Empire High Betrayal(26)

“Do you promise to stop running from me?”

“Yes.” His fingers slid slightly lower. God.

“I don’t want you talking to James anymore.”

The segue didn’t surprise me at all. I almost expected him to have a few contingencies. I’d proven that I was an untrustworthy flight risk. And if this is what he needed for me to prove I wasn’t, I’d give it to him. My friendship with James wasn’t worth losing Matt. “I won’t. I swear.”

There was a long stretch of silence.

“Okay,” he finally said. It didn’t sound like a dismissal this time.

I tried to turn to face him again but he gripped my waist, keeping me in place.

“Tell me what you want right now.” The tip of his nose ran down the side of my neck before he nibbled my shoulder through the thin fabric of his t-shirt. “And maybe I’ll give it to you.”

I swallowed hard. Not this again. Was he hellbent on torturing me? I didn’t know what to say. No, that wasn’t exactly true. I knew exactly what I wanted. “Touch me.” I wanted to skip to the make up portion he promised. I never wanted to fight with him again. I expected an explosion, not a heated conversation where he held me hostage with his hands. He fought unfairly. I’d always give him whatever he wanted like this.

“Here?” He kissed my shoulder where he’d just bitten.

“No,” I moaned. “Lower.”

“Here?” He kissed farther down on my shoulder blade, his hand not moving an inch.

“No, not there.”

“Say it, Brooklyn. Tell me what you want from me.” He tugged on my earlobe with his teeth.

“Poke me in the pants.” What? Really? That’s what I came up with? I wasn’t even wearing pants.

He laughed, kissing the side of my neck. “As endearing as that is…I want you to tell me that you need my fingers inside of you. Or would you rather have my tongue?”

“All of it.”

He finally let me turn around to face him. His eyes weren’t cold and distant anymore. He looked hungry. For me.

“I want all of you,” I whispered.

He grabbed my ass and lifted me up, slamming my back against his door.

I wrapped my legs around his waist as his lips collided with mine.

“You said you didn’t want to do this when I was mad at you the other day,” I said between kisses. “Shouldn’t we wait until you’re not mad at me?”

He kissed me again as he carried me over to his bed and tossed me down on it.

I bounced before sagging into the soft mattress.

“I’m not mad at you.” He leaned over top of me. “I’m in love with you. There’s a huge difference.”

“I’m in love with you too.”

“But I do need you to agree to a few rules before we go any further.”

I nodded. Sex rules? Was that a thing? Or a safe word or something? Why would I need that? What is he planning on doing to me?!

“From now on, you’ll kiss only me.” He pushed up my t-shirt and planted a kiss on my stomach. “You’ll only fall asleep in my arms.” Another kiss a little lower. “I will be your first and only husband.”

I laughed.

He bit my skin in response.

Oh.

“You’ll come to me when you’re in trouble.” He kissed the same spot he’d just bitten. “And you’ll give me the rest of your firsts.” His fingers hooked in the waistband of my panties. “And you’ll never run away from me again. We fight for each other. Always and forever.” He pulled my panties down my thighs. “Agreed?”

Fuck yes. I lifted myself up on my elbows so I could look at him. “I promise, Matt.”

He kissed the inside of my thigh, making me shiver.

He locked eyes with me as he lowered his mouth. “Now I think it’s time we took care of a few of those firsts, don’t you think? I think you requested all of it? But let’s start slow. I have two things in mind I think you might really enjoy.”

I nodded. I had no idea what two things he was talking about. But when his mouth collided with my skin, I knew I wanted everything he could give me. Two things. Ten things. Every single thing. I’d give him all my firsts if they felt this fucking good.

This time when my fingers tangled with his hair I felt more complete than I had in months. More alive. More loved. I wasn’t scared. I wasn’t alone. I wasn’t just barely holding on. I was freaking soaring.





Chapter 11


Monday

“Baby.”

I woke up to kisses along my clavicle and Matt’s fingers in my hair. “Mmm.”

“Hey.” His hand stopped on the side of my face as I slowly opened my eyes.

I blinked up at his smiling face. He’d kept his 5 o’clock shadow because I’d told him I liked it. He looked so handsome. I reached up and ran my palm along his jaw. “Good morning.” We’d never been together like this in the morning. He usually slipped out before I woke up. But I guess that wasn’t necessary here.

Matt smiled down at me. “Good morning, beautiful.” His thumb dropped to my lower lip. “I like waking up to you.”

I smiled up at him. “I like waking up to you too.”