows me to explore her mouth, her arms tightening around me as if this still isn’t enough for her. That knowledge goes straight to my cock, and I start to get hard at the mere idea of her wanting even more.

I tangle my hands in her hair, angling her head so I have better access to her mouth. She breathes out sharply through her nose and lets out a moan that makes my length twitch. She holds onto me as though I’m her lifeline and kisses me like I can give her the very breath in her lungs. It’s heady and exhilarating.

Just kissing Sadie is incredible. I could do it for the rest of my life and if this was all she ever wanted, I could still die a happy man.

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