Page 32 of Saving Shepperd

So she blatantly reached behind and rubbed over the bulge in my pants with her small hands. We both let out a sound that time, and I dropped my head back on my shoulders.

Promise or not, when a hot girl rubs your cock, there wasn’t a man alive who wouldn’t enjoy it. It’s plain biology at work. Add the science of how much I wanted to fuck her, and I burned beneath her touch.

“What promise was that? To fuck me better than anyone has ever fucked me before?” she asked in a low, sultry voice.

I actually choked on the air I sucked in when I processed her suggestion. If I didn’t get a grip on the situation—and fast—there would be no turning back. So I put more distance between our hips.

“I don’t want to feel like I took advantage of you in a vulnerable state. You came here tonight pretty distraught, and I don’t want to be a jerk and jump your bones when you’re looking for comfort.”

She spun in my arms to face me, and I was looking at a much more confident woman suddenly. “What if that’s what I want too?”

“Mmmm,” I replied while trying to get my head on straight. My dick was going rogue at that point and straining toward her from behind the fabric of my pants. It was hard to think when she stared at me like that. All the blood in my body was rushing below my belt.

“You’re a little temptress, aren’t you?” I warned and asked at the same time. She openly raked my body with a hungry stare. The air in the bathroom grew thick and heavy, and our bodies weren’t even touching. Memories of the way we would eye-fuck across the gym filled my mind, and a slow smile spread over my entire face.

“What’s this smile?” she asked and reached a hand toward my chest.

I gently caught her by the wrist before she hit her target, though, and she made the most adorable pouty face I’d ever seen.

“I was thinking about the way we used to flirt at the gym. God, I had to beat off three times one day because I was so worked up by the time I left.” I laughed at her wide-eyed reaction and moved past her in the small space to get her some toiletries.

“Hey,” she called after me. “Where are you going?”

“To get you a toothbrush. I keep extra things here in this linen closet in the hall. Help yourself if you need something and I’m not around for whatever reason. There’s just bathroom stuff in here. Towels, wash cloths, things for the shower.” I figured a little impromptu tour wouldn’t hurt if she was going to be staying.

“Oh, okay. Thank you,” she said so quietly I almost didn’t hear her. But the way she followed my every move with hungry eyes proved the heat between us didn’t dissipate.

About thirty minutes later, we climbed beneath the covers. Shepperd finally accepted one of my T-shirts to sleep in even though the thing hung close to her knees. She snuggled against my side and rested her head on my bicep, and we both let the troubles of the day evaporate into the still air.

“Good night, darling,” I said with a slow kiss to the top of her head. I felt so calm and content. Sleep would claim me in minutes because my normally busy mind was at peace.

She let out a tortured sigh and replied, “Good night, Law.”

I pulled my face back and tried to find her stare in the dark room. “What was that sigh? I feel so peaceful here with you beside me, and you just sounded like it was your turn in the dentist’s chair.”

“Don’t get me wrong. I love being right here with you, too. But thistake it slowthing you’ve imposed upon us is frustrating. I thought your resolve would’ve faltered by now if I’m honest.”

“Oh, trust me.” I paused there to make sure I said the right words with the right tone behind them. “I would love to be with you right now. But I want to do this right, you know? I don’t want to mess this up.”

“Have you had bad breakups in the past? I’ve heard you say that a few times just tonight. That you’re afraid of messing this up. I’m wondering what has you so worried.”

The silence between us ballooned while I debated how much sharing was too much. I didn’t want to scare her off, and I didn’t want to taint our budding relationship with shit from the past.

Finally, I said, “No, I haven’t had a lot of bad breakups, per se. Mostly, I never really commit in the first place. But in my own defense?—”

“Please don’t feel like you have to defend yourself. I’m way too familiar with being put in that position and would never intentionally do that to someone else. It’s shitty.”

“I agree. And to be fair, my feelings are my own. You haven’t done or said anything tomakeme feel one way or another.”

“Spoken like a man who has been to therapy,” she teased with an air of confidence. When I didn’t respond right away, she propped up on a bent elbow to look down at me. “Am I wrong?”

“No, you’re right. We all went when my niece was having…” I paused there, never really knowing how to label Stella’s experience. But I had told Shepperd the entire, awful story before, so when I faltered, she nodded and gently placed her other hand on my chest.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered into the darkness.

I covered her hand with mine. “Don’t be. You haven’t done anything wrong.”

“I brought up something that took the smile I love so much right off your face. That’s enough to owe the world an apology,” she said softly.

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