Page 29 of Breaking Bristol

Beau ran a hand over his face, then shot me a guilty look. “I kind of figured that out a little too late, but with your hist—”

I cut him off. “It’s fine. I’m fine. You should get going.”

He nodded, then jerked his chin at Matthew. “No hard feelings, man.”

“You’re lucky she didn’t hit her head.”

“I know.” He sighed and went to the door. “I’ll leave you be since you’ve already got someone to look after you.”

I just stood there with one of Matthew’s strong arms around my waist until I heard Beau drive away. “What did he mean about your history?”

I twisted out of his arm, but he pulled me back. “Let me go.”

“I will in one second. What did he mean, Bristol?”

“He didn’t say anything about my history.”

“No, because you cut him off.” He turned me around and put a hand on my shoulder, his long fingers holding on tight. “You don’t have to tell me the details, but I just want to make sure I’m giving you what you need.”

It probably wasn’t rational, but once I moved here and got settled, I told myself I wouldn’t talk about Shane ever again. I figured outta sight, outta mind. He was in the past, and I needed to move on. But every time I saw a white Cadillac, a bald head in the crowd, or came home to the dark, I was unable to forget. “Let me go, Matthew.”

He dropped his arm with a sigh. “Okay, sorry. I won’t push.”

I held his eyes, then went to my bedroom and closed the door, fighting back the tears. I hadn’t cried over that bastard in a long time, and I didn’t want to start now. I flung the curtain open and stared outside, but what I really wanted to do was curl into a ball and scream at how angry I was at my life.

Violence terrified me. And up until now, I didn’t realize how quickly the past trauma would sneak up on me.

It had been several minutes before I heard the door open, and I prepared myself for him to push and demand answers. Answers I wouldn’t give.

His heat hit my back as one arm wrapped around my stomach and the other went across my chest. His jaw settled by my ear. He squeezed me and nudged some hair out of the way with his chin. “Someone hurt you.”

My knees got weak at his words, and those unshed tears couldn’t stay restrained. I didn’t need to answer him because he already knew.

Matthew held me, gently rocking me until I stopped crying, and when I got my wits back, I turned around. He wiped my cheeks, being extra soft on the bruised one, and then brushed his lips against mine. “I don’t know what the future holds, but I’d like to find out how far we can make this go. I’ve never felt for another woman what I feel for you. You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want, but just know I’ll be here whenever you’re ready. As long as you’re safe now, that’s all I care about.”

Lord… those orbs of green, the persuasive words like a haven, and I couldn’t stop myself. I put my hands on the hem of his shirt and yanked it up. When his eyes clashed with mine, they were so intense that a rush of moisture soaked my panties.

He pushed my sweater off my shoulders, removed my shirt, and pulled down the cups of my bra. “So pretty,” he mumbled as he traced my nipples, the underside of my breasts, and across my collarbone. He flattened his hand and glided it down my stomach where his finger slid over my tingling clit. “So wet.” He slid the longest one inside, and I went up to my toes.

“Yes.”

He pushed my leggings down, panties going with it, and tapped my ankles so I stepped out. Then he massaged my calves and leaned in, his tongue doing a slow swipe between my folds. “So sweet.”

“Matthew…” I didn’t even know what I was asking him.

He stood and cupped me, then pushed a couple of fingers inside while he pressed the heel of his hand into me. My thighs immediately started to quiver, and he dropped his forehead to mine and watched me as he brought me to orgasm with just his hand. “You are so fucking hot you drive me crazy.” He let me ride it out, and when I was done convulsing, he grabbed me around the waist and pushed me backward until I fell on the bed.

A cocky smirk adorned his face when he pulled a condom out of his pocket, and I wanted to give him shit for thinking I’d be this easy to get in bed, but when he pushed his sweats down, all thoughts except his thick cock left me.

I swallowed as he rolled it down his impressive length, and when he crawled on the bed, he pushed my knees apart with his own. It was almost too much, too intimate, but I continued gazing into his eyes as he leaned forward.

One hand worked between us, and I felt him exactly where I wanted him. In one long, smooth stroke, he entered me. “So tight.” I exhaled as the bliss took over, and he brought his hand to my face and pushed his thumb between my lips. He pulled out and pushed back in, then ground his hips. “So mine.”

Yes, I was his.

He made love to me so sweetly and lovingly that tears rolled down my cheeks when I climaxed.

Of course he noticed, and he rubbed our noses together, then rested his forehead against mine. The affection was almost too much, and I was tempted to close my eyes, but I was mesmerized. I stared into the promise of him as he said everything I needed to hear without speaking a word.

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