Page 29 of Age of Shade

Adina’s eyes flash up to mine, and I can tell she’s surprised to find me watching her so intently. “Oh! Sure. It’s not a secret or anything. I’m at the Department of Child Welfare. Mostly it’s administrative stuff, but today I got to go with my supervisor to complete some home visits approving new foster families.” Her enthusiasm is obvious, as if most twenty-one-year-olds wouldn’t rather be doing anything else, and suddenly, it hits me how wrong I was about this.

How could I have been so foolish as to think she was in this for the money when every action she’s taken thus far has proven the opposite?

“I have a confession to make.” I swallow the lump in my throat, my chest tight with anxiety. “My ex-girlfriend and I were together for six years, and we just broke up a few months ago. I haven’t… dated since then.”

Adina’s face has grown pale and, slowly, she sets down her fork beside her plate. Her hands drop into her lap. “You want something casual. I understand. I didn’t assume anything coming here again—”

My stomach plummets. “No!Oh fuck—absolutely not.” It’s an intense response, but I can’t help it.Casual? I rake a hand through my hair, staring at her as I struggle to find the right words. “The opposite, actually. I like you. Very much. I don’t want to fuck this up. Last week, what Liam told you about me wasn’t the truth. He was trying to get me back out there…” I trail off miserably. “I’m a dentist. I own a practice in Harlem. It’s—ah—aggressively unprofitable. I’m sorry. I know this is a lot to throw at you on the second date. It’s just that I like you, and I’d like to keep seeing you.”

Across from me, Adina is still, and there’s something else in her expression now that I can’t quite identify. Finally, she nods slightly. “I’d like to keep seeing you too.”

“That’s it?” I chuckle, but it sounds hollow. “You don’t want to get out while you still can? There’s still time—Shit. Please ignore me. I’m a terrible salesman.” What the hell is wrong with me? I’m trying to win her over, not show her the door.

Adina’s lips press together, like she’s trying to stop herself from laughing. “You don’t need to sell me on yourself, Asher Roth. I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. I just…” Her eyes search my face, the ghost of her smile fading. “My past is complicated. I did things I’m not proud of, things I’m ashamed of. It’s not easy for me to talk about it.”

Fuck, she’s killing me right now. “You don’t have to. Not until you’re ready.” I reach my hand out over the table, palm up, and Adina’s eyes swim with tears as she takes it. “When you are, though, I’m here. You can trust me.”

Her answering smile is sad. “I know.”

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

ADINA

“I can’t!”

Asher’s fingers dig into my hips, and he gives an impatient little growl. “Sit on my fucking face, Adina.”

I squirm, trying to ignore the effect this command has on me, but I’m fighting a losing battle. My hands are planted between my spread thighs on Asher’s bare shoulders, holding myself back as he tries to tug me forward. “You’re going to suffocate,” I protest weakly, well aware my pussy has a mind of its own. Heat spreads out from my throbbing clit, and I’m pretty sure the muscles in my legs are trying to stage an outright rebellion and collapse out from under me, but I still don’t move.

He made me eat first, even after the make-out session that followed his confession. I like him so much,morethan like him, but I feel so guilty. Asher Roth wants me. He isn’t playing around or in this for easy sex. Whatever I told myself before, I hoped desperately this was the case. Now that it is, I’m so woefully unprepared. After all, he’s being honest with me, he’s trying to show me I can trust him and that he cares enough to make himself vulnerable. He’s perfect—the most amazing person I’ve ever known and my own personal hero—and he doesn’t even know it.

My own personal hero, who now wants me to sit on his face and possibly smother him with my pussy.

A hand comes down on my ass in a sharp swat, and I gasp, looking down at Asher. He took off his glasses as we stumbled over to the bed, shedding clothes and touching each other in between searing, hungry kisses.

A dark, almost dangerous smile curves his lips, and the muscles of my lower belly twist pleasurably. “I’m not going to suffocate, angel. I’ll be too busy making you come.”

He’s bigger than me, and stronger. It’s not really all that surprising he’s able to overpower my objections. I squeak, my hands finding the top of the richly upholstered headboard as he pulls me into place. My hips are still hovering a few inches over his mouth, and Asher tilts forward, running his tongue through my slit with a low groan. “You taste so fucking good.” He grips my ass in both hands and takes another lick, dragging the flat of his tongue over my throbbing clit.

I’m biting my lip so hard I’m going to draw blood, and the muscles in my abdomen ache with how hard I’m trying to keep it together. I feel so vulnerable like this, spread open with nowhere to hide, but it’s hard to be self-conscious when the man with his face in my pussy so clearly loves it. “Oh god, daddy—”

I didn’t evenmeanto call him that, but Asher groans his approval. “That’s right, angel. Don’t be shy.”

His words make me tremble. Something heady and seductive is rising inside me, driving away any self-consciousness and guilt. It feels so good to surrender, to let him take charge and use my body as he sees fit. I don’t have to think about anything; I just need to be a good girl and do what he says, and he’ll make me feel good in return.

Moaning, I lower myself a little more, just enough for my soaked sex to skim over his lips. It’s not close enough for Asher,though. Letting out an impatient growl, he drags me down, pushing my corehardonto his waiting mouth.

A part of me thought last week had been a fluke. Surely this man couldn’tactuallyenjoy eating my pussythismuch.

Ruby has talked to me about her sex life—in depth—and she has never once mentioned anything close to what happened last week. I get why he was holding back: He’s a good person and wouldn’t have wanted to sleep with me under false pretenses. That’s been cleared up, though, andstillhe doesn’t seem interested in anything other than melting my brain with as many orgasms as humanly possible.

It’s working.

Overthinking about why has been officially suspended, and my fingers tighten painfully on the headboard as heat begins to coil low in my belly. I don’t have to do or be anything right now, I just have to take what he gives me. I’m a different person, transformed by the touch of the man between my legs, and a piece of myself I didn’t know was missing is slotting into place.

He’s feasting on me, licking and sucking at every inch of my sex as his stubble rasps over my sensitive skin. Even the slow, wet sounds of his mouth working are impossibly sexy and intimate. It’s so good—heis so good. Already, my legs are starting to shake, and as I begin to roll my hips, Asher’s hands tighten on my ass to guide my pace. I’m his puppet, his horny little toy. And as he laps decadently at my throbbing clit, I can’t remember why I was so worried about this.

Ilikethat he’s seeing me like this, in a way no one else ever has.

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