Page 54 of Pit Stop

And then a second later, he’s engulfing me, making me cry out, my fingers threading through his damp hair as he swallows me whole. Needless to say, I don’t last long at all. I combust, his name on my lips. And when I come down, I’m deliriously tired, exhaustion swamping me.

“What about you?” I ask when he moves up beside me, pulling me into his arms.

“I don’t need anything, just want my mate happy.”

I sigh, snuggle into him, and fall asleep in a matter of minutes.

I wake up to the scent of breakfast and I roll onto my back, instantly missing Maverick, but also oddly at peace. He must have been close all night because I slept like a baby and the bond feels incredibly stable and content.

I sit up and scrub a hand over my face before walking out into the small kitchen. Maverick is standing there in just his boxers and a white undershirt.

“Hey,” he says, and I can’t help it when my hands slide around his waist, pulling him in for a hug. It’s the bond, nothing else.

It has to be.

“You hungry?”

“Starving,” I say and then I can’t help it when my hand moves down to his groin and strokes it absently. Fuck, he’s so hot. I didn’t get a chance to suck his dick last night, but I want to now.

But first. Eggs and bacon.

“Not yet,” he huffs, and I move away with a pout. I don’t like being told what to do. But I know he’s right. I do need to eat. I’m still slightly weak from everything and my libido ramping up from being mated to this guy doesn’t help.

What really makes it hard is how hot he is.

He’s so fucking hot.

“You’re drooling,” he says, and I roll my eyes.

“I’m not. I’m just sitting here. Watching you cook. I’m appalled.”

He sets the plate before me, and a rumble emanates from my stomach.

“You can be appalled and stuff your face,” he says softly, and I dig in, unashamed by how much I’m stuffing into my mouth.

I can see him muffling a laugh in my periphery, but I ignore it. He can gloat, that’s fine. He’s a good cook and I’m starving. And it’s nice not to have to take care of everyone for once. It’s nice to be waited on.

“Would you like seconds?”

“My figure could never,” I say, holding up my plate and watching as he refills it.

“You look fucking fine to me.”

I blush as I continue to eat. He lowers himself across from me and hooks his ankle with mine. The touch lights something up within me and I wonder how long this sensation will last. It can’t be like this forever, right?

“You feel content,” he says around a bite of eggs.

“The bond?”

“Yeah, weird, right?”

“It’s definitely something I’ll have to get used to. You know, until we can get this reversed.”

He stops chewing, his eyes meeting mine.

“Yeah.”

I avert my gaze, guilt and sadness seeping up inside of me. Those can’t be my feelings, right?

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