Page 40 of These Wicked Hearts

He shakes his head. “I don’t know how people do it. That was insane. I guess I only like pain when it’s sexy.” I laugh, kissing his shoulder and hanging the sponge up then wrapping my arms around his large body. Atlas doesn’t say a word. His hands come up to cup mine braced on his stomach. “Can we agree?”

“Huh?”

“Best sex ever?” He looks over his shoulder at me.

I almost don’t want to give in, but my grin is growing before I can stop it. “Best sex ever.”

I hurry and finish cleaning him, his eyes growing heavier with every minute.

Atlas follows me out to my room, and I know this should be the part where he leaves, but I don’t have it in me to let this end right now. “Um, you seem a little shaky. Are you hungry?”

He shakes his head, glancing at my bed. “Just tired.”

I nod. “Well, I mean, you can uh, lie down if you’d like.”

“A sleepover?”

“Not a sleepover. A nap over.”

“It’s like one in the morning.”

“So . . . an extended nap.”

“Gage.” I look up and instantly regret it. His grin is ridiculous. “You want me to sleep over, don’t you?”

My lips purse. “Just get in the fucking bed.”

He slips under my sheets as if he’s done it a million times before.

I slide in after him and don’t stop him when he moves to lie against me. My arm has a mind of its own, coming around him and pulling him closer. It’s quiet for a moment, except for the sound of his breathing, and I almost think he’s fallen asleep.

“You okay?”

He lets out a small breath and looks up at me. “Yeah, I am.” He smiles softly. “That was just a lot.”

I huff a quiet laugh. “Yes, it was.”

He turns a little onto his side to look at me, and watches me a moment like he’s trying to piece some puzzle together. “Is it always like that with you? I mean, do you do that with other people?”

The question washes away any warmth left in me. I swallow. Atlas doesn’t know, he doesn’t know, and it’s a normal question. Get it together. “Uh, what?” I ask.

“Like the yes sir, no sir. That?”

I want to lie and move on. I should, but I don’t know. There’s an innocence about him that I want to lean into. I don’t feel like I need to hide. “Not always,” I decide to say. “Just uh . . . with you, I guess.” Dominance and submission have always turned me on, watching someone wait for my command and eagerly submit, but I’ve never gotten the chance to explore it.

And that’s the truth. Atlas brings out this side of me. I like the way he breaks. I love the way he snaps to obey me. I like the way he craves the same things I do. I guess not the same things. Opposite ends of the same seesaw.

His expression softens, something more vulnerable slipping into those bright blue eyes. “Just with me?”

I nod. “You don’t question. It’s like—” This is stupid.

“Like what, Gage?”

I chew my bottom lip. Exhaustion must be taking hold because I can’t seem to keep my mouth shut. “It’s like you trust me. That whatever I do to you, it’ll be good. You don’t question it.”

“Why wouldn’t I trust you?” he says finally.

Something in my chest tightens at that.