“I guess it depends.”

“On?”

“On whether or not you’re going to suddenly switch personalities on me and go back to being . . . like you were.”

His serious expression becomes more severe. “I won’t. It’s sick, but it took hurting you to snap some fuckin’ sense into me. I know now you didn’t deserve any of the shit I laid at your feet, and I swear on my life, I’m never gonna lay another hand on you.”

I place my hand on his chest and push, but he’s immoveable. He’s a rock, a leaning one that seems to be getting further and further into my space. “And I’m just supposed to believe you?”

He licks his lips and takes a deep breath. “Before, I couldn’t see past the hate riding me. Now I see what I should’ve seen that first day. You’re not her, and I have to fuckin’ change or something amazing is going to slip through my hands. If it hasn’t already.”

I try to look away but he cups my face.

“Look, I know I can’t fix this with words, Doll. It’ll take time. And even though you have every right to hate me and tell me to fuck off,”—he rubs his thumb over my jaw—“I’m beggin’ for that time. I can prove things are different. That I’m different.”

His gaze sweeps over my face. “Fuck. I was chasin’ the reaper when you walked into my office that day. I didn’t give a damn about anyone or anything, and I didn’t care if I lived another day.” He rests his forehead against mine. “But now I’m lookin’ forward to tomorrow. And not just tomorrow, but what’s gonna happen in the next ten minutes, in the next few hours, and in the next few days . . . because I hope I’ll be spendin’ that time with you.”

He closes his eyes and shakes his head. “Please, just give me some time.”

I make him sweat it out. Not because I’m wavering, my decision was already made the minute I saw him standing on the stairs. I’m making him wait for my answer because of the hell he put me through for nearly two weeks.

“I will. But . . .”

Still cupping my face, a tentative smile tugs at the corners of his mouth.

“You hurt me again and I’m gone. No third chance. No excuses. You let me go and you don’t follow me.”

The muscle in his jaw ticks twice before he says, “All right.” He sweeps my bangs away from my eyes, tilts my face up, and places a slow, soft peck on my lips. “Thank you.”

“Don’t make me regret this.”

“I won’t.” His lips caress mine. “And Doll, you control this. Every part of it. If you want me around, I’ll be there. If you need time or space . . . I’ll give it to you. It’s your call.” He strokes my cheekbone and his voice lowers. “If you wanna take it slow, we’ll take it slow. Just as long as we take this somewhere.”

In an instant, I’m hot all over. I’m in a daze of lust, but not enough that the word slow doesn’t trigger a collage of bad memories. Without thinking I mumble, “I’ve never had slow.”

He pulls back. Confusion covers his features and his smile flattens. His brow wrinkles as he studies me. Then something dawns on him and anger flashes through his eyes. “Fuck, babe. I didn’t mean sex. I meant this. Me and you movin’ forward.”

A pained expression flitters over his face. “He never gave it to you soft? Not even the first time?”

Shaking my head, I say, “Not once.”

His nostrils flare and his jaw hardens. “Motherfucker.” The grip he has on my nape tightens. “You deserved better, Doll.”

Yeah I did. I know I did. That’s why I did everything in my power to leave him.

“When we get there, Doll. It’ll be however you need it to be. Like I said, you control this.”

Images of Mav being with Star, and tying Jade down flash through my mind. “But that’s not how you like it. With Jade and . . .”

The muscles in his jaw pop at my reply. His thumb covers my lips. “That’s how I needed it then. It was just about gettin’ off. No emotions. No connection. I didn’t want them touchin’ me. I didn’t want it to last long.” Letting go of my face, he picks up my hand and lifts his shirt, placing my palm under it, against the ropy muscles of his stomach. “Everything’s different with you. I need you touchin’ me. I feel everything when you do. Time fuckin’ stops. With you, it’ll mean somethin’. Every time. No matter how little or how much of yourself you give me.”

If I haven’t already, I think I just fell for him.

Hard . . .

Chills run up my arms, over my shoulders, and down my spine. I can’t help myself as I move my hand further up his chest, feeling more of him. His eyes spark with heat, and his breathing grows ragged.

He reaches up behind him, lifts his shirt over his head, and drops it to the floor at our feet. My eyes skate over every inch of his revealed body. Like a kid in a candy shop, I can’t decide what to taste and touch. What to sample first. His tattoos or his gorgeous skin, or the dark hair that travels from his navel to the hem of his jeans.

He moves our hands up over his chest to right over his heart, which is beating rapidly under my palm.

“This doesn’t beat like this for anyone else.” He tilts his head down and meets my gaze. “Do you understand what I’m sayin’?”

Nodding slightly. “Yeah, I think so.”

“Good, because I’ve been waiting a long fuckin’ time for you to come into my life. Too long. I got fuckin’ impatient and paid the price for it. But I’m ready to be patient now, Doll.” His eyes flicker to my lips. “And I’m gonna spend a long time makin’ it up to you, erasin’ the bad memories with good ones.”

His lips land softly on mine, teasing them before he parts my mouth. When our tongues slide against one another, he growls low. He angles my head and takes my mouth more aggressively.

Any remaining bitterness dissolves, and what’s left of my fight to keep him at a distance crumbles.

Moving my hands up his chest, I appreciate the feel of him, the warm flexing muscles under my fingertips. But when I pause, he breaks our kiss to grate out, “Don’t stop.”

So I don’t. I let my hands roam over his chest and explore every ropey ab, his ribs, and every inch of skin between us. His other hand skims down my shoulder and arm. It slides around my waist. When it palms over my ass, he steps closer, bringing our bodies flush. I moan against his mouth as I get my first feel of his hard-on pressed against me.

Knowing how much I affect him sends a shot of arousal to my core. My nipples harden as they rub against the material of my bra, shirt, and his chest.

His mouth leaves mine but only to kiss the corner of my lips, and my jaw. He nips at my skin there, making me gasp as a shudder of pleasure rolls through me.

My heart is trying to escape my chest. The beat of it is pounding in my ears. The ache between my legs is building to a tormenting degree.

Mav must sense it, because his kisses venture down, closer where I need him to be. He spends only a second sucking lightly on my neck before his mouth finds my collarbone. The pressure and moisture of his lips feels amazing. So amazing that my fingers leave his chest so I can hold his head to me.

He slowly unbuttons my shirt at the back and opens it, granting him more access to my skin.

“Do you want me to stop? Am I going too fast?”

God, no. I shake my head.

“Good. Take this off.” He pulls at my shirt and helps me remove it, revealing the white strapless bra I have on underneath.

From there things escalate quickly. His mouth runs all over my chest, except for where I need him the most, almost as if he’s intent on torturing me slowly. My skin’s on fire, and I need his mouth to cool me down.

After a few moments, I can’t take it anymore. “Please,” I beg.

Mav’s eyes flicker up to my face. He stands and I think he’s going to stop, but instead he reaches around me and unsnaps my bra, never once taking his gaze from mine. The second it drops, his eyes sweep down.

We’re even now. Naked from the waist up. And he takes his time looking at me.