Page 92 of Steel

“You mean it?” She brushes her fingers over the scruff on my jaw.

“Every fucking word.”

Confidence doesn’t scare me. A strong woman doesn’t make me want to run.

It’s what drew me to this girl in the first place.

So when she smiles so big the sight is a sunrise in my dark room, my chest swells.

Pulling out, I widen her thighs, watching my cum drip out. I drag my fingers through her puffy cunt, collecting my release and shoving it back in.

“Jameson…” Tempe moans at the intrusion, tipping her head back. “You still haven’t asked if I’m on birth control.”

“Are you?”

She dips her chin to look at me, nodding once. “Yes.”

I probably shouldn’t be disappointed by that answer, but this girl makes me stupid.

I hum, tracing my hands up her thighs, over her stomach. “Guess we’re going to have to do something about that.”

It might scare her, but I don’t care. She gave herself to me, and now she’s planted all sorts of ideas in my head. Holding her offers me something I never saw myself having.

Peace I didn’t think I deserved.

Happiness I’m terrified I’ll destroy.

A life outside of the Twisted Kings.

Maybe we could water it. Maybe we could watch this grow.

Maybe I want more. If only she could want the same.

25

Tempe

My eyes flutter opento the feel of Jameson’s fingertips grazing up and down my spine. I’m lying on my side, facing the glass door that leads out to the backyard.

The sun has yet to peek over the horizon, and the clock says it’s only five in the morning, so Austin won’t be awake for another couple of hours.

“Don’t you ever sleep?” I close my eyes, sinking into the feel of Jameson’s fingers roaming my skin.

“Not much.”

I bury my nose into his pillow. It smells like cinnamon and detergent.

“Why not?”

“There’s always too much to do or too much on my mind.” His fingers pause, and I roll over to face him.

He props one hand behind the back of his neck and pulls me into the crook of his other arm. I relax against him, tracing his solid chest with my fingers. Our clothingis scattered, still sitting wherever we tossed it last night. Except his cut, which he carefully hung on the chair before he took me.

“You need sleep.” I brush my finger along his jaw, tracing the stubble there and trying to soothe him. “You’re going to wear yourself out if you’re not careful.”

He closes his eyes at my touch.

“I’ll be fine. Besides, as long as I can continue to keep up with you, that’s all that matters.” He smiles, still not opening his eyes.

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