Page 320 of A Matter of Time

“I ran to accomplish a specific goal, in both cases, but yes, I did.”

I nodded. “If you’re gonna run again, please do it now before I get in too deep.”

“Okay.”

“What does that mean? Okay you’re running or okay you heard me?”

“C’mere.”

I crossed slowly back to him, like I was walking to the electric chair, and when he could reach me, he grabbed hold of my lapel and yanked me forward.

“Like you’re not in too deep right now,” he murmured, his hands on my face, raising my chin for a kiss.

I melted against him, my hands on his forearms, kissing him back deep and slow, wanting to make it last.

“I want you to stay home with me today, all right?”

“No, I need to get things together for Abe on Monday, and I might see some clients this afternoon to make up for Wednesday—Thursday—whatever day, and there’s just a lot to⁠—”

He unbuttoned my suit jacket, and his hands eased it off my shoulders. I heard it land softly on the back of the couch. He wasn’t listening to me, but I had things to do. Even though it was Saturday morning, I had calls to make, emails to send. There was no way I could just blow off my responsibilities to spend the day in bed with my very hot boyfriend.

“Sam…”

My tie was worked gently loose and slid off, joining my suit jacket before his fingers started working the buttons down the front of my shirt.

“Sam, I can’t⁠—”

“I could rip it off like I did with the one the other night, but I figure you don’t wanna explain two of them to your dry cleaner.”

I let my head fall back, and he kissed my chin and jaw as he got me out of my clothes. The shirt he let fall to the floor before he smoothed his hands up my sides, raising my arms. I leaned back so he could drag the undershirt up and over my head.

“Don’t need this,” he said, balling it up and tossing it onto the floor.

I stared into his eyes, marveling as always at the color, the deep slate blue now absolutely molten with desire. Impossible to miss the need there, and it was a great big turn-on knowing I was the one responsible. I got him hot, just me, and that power was intoxicating.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he said, his voice so low and sexy, and between the seductive heat in his gaze and his hands on my back moving over my skin, I was a goner. “I’ll protect you. I won’t let anything happen to my baby. I can’t. What would I do without you?”

I could feel my body vibrating under his touch as a line was kissed down the side of my neck, over my collarbone to my chest.

“So beautiful.”

Me? Was he kidding? I wasn’t the one who looked like he was carved out of living stone. Not an ounce of fat on the man anywhere, just rippling muscle and warm, sleek skin. Between his height—six-four—and massive build, he was absolute fantasy material, but instead of me worshipping him, he was standing there looking at me like I was the ideal.

“All that gold skin and your deep, dark eyes… Jesus, J, you kill me.”

I swallowed hard as he bent and kissed me.

“I can’t be away from you anymore,” he said, his breath warm against my lips. “You know, I used to wake up and want you, and go to sleep wishing you were there, and then I’d get up and go to work and the whole thing would start all over again.”

I just stared up at him.

His chest heaved, and his eyes showed me how vulnerable he felt. “I won’t leave you again, ever. I promise.”

“And you’ll take care of me?” I asked playfully, leaning in to kiss him thoroughly, to suck and lick and make his breath shaky and his eyes cloud with passion. “Love me forever?”

“Yes.”

He was at my mercy, and I loved it. Who was dominant now?