Page 119 of Boost

I forced a swallow and took her tear-streaked face in my hands. “What I saw my mamá go through, and the fear I felt as a kid… as soul-destroying as it was, it sure as fuck taught me right from wrong. And I swear to you, Greer, I will nevereverdo anything to you that makes you feel unsafe or that you don’t want me to do.”

Much to my surprise, Greer smiled. “I already know that you won’t.”

I pulled back a fraction and studied her. “How?”

Strength regathered in her expression. “The time I told you not to bite my neck when we first kissed, you immediately stopped, no questions asked. Just like when I said no spanking, you didn’t do it again. No complaint, nor question why, and I never had to tell you twice.”

Fuck, she was breaking me. “It’s called respecting your body, baby girl. Some of my morals may be lacking, but that ain’t one of them.”

A sob burst from her mouth. Greer hid her face in her hands and released a harrowing cry that chilled the blood throughout my entire body. It liquefied my bones and pulled the world out of focus. I tucked her against my chest and secured her there with a fierce embrace. She still undid me, even at her lowest.

“Fuck, I’m so sorry you went through all that.”

I ignored the burn building behind my knee caps. I pushed aside the cramps twinging in my lower back. I welcomed the collar of my t-shirt being stretched as she fisted it, because it all meant that I was right where she needed me to be. Righttherewith her. Healing her after she’d freed me from the silent demons within my own head.

In a sudden movement that made every enduring pain worth it, Greer slung her arms around my shoulders and pulled me into her with a force that I squashed my nose against her neck.

“Thank you,” she murmured thickly, close to my ear. “You have no idea how much I needed to tell you that.”

I kissed the soft skin under my lips and inhaled deeply. She smelled subtly different after crying. More natural. Saltier.

“You own me,” I whispered.

Greer’s squeeze eased after a silent minute. “Would you have told me?”

The breath froze in my lungs. “About?”

“What happened with your dad?”

Deliberations ricocheted back and forth in my head. Tearing. Dividing. Lies and confessions at war. After countless seconds of losing myself to her pulse thumping against my lips, I shook my head and slowly pulled away.

“I’m sorry, baby, because honestly? I don’t know that I would have.”

Greer’s face dropped before she restored an impartial expression. “See;honesty.That’s all I ask for, and I also understand why you would have kept it to yourself.”

Desperation knitted my brow. Of all the words spoken today, I was most scared of losing her within this moment. “Greer-”

I halted when one finger appeared between us. “It’s fine, I promise. Just… give me a moment.”

Each deep breath and carefully controlled exhale Greer worked through cut me down lower than ever. I couldn't lose her like this. Not after struggling through the mountain of other shit. Surely,surely,this wouldn’t be the one thing to break us apart once and for all.

“Fuck me.”

I jolted. “Excuse me?”

Greer’s intense stare imprinted on my innermost core. Her eyes never wavered as she repeated her demand with infinitely more force.

“I need you to fuck me.”

I immediately understood; fuck away the bullshit. Fuck the slate clean. Fuck us back to the place we were on the weekend. Before our pasts came back to destroy our future. Revealing secrets that, for me, equated to a one-way ticket directly to Hell.

As the shock wore off, a wicked smirk wove across my mouth. I was rewarded by Greer’s breath shallowing.

“How bad do you want it?”

Her fingers grappled at my belt as she hissed, “Stupid fucking question,” through her teeth.

Miraculously finding a sliver of restraint, I clamped my hands around her wrists to halt her.

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