He throws the towel to the other end of the room and pushes himself into my hand while kissing me.

His trembling fingers rip the foil. While he rolls the condom over his dick, Kai’s jaw tightens, his eyes close, and I can only observe the power I have over him.

I have never gone through something so good for my self-esteem.

It’s maddening.Magical.

Then, he takes a deep breath and opens his eyes, positioning himself on top of me, between my legs. Gaze boring into each other’s, Kai pushes into me.

A groan taps the walls of his throat and escapes. “Oh, fuck.”

I thought I would lose myself in my head if we had sex, but I’m fully present mentally. I savor his warmth, his hands gripping the mattress over my head.

The sounds he makes are incredible.

My passion for his ass increases tenfold as I let my hands roam over it.

I accept everything with an acuity that shocks me. The way he kisses me, letting his tongue slide over my upper lip to break the kiss, gives me palpitations. His assured hands explore me, his deep gaze stares at me in awe, my breath is lost, and an aching pressure swirls in my pelvis.

I feel everything. Not lost, anchored.

The cloak in his eyes is gone. A glazed veil replaced it.

“You feel incredible, love.” Kai chokes up the words, and they end in a tremolo.

A level of intimacy I have never experienced envelopes me. It’s a new sensation since I’ve always been afraid to make eye contact during sex with Eric.

Afraid he would see how much I loathed him.

But now, there’s no hiding from the pull between Kai and me. This thing is mind-boggling, tugging us to each other in an uncontrollable rush of desire and vulnerability. And at this moment, nothing else matters.

“More, Kai.”

After a low chuckle, Kai grips my left thigh and pulls it over his hip, thrusting rougher. “Like that?” Much harder.

I let out a yelp and sip an uneven breath against his cheek. “Yes, baby. Just—” The pleasure spikes and spreads too fast. “Just like that.” The vibration of my whimpers tickles his lips resting on my throat. “It’s so good.” For the first time in my life, I mean it.

I allow sensations to take over and surrender to them. I didn’t think I—the Marianne who freaks out at every ounce of aggressiveness—would enjoy this roughness. But I do.

My nails sink in to scratch his back, but the moisture trickling down his spine makes them slip.

Kai slows and changes the tempo. “So goddamn good,” he echoes.

It’s phenomenal.

One of his hands leaves the edge of the mattress and slides between our engulfed bodies to rub my clit.

The fierceness returns, and his hip thrusts become aggressive. I throw my head far into the pillow, my mouth wide open.

Kai bends and nibbles my chin.

“Yes, fuck yes,” I whimper. My whole being vibrates with bliss.

His breathing slips with mine, his head shakes. The bed creaks as if it’s going to collapse. It’s so intense.

But then, I remember the haircut and the teasing to pull his hair. My fingers go up into his hair, and I fist them.

An incoherent sound comes out of his mouth, sounding like a plea.