Page 38 of Unconditional

The man baffled me.He’d stomped into my life, blackmailing me, threatening my family and friends.He’d backhanded me, intimidated me, and cuffed me to furniture.He was so willing to take and take and take from me—but not this.Never this.If he wasn’t willing to take what he wanted, then I’d just have to give it to him becauseIwanted him to have it.I leaned into his warmth, resting the back of my head on his shoulder.

His body shuddered at the contact, but he accepted it, nuzzling his nose into the curve of my neck, pressing his lips there lightly.The move was sweet and lovely, and almost too much for me to bare.I’d spent the last year trying to shield myself from the feelings swirling in my core.Trying to protect myself from being so acutely myself that I fell into another trap and called it love.I knew this wasn’t that.This was lust.This was heat and longing and the craving for something deeper.I was just lonely, and he was here.He was offering and willing to be warm for me, despite everything else.

And I was different now.I knew how to take what I wanted without twisting and turning it into something it clearly wasn’t.And in James’ case, something it clearly never was.There was no time to dwell on that thought when Talon’s palm splayed out over the flat of my stomach, pulling me in tighter to him.

“You always smell so good.”He inhaled deeply, like he was trying to breathe me into his lungs.“How do you always smell so good?”

My laugh was hoarse and choppy, arousal stirring low in my core at the feel of his calloused fingers digging into my skin.“Even after sleeping in that filthy van?”

Talon didn’t laugh.A low groan left his chest, his teeth grazing the delicate space below my ear.“Yes.You smell like you and…you smell likeus.”Us.

I knew he was referring to the filthy way we’d worked each other into a sweat the night before, our individual scents integrating into a potent aroma of desperate sex.The memories of which had goosebumps scattering over my still sore body, the air reaching my lungs coming in harsh pants.Not 'us' like there was anyus.And I would do well to remember that.

Twisting around, I brought my arms up around his neck and dared myself to look into his eyes.The sharpness in them had completely softened, hooded over in a way that I did not recognize.

“You are…perfect.”He seemed to search for the word, like he didn’t fully understand it.Heat warmed my cheeks.It wasn’t a new compliment.

It had been used on me so many times that the word had begun to lose its meaning.Perfect, beautiful, all superficial compliments used to win me over.Whether to woo me into bed or otherwise, it had become a tired term.

But as it stumbled out of Talon’s mouth it sounded brand new and I felt the urge to look down, shake my head and dispute it.His hand came up and he gripped my chin hard, forcing me to keep eye contact.“You are.I don’t…I don’t know why anybody would ever try to make you feel otherwise, but you are.You’re remarkable.”

Before I could process his words, his mouth came down on mine.The kiss was soft and deliberate, like he was making love to my lips.They parted, allowing his tongue to dive in and explore, tangling with mine while Talon’s hands cupped my face, tilting my head to pull me in deeper.

I’d never been kissed this way.In such a way that that felt like he was tattooing himself onto my very flesh.In a way that the old Misely would have only fantasized about someone kissing her.Like that kiss might never stop.Like I might feel it well into my old age, even if it were only the shadow of a kiss still ghosting over my lips.

“Perfect,” he whispered.“So perfect, somi—so perfect.”

I shivered, pulling away to stare into his eyes for another long moment.There was no deciphering what I saw there, so carefully guarded behind the striking golden brown.On a contented sigh, I leaned into him, my cheek pressed to his chest.Talon didn’t object, even with his erection pressing firmly against my leg, begging for attention.

Instead, his hands came up around me, fingers trailing paths over my back, resting his chin on top of my head while the water continued to spray around us.

“Why can’t I just use what I have?”Talon protested, reaching again for the atrocious 5-in-1 soap he had the audacity to bring into the shower.

I ducked away, clutching the vile bottle to my chest.“Because you’ll be bald by the time you turn forty.”

He lunged for me and I dived, narrowly avoiding slipping to my death on the shower tiles when his arms caught me around my middle and he hauled me to his chest.“Misely,” he ground out into my ear.“Give me my soap.”

Before I could refuse him again, his hands shifted and his fingers dug into my sides.I cried out in a fit of giggles, completely blindsided by the movement.Talon MacArthur was tickling me, and he was not holding back.

“No, no, no!”I squealed between bouts of laughter, twisting and wriggling in a sorry attempt at escaping those torturous fingers.He did not relent, our bodies slipping and sliding together in our battle over the odious 5-in-1.Desperate and a little delirious from the laughter, I did what any half-sane woman in my predicament would do.

I threw the soap out of the shower.

When it hit the floor beside the oversized trash can, the lid cracked and the contents spilled out onto the tile.For a moment, just a small moment, we were still and silent, both of us holding our breath.

The moment shattered and Talon’s fingers dug furiously into my sides and stomach again, our riotous laughter echoing off the walls of the small bathroom.He pinned my body to the wall with his, our chests heaving as our lips melded together yet again, still curved up into broad smiles.

“You,” he said, his breathing heavy against my mouth.“Are such a monster.”

I chuckled between small kisses, unable to stop myself.“You like it.”

“I do.”

In the next moment, I was climbing up his slippery form, wrapping my legs around his waist like a vice with a wicked smile.“I think I like being your monster too.”And then he was inside me again, the sad excuse for soap instantly forgotten as I slid down his length.

twenty-seven

Talon

---