Page 105 of The Tiger in the Sack

“These too,” I said. “Especially these. I want it on the record.”

“You don’t have to⁠—”

“I’m not doing ‘have to.’ Have-to retired with the lying. This is want-to. These are a map of every version of you there’s ever been and I got the current one, I got the one sitting in my lap deciding what she wants, and I’d like to thank all the previous management.” I traced one, slowly, and felt her go still in the way that isn’t armor, the new way, the way that’s just feeling something and letting it land. “Every part of you is the point. Not the part I’m putting up with to get to a better part. There’s no better part. It’s all the part.”

She didn’t say anything to that. For once Clover Freeman, who always gets the last word, didn’t have one ready, and I watched the genuineness of this moment between us break across her face. But she couldn’t contain it. I’d seen this beautiful authentic essence of her true self, the one she tried to hide from the world, break out of her, sideways and at the worst times and the perfect times.

She ducked her head down against my neck so I wouldn’t see it, except I already had, and we both knew it.

Sweet, beautiful, gorgeous Clover let me see it. She didn’t take it back. She didn’t reassemble. She just stayed pressed against me with this unnamed part of her showing, undefended, and that — her letting the soft underside show and not reaching for the spreadsheet — that undid me more than any of the rest of it.

“Okay,” she said, finally, muffled against my skin. “Okay. Keep going. Don’t stop. And don’t you dare go quiet on me, I need you loud, I need to hear you the whole time, that’s my actual request, file it with maintenance⁠—”

“Five stars,” I said. “Very responsive.” And I gave her loud, because it was the one thing I’d never had to fake.

I kissed her lips, which I would never get enough of. “Yes?”

“Yes.”

I dragged my teeth across her jaw and down to the soft spot at the base of her throat. “Yes?”

“God, yes.”

Then I sacrificed one hand, forcing it to release her juicy ass, and in my best move ever, unclipped the clasp of her pretty, but far too demure bra. She let it slide off her arms and I literally had to lick my lips to keep from drooling on her.

I blew a soft breath across her tits and watched her pretty brown nipples harden for me. “Ye⁠—

“Yes, Isak, please.” She arched her back and straightened her back so that nipple was right in front of my mouth.

I gave it a long, slow lick and listened to her groan. It wasn’t a moan, but a sound meant to say she wanted, needed more. I licked it again just to tease her a little, but then drew her nipple fully into my mouth and sucked.

Now I got the moan I was looking for. “Mmm. Isak, just like that.”

I knew when to do as I was told.

I suckled and Clover began to rock her hips, sliding the very core of her across my thighs. Touchdown Jesus, if she kept doing that, I was going to come in my pants like an untried eighteen-year-old getting his first lap dance.

Ask me how I know.

Well, I couldn’t let that happen. I gave her ass one last squeeze, most to say I’d see it later, and slid my hands up to her waist with every intention of picking her up and carrying her to my room. But she surprised the shit out of me by using my hands to slide her panties down. She wouldn’t be able to take them off in this position, but they went far enough that I got a little glimpse of the curls between her legs.

Ooh, I couldn’t wait to taste her there, and count her freckles, and lick them. I wondered…do clits have freckles? I was going to find out.

But my freckled queen wasn’t ready to go anywhere. She grabbed my hand again and pushed it into the rumpled material of her panties. “Let me ride your fingers while you suck on my nipples.”

It was my turn to give enthusiastic consent to that. “Hell yes.”

I adjusted my fingers so I could get two inside her pussy lips and fuck me, she was so wet, all ready for me.

But it wasn’t my turn right now.

I found just the right spot so she could use my fingers however she wanted. She found just the right position, one I was committing to memory, and she set the pace, and I followed every single yes she gave me like it was a route she was drawing and I was just grateful to be allowed to drive it.

I pulled the other nipple into my mouth and matched my sucking pulls to the thrusts of her hips. Then came her moans.

God they were like a song from the dirtiest and raunchiest of gods. Bacchus and Caligula and Aphrodite had nothing on my Clover.

“Oh, oh. Isak, I’m so close. I’m…” She wrapped her hand into my hair and held me tight to her breast. Then she was coming and crying out my name.