Page 74 of Craving Sin

“Christ, Abbott. I know I don’t deserve you, but damned if I’m not selfish enough not to care.”

“You’re not selfish,” I say, when he wraps his arms around my waist from behind. “She was beautiful,” I admit.

“Yes,” he says softly. “You’re beautiful too, my pretty thing. I didn’t know a man could be beautiful before you. You’re in my head all the time, but not just there…like, I feel you inside. Everywhere, all the time.”

“Me too,” I reply. “Everywhere, all the time.”

Rian takes my hand, leading me toward the stairs. I go easily, knowing the sun will be up soon, but ready to climb into bed with him.

His room is huge—a large bed in the middle with a warm, neutral beige headboard with hints of light gray that match the sheets, with a large fireplace across from it. He doesn’t have any of the same personal photos in his room that were downstairs—a lamp on each nightstand, which match the gray-toned wood on his bed.

“I’ve never brought someone here before,” Rian admits.

“I know.” He didn’t have to tell me for me to know either. Whatever this connection is between us, it runs deep, a bond we both share.

“I need to shower,” Rian says, voice rough.

“Not without me.” I turn to look at him, watching a smile spread across his face.

There is nothing in the world like making Rian smile. It lights up his face that is often so serious and so sad. Any trace of the sadness is gone right now though, as he nods his head toward the en suite and I follow him in.

Rian’s bathroom is massive, with a standalone shower with two rainfall heads hanging above it.

He turns on the water, and we both strip out of our clothes. I follow Rian in, rubbing my hands up and down the soft fur on his chest. I want to sleep with my face buried into it, my cheek against the dark hairs so I can feel them brush against my skin all…well, day, considering what time it is.

“I won’t come to you right after I do something like this again,” he says as water pours down over his back. “I wouldn’t have tonight but…I couldn’t stand the thought of someone hurting you.”

“I can take care of myself. You don’t have to save me.”

“Believe me, I know. But most of the time, I feel like that’s all I have…the way I take care of people.”

Jesus, this man. I don’t even know what to say to that, so instead, I push up onto my toes and kiss him.

Rian moans into my mouth, his cock growing hard against me. Mine is thickening too, throbbing with more intensity as the kiss goes on.

His hands tighten on my hips, blunt nails digging in as he kisses me harder, hungrier, like he needs this in ways neither of us has the words for.

I press my lips to his again, then pull away, grabbing his sponge and soap, before I start washing him.

It doesn’t matter what he did tonight. I’m not sure what that says about me, but it’s how I feel. Maybe if I didn’t trust Rian, if I didn’t know that, despite the bad parts of him, there is a good man who loves with all his heart.

Once the invisible traces of the blood he’d spilled tonight are free from his skin, I turn off the water, and this time, I’m the guide, pulling him out with me and drying us both off.

Rian follows my lead, walking back into his room, then watching as I kneel on the floor beside his bed.

“Jerk off on me. I don’t want to smell like soap. I want to smell like you.”

Rian lets out a deep growl, then a curse, grabbing lube from his drawer before wrapping his strong hand around his thick cock.

“You’re so fucking perfect,” he says, jacking himself. “I’m going to come on you every fucking day, make sure everyone knows you’re mine.”

Yes, yes, yes. I want that.

Need it.

“There’s nothing I won’t do to protect you, to keep you. Jesus, how did you do this to me? How did you make me feel again?”

Because I did. I have no doubt in my mind about that. I made Rian feel, and no one can ever take that away from me.