“Holy hell, Kate.” He hauled her up bodily, sitting up as he got her on his lap. He kissed his own release from her mouth, practically devouring her as he slid his hand back under her skirt.

No easing in this time, thank God. His thumb pulsed over her clit, and she was too sensitive—he’d just made her come with his mouth, but when his fingers pushed inside, she all but sobbed against his lips.

“Beautiful.” He broke their kiss to stare right into her eyes, his lips parted, gaze fiery as he worked her faster, pressed deeper.

Her climax shocked her with how suddenly it came over her. Hot liquid boiled inside, and when it burst, she dug her nails into his skin. Buried her face in his neck and screamed.

All she could think, as he held her, was that she’d never known.

Twenty-two years old, and two partners under her belt, and how, how, how had she never known?

chapter FOURTEEN

Sunlight filtered through the gauzy curtains over their window. They must’ve forgotten to pull the heavier shades the night before.

Just as well.

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Rylan turned over in the bed. Kate was still asleep, her hair mussed. She’d insisted on wearing a tank top and some pretty, lacy panties to bed, but the way the sheets were tangled around her, he could almost imagine she was naked.

God, her skin was so smooth and soft. His morning arousal gave a little twitch, and he reached down to adjust himself inside the boxers he’d resigned himself to keeping on for her. All she’d had to do was give him that look as he’d been undressing.

All she ever seemed to have to do was give him a look, and he was doing a whole host of things he normally never would.

That should probably be bothering him more.

She made a little sound in her sleep, snuffling and burrowing her face against the pillow. She was resting on her side, twisted away from him, the sheets tucked under her arm and rucked up across the middle of her thigh, leaving her long, bare calf exposed.

He didn’t want to wake her, but he couldn’t resist. Propping himself up on one elbow, he reached his other hand out, skimming it along her shoulder and pushing her hair aside. A huff of a sigh escaped her lips, but she barely stirred, so he shifted closer.

His chest fit to her spine like they’d been made to lock together that way, and he set his lips to the side of her throat. Trailing a line of soft, sucking kisses along that sleep-warm skin, he let his erection graze her rear and swallowed the groan the contact pulled from him. If they were fucking already, he could pull the panel of her panties to the side. Be buried in all that nice, slick warmth. Take her nice and slow, rocking them to a sweet morning peak.

If they were fucking.

He breathed his want into her skin and grazed the backs of his knuckles down her arm. She hummed, finally showing signs of life as she let him entwine their hands.

“What time is it?” she asked.

“Early.” He had no idea, honestly. All he knew was that she was beautiful, and she felt so good against him. He could stay there all day, kissing her and trailing his hands across her skin.

But Kate had other things in mind. Lifting her head, she glanced around. “Ugh, it’s after eight,” she said, flopping back down and covering her eyes with her arm.

That had him looking for the clock, too. He never slept so late. Sure enough, though, the bright red numbers read 8:17.

Huh.

He shrugged, then resituated himself on his stomach, his hard-on pressing into the mattress as he held himself over her, dipping to kiss her cheek and her ear and her chin. “Day’s a-wasting?” He peeled her hand away from her eyes.

But what waited for him wasn’t the easy flirtiness he’d been hoping for. Instead, there was actual anxiety. “Yeah, actually. It kind of is.”

“Nothing opens until nine anyway. So we grab croissants to go. No harm done.” He leaned in to kiss her mouth.

She let him, for a minute, but all too soon she was pulling back. “We should get up.”

“I like getting down better.”

“Ugh, do you ever stop?”

“Not if I can help it.”

She was a mess of mixed signals, body melting beneath his kisses even as she was pushing him back. She half sat up. “Do you want first shower or should I?”

“We could share.”

He’d love that. She was always putting her damn clothes back on. Even when she let him get her naked, it was never for long. In the shower, he could touch her all over. Wash her back. Maybe warm her up enough to let him get his hand or his mouth between her thighs.

Or maybe not, considering the look she was giving him.

“What?” he asked. “I hate to waste water, is all.”

“You hate to waste an opportunity to get me undressed.”

“Waste is a sin in all its forms.”

Rolling her eyes, she put her hand right in his face and shoved him away. Apparently, she really meant it this time. She got her legs under her and clambered off the bed, heading toward the bathroom.

“Kate—”

She closed the door behind herself before he could say anything further.

Well, great.

He lay down again on his back, staring up at the ceiling. The light on his phone was blinking, but he didn’t want to deal with any of the shit that could be waiting for him. The people from his father’s company. McConnell, with his casual updates that fulfilled his duties while making it perfectly clear he’d be happy if Rylan stayed away. Or Thomas with his even worse entreaties to return and set things right. His sister. God, Lexie was the worst. He missed her fiercely, but the only thing she could talk about these days was how much he was letting her down.

He was letting them all down, but they could rot. He’d given them enough. Someday maybe they’d understand that. Until then, they could all wait another goddamn day—or another year. He stretched an arm out to flip the screen over so he wouldn’t have to look at the alert.

In the other room, the water for the shower turned on, and he clunked his fist against the headboard. His morning wood had subsided a little, but it wouldn’t take much to get it going again. Just thinking about Kate standing underneath the spray, soap bubbles clinging to her curves . . .

“You coming?”

He startled, sitting up all at once. Somehow, he’d missed the door opening again. And there she stood, leaning against it, invitation written all over her face.

“Hopefully I’m about to be,” he mumbled under his breath.

He tossed the sheets off and launched himself out of bed. A handful of strides, and he was on her, picking her up and spinning her around. When he set her down, it was with one hand coming to cup the back of her neck, pulling her into a long, filthy kiss. She didn’t fight him this time, so he reached for the hem of her top and pushed it up.

“What’s your hurry?” she asked as she let him lift it over her head.

“Told you. Hate to waste water.”

“Uh-huh.”

Her underwear and his followed quickly enough. His erection pressed against the soft skin of her abdomen and he groaned. “Come on,” he said, tugging her toward the shower. “Before I have to eat you out on the countertop.”

“Is that supposed to dissuade me?”

He didn’t even know.

Somehow or other, they managed to get the shower curtain shoved aside. He climbed in, barely letting go of her as he dragged her in after. Around them, the water threw up little licks of steam as it beat down on their skin, and it was perfect.

It got even better when she reached between them and got a hand around his cock.

“Fuck.” He bit down harder on her lip than he’d meant to.

“Okay?” she asked.

“So okay.”

He kissed her and kissed her, curling his hands around her tits. All slippery with water, they fit just right in the palms of his hands, and they pebbled up nice and hard when he stroked her nipples with his thumbs. She made the best little noises, too, and what had been starting to look like a letdown of a morning was positively rosy once she got a good rhythm going.