Page 191 of Texting Dr. Stalker

“And there it is. Iknewit.” Defiant annoyance surged, followed by aching frustration. I struggled to get rid of his blinding palm. “I knew your threats were empty. You have no intention of—”

“Fucking you?” He drove his hips into mine, branding me with his hardness. “Are you so sure about that?”

I shivered, lust dragging me back into its dark whirlpool. “Words are cheap.”

“Words are safety.” His lips skated from my ear and along my jaw. “Did you think of one, by the way? Seeing as you’re so determined to make me do this, and you’ve just proven you’ll have flashbacks, I need a word. Give me a word that will make me stop the second you say it. Because without it, I won’t. I won’t check in with you next time you flinch. I won’t ask if you’re okay when I’m balls deep inside you. That’s my promise to you. I messed this up by stopping now. And I won’t have the strength to do it again. When I kiss you next, nothing will make me stop.” His voice dropped to a rough snarl. “Nothing but a word, so give me one…before it’s too late.”

“Are you trying to scare me off?” My heart raced. “Because it’s not working.”

“Don’t you get it?” he hissed. “I’m scaringmyself.This isn’t for you, it’s for me. Give me a goddamn word, so I have a line not to cross because I’m losing myself to everything I’ve ever wanted, and I honestly don’t know how I’ll cope.” Pulling back a little, cotton rustled as if he went to pull his mask back up. “A word, Sailor, or I’m leaving.”

Sailor.

It felt so strange to have him call me that. To hear his voice ache with despair.

It clutched me around the heart and made me leap off the last of my trepidation.

I chose the first word that popped into my head.

“North,” I panted, my fingernails stabbing into his chest. “My safe word is north.”

An animalistic grunt wrenched from him. “That’sthe word you chose?”

My eyes tried to flare beneath his hand.

Oh God.

Why?

Why did it have to be that one?

Why did I link Zander to this?

Why did I say his last name?

I opened my mouth to change my answer. To pick any other stupid letter but X made a noise that arrowed straight through my heart and left me in pieces.

“North it is.” He slammed his mouth back on mine, wrenching a moan from the depths of my soul. I cried out as he drove his tongue inside.

He lost control, broke every resistance, anddevouredme.

And I let him.

I clung to his hair as he delivered the same mind-twisting pleasure he’d given the first night he’d made me come. His every lick, his every breath, his every rock drove me past flashbacks and fears and straight into freedom and fantasy.

I wasn’t afraid or scared.

Because I trusted him.

I trusted him to hurt me as well as heal me.

Itrustedhim, and goodGod, that was the best feeling in the world.

I no longer worried or took responsibility for my own protection becausehewas here. This man who’d walked into my life as if he’d always belonged. This man who caged me in his arms and imprinted his very soul onto my lips.

His heart pounded against my ribs as if it fought to crawl inside me. He pawed at me as if I’d vanish at any moment.

I cried out as he suddenly lifted me with one arm and waited for me to wrap my legs around his waist. We both hissed as the throbbing heat of his erection branded between us.

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