Page 32 of Ignition Rites

I give him exactly that, hips burning, thighs starting to shake, his fingers tightening around me.

“You’re so fucking good to me.”

The praise hits strangely hard, and I lean down and kiss him to keep myself from thinking about why. He kisses me back immediately, messy now, no patience left, his teeth catching my lower lip while my hips keep moving.

Wanting him isn’t new. Doing something about it is. And right now, with him beneath me, the house feels far away, and so do the rules. He told me the truth when everyone else decided I wasn’t ready for it, and maybe that’s part of why I’m here. Maybe I don’t need to make it cleaner than that tonight.

I sit upright and lift until only the head of him remains inside me before dropping back down hard enough to make his whole body jerk.

“Oh, fuck.”

The reaction makes me do it again.

“Fuck. You’re killing me.”

I ride him harder, letting him help now, his grip guiding me down each time I lift, the room filling with the sound of skin and breath and the bed shifting under us. When I clench around him, his head drops back.

“Do that again.”

I do, and his hips start meeting mine from underneath, the extra force sending pleasure punching through me. I catch myself against his chest and keep the rhythm, letting him thrust up while I grind down until every stroke lands exactly where I need it.

“Rafe.”

“Yeah, baby.”

“I’m close again.”

“I know.”

His hand leaves my breast and slips between us, thumb finding my clit.

I jerk.

“There she is.”

I slap his shoulder, and he laughs without slowing down, his other hand locked around my hip while I keep riding him.

Then his breathing changes.

I recognize it, and with it comes the thought I somehow managed not to have until now.

No condom.

Again.

The memory lands with Cassian’s ring catching gold light and consequences I still haven’t dealt with from the first time I made this choice.

My rhythm falters.

Rafe notices immediately and stills beneath me.

“Lo?”

I look down at him. “We’re not using a condom.”

It comes out plain, no joke, no pretending we missed it.

“I know.” His eyes search mine. “You sure?”