“I already liked waking up on Thursdays,” she says sleepily. “But this may be my new favorite way.”
I brace myself on my elbows, not wanting to put my weight on her. She is so beautiful. How could I not see this before? Was I really that dumb, or had I been so focused on making her suffer I didn’t even allow myself to see how perfect she is for me?
Placing a kiss on her forehead, I lock my eyes on hers. She’s waiting. Will I do it? Should I do it? I’ve already tried to push her away. I’ve tried to pull myself away from this twisted relationship. I don’t want toneedher the way I do, but I do anyway. Right now, barely awake and with her taste on my tongue, I can’t imagine a reality without her in it. This insanely fucked-up woman who played with my nerves and my thoughts is mine. Mine.
There is not even a decision to make, I don’t have to choose between multiple options. Victoria is the beginning and the end. So I kiss her, knowing damn well it marks the end of what I was before her. There is no escape from where I am going, no way to undo it. There is only destruction—and devotion.
I press my lips to hers, doing what I should have done last night—no, weeks ago. Her lips are soft and welcoming, parting enough to let my tongue explore her. It starts slowly, almost romantic, but the insatiable need for my little ember takes over, and the kiss turns animalistic.
I pull back, whispering against her mouth. “Say it again, and you’ll not be able to walk straight today.”
A soft chuckle reverberates around the room, and God, her laughing must be my new favorite song.
Neither of us move for a long time, prolonging the kiss, making up for the time we’d wasted. When she finally pulls away, she says the most unhinged thing possible.
“Coffee?” she rasps.
I’m surprised. “Now?”
She can’t be serious. Can’t she feel how desperate my cock is to be inside her again? But she nods, stretching like a fucking cat. “You left me without energy so early in the morning. You owe me caffeine. And Cat needs to be fed.”
I laugh, an actual laugh, and it feels foreign in my mouth. Only she could be so confident to turn down a man twice her size who’s lying naked on top of her. She smiles like she’s just won something, tugging the sheet around her as she rolls out of bed, but before she exits the room, she goes straight to my pants, holding them to her chest.
“Is this your way of kicking me out?” I panic, my breath stopping. Does she really want me gone?
“No,” she answers, to my surprise. “This is my way of making sure you are not running away. You cannot leave without pants. Now come.”
My girl is a fucking lunatic, and she’s all mine.
The kitchen is still dark.
Cat is already perched on the counter with his tail twitching. The second Victoria walks in, the accusatory meowing starts.
She moves around barefoot, opening cabinets, ignoring me entirely—while I’m still reeling from the fact Iwillinglykissedsomeone for the first time in my life. I guess we’ll just drink coffee like any of this is normal.
Victoria glances over at me. “Guess Cat’s mad at me for not giving him any attention last night.”
I raise a brow, a playful smile on my lips. “You mean he didn’t appreciate the sounds of your spiritual awakening?”
She looks at me in mock surprise, but it lasts barely a second before her mask drops and she bursts into laughter.
“He’s just a spoiled brat,” she mutters, stepping around and scratching behind his ear with one hand while grabbing mugs with the other.
The coffee takes forever to brew with her machine—mental note: new coffee machine. And a better bed frame. When it’s finally done, she offers me one of the mugs in silence, and I take a sip. To be honest, I’m just delaying the conversation we both know needs to happen, but I know well enough that delaying it any further is a dumb decision.
“What now?” I ask, surprising myself with how even-toned my voice sounds, despite the fire burning in me.
She doesn’t answer right away. Instead, her eyes lower to the mug, staring into it like it holds the correct answer.
A few minutes of silence pass, and thousands of different scenarios run through my mind in that time. She could say anything from ‘please stay with me forever’ to ‘you have ten seconds to run before I start shooting.’ But the fact that she gave me coffee must mean something. Right?
“You tell me. You’re the one who wanted the stupid rules.”
I mentally relax. So I have a chance, and that’s all I need with her.
I lean over the counter to get closer, my eyes never leaving hers. “Forget the fucking rules.”
She looks surprised, but smiles—mocking me, maybe, or just tired from everything that’s happened.