Page 13 of Sins of Autumn

Without thinking, I bit down hard, the metallic tang of blood spreading across my tongue.

He pulled back sharply, a sharp intake of breath escaping him. He groaned, a deep sound that turned into a laugh. Then he smiled, licking the corner of his lip. “Fuck, I love you.” He gripped my throat and kissed me again, stealing the air from my lungs.

A moan escaped as he pressed against me. I cursed myself for not wearing anything under my robe. Then again, I never would have expected this to happen when I put it on. His hand slid between my legs, fingers expertly finding their mark as I whimpered and gasped against his mouth. Panic and desire waged war within me.

“Wilder, no.” My voice came out breathless, a mixture of protest and pleading. “Shh,” he murmured against my skin. “Just let me take care of you, Mint.”

Tears pricked my eyes. “Wilder,” I tried again, weaker this time as his grip on my throat tightened just enough to silence me.

His fingers worked in and out of my pussy, his thumb circling my clit. It had been way too long since quitting him cold turkey.

I curled my hands around his solid shoulders, gripping the fabric of his shirt as if holding onto him could anchor me. I bit down on my lower lip to hold back my moans.

“Don’t.” His eyes locked onto mine as his fingers continued their devastating rhythm. “I want to hear you.”

I shook my head, refusing.

He leaned in, brushing his lips against my ear. “I love when you fight it, but you know I’m not stopping until you cum.”

A whimper escaped before I could stop it, the sound spurring him on. My legs trembled as he rocked his fingers in and out of me, increasing the pressure on my clit. I couldn't hold back any longer as he brought me closer and closer to the edge.

“Wilder,” I gasped, his name a plea on my tongue as the pressure finally snapped, sending a wave of heat crashing through me.

My nails dug into his shoulders as I rode out the wave pleasure.

I pulsed around his fingers, my breaths coming in short, gasping pants. He held me steadily, his other hand still firm on my throat, guiding me through the sensation.

“That’s my girl.” He pulled back. His eyes roamed over every inch of my face, lingering on my lips, flushed cheeks, and trembling form. “You’re so beautiful, Mint,” he murmured.

His words felt like both a balm and a wound, stirring up emotions within me that I didn't know how to handle. I watched in a daze as he brought his fingers to his mouth, sucking them clean of my release. “I needed something to hold me over,” he explained, his voice low but unapologetic. “Not fucking you right now, is the hardest thing I've ever had to do.”

My mind scrambled for a response, but before I could find one, his lips were on mine again. The kiss was rough and gentle all at once, leaving no room for escape.

“I promise I’m going to fix this.” He drew back and his breath mingled with mine.

His gaze roamed over my face one last time before he straightened.

“Enjoy your trip, baby.” He strode out the door, leaving me there confused, vulnerable, and too furious with myself to process anything else.

CHAPTER FIVE

The crisp evening air hit me as I stepped outside. I still felt her on my lips, the small taste was an aphrodisiac lingering on my tongue. My hands flexed at my sides, craving the warmth of her body again. I shoved them into my pockets as though they could anchor me, but it was futile. Every step away from her felt like a betrayal, every breath without her an excruciating punishment.

Everything inside me screamed to go back. To throw that damn suitcase out the window and pin her to the bed until she admitted she couldn’t live without me. She had to know that her resistance was meaningless. I’d felt her melt under my touch, her helpless whimpers as I played with what was mine.

Her body never lied, and neither did her eyes. It was only with words she could try and deny the undeniable.

I wanted to destroy the distance between us, remind her over and over that no one else would ever know her the way I did.

I fucking missed her.

My hands fisted in my pockets as I forced myself to keep walking.Timing and control. I silently repeated the words in my mind like a mantra, forcing myself to stick to the plan. I slid into my car and took a moment to steady my breathing. I leaned back, gripped the wheel, and closed my eyes. I could still hear her voice, trembling and raw as she explained what happened the night she left me to her sister and best friend.

I had the footage from the bugs and cameras I’d planted in her house months ago. She didn’t want to move in with me yet, so I’d done the only thing that made sense. If I couldn’t be there physically, I had to make sure I was still present in every way that counted.

She’d sat on the couch, her knees tucked up to her chest, her gorgeous face puffy from crying.

Cherish and Daniella flanked her, mirrors of concern.

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