Page 53 of A Matter of Time

The man knew how to kiss; I felt his craving and heat. He laid claim to me. I was bruised, my lips mauled and chewed. Easily the most desired and needed I had ever been. I arched my back and let my head fall back as I came over his chiseled abdomen, He had me, and I wouldn’t fall, his arm around my waist anchoring me down to him, inseparable. I wanted to stay like that forever.

I woke up because I couldn’t move. When I lifted my head, I realized the reason. Sam had one heavy granite thigh draped over my legs and his arm around my waist. I waited for the panic to come.

And waited.

And waited.

When it didn’t, even after several minutes, the truth finally sank in. Being pinned under the man felt right, natural, and that was an epiphany both terrifying and overwhelming at the same time. What was it about Sam Kage that brought all my walls crumbling down? Even though I had no idea, I did know that I had to be alone to figure it out. I needed the man out of my bed. When I pushed against him, he rolled off of me, but the arm that had been under my cheek curled around my shoulder and brought me over on top of him. He tucked my head under his chin before smoothing his hand down my spine.

“Are you awake?”

“No,” he rumbled, his voice full of gravel, patting my ass a minute before he pulled the comforter up and covered us both. His arm around my back left me unable to move as he rubbed his thigh between my legs.

“Sam, you gotta go. I don’t sleep with⁠—”

“I’m not going anywhere,” he promised, his voice soft, hoarse, half-asleep.

“You can’t⁠—”

He kissed my forehead, then my nose. “Close your eyes.”

And I thought there was no way I could, but his big, hard body was so warm, and the beat of his heart so strong and steady, and his fingers sliding though my hair… It was all too much. I couldn’t have kept my eyes open if my life had depended on it. And, of course, more than anything else, I didn’t want him to go.

“You’re safe with me,” he said softly. “I promise.”

“Sam, I⁠—”

“Go to sleep. I’m here now. I’ll take care of you.”

And even though I thought he was making promises based on the amazing sex we’d just had, it was still nice to hear.

SEVEN

There was light coming from the windows in my room, and I turned my head to look out at the overcast sky. It was going to be another gray day in Chicago. I loved the dark days with the smell of rain in the air and the sky a comforting shade of clay. The sun always assaulted me. I liked the slower pace of a storm-washed day. Turning, I laid my head back down on Sam’s chest and listened to his slow in-and-out breaths and the steady rhythm of his heart. I’d never been this close to anyone for such an extended period of time. His arms wrapped around me, and he pulled me up, rubbing his chin in my hair, my face buried now in the hollow of his throat, my mouth resting on the warm skin of his neck. I didn’t want to move because I didn’t want the day to begin.

“Hey.”

I tried to raise myself up off him, but the hand on the back of my neck kept me there, close.

“Jory.”

I looked up at him as he yawned and stretched under me. He gave me a lopsided grin before leaning close to kiss me.

“You should see your face.” He smiled lazily, rolling over on top of me, pinning me to the bed. “You should see how you’re lookin’ at me.”

I could only stare at him. Unbelievable that he had stayed. I’d never expected him to be there in the morning. I had expected him to run.

“Your eyes are…something.”

He wasn’t used to talking, to saying what he was thinking.

“Oh shit, that’s what time it is?” he yelled, suddenly having glanced at the alarm clock on my nightstand. He scrambled out of bed, almost doing a face-plant when he got tangled up in the sheets. He was a whirlwind of activity, running around my apartment, grabbing his belt off the couch, his shoes from under my table, untangling his shirt from the down comforter. I sat up and watched him dart around before he took the stairs, and I heard the door slam as he went out. It was weird to go from all that noise to dead silence. Seconds later the door creaked back open and he was crossing my floor to flop back down in front of me.

“You didn’t even lock the door, idiot. What if I was trying to kill you?”

I just stared at him.

“Don’t look at me like I’m crazy. I’m not crazy.”