17. Reed #2
I stay inside her, panting against her bloody neck while aftershocks roll through both of us. More blood trickles from the bite I gave her. I lick it up slowly, savoring the taste mixed with the scent of sex and sweat.
Thalia’s fingers thread through my hair, holding me close. “Don’t pull out yet,” she whispers. “I want to feel it all inside me.”
I nod against her skin and stay right where I am, my cock still twitching as the last of my cum leaks into her. Her legs stay locked around me, keeping us connected while our breathing slowly evens out.
Blood and cum drip from where we’re joined, making a mess on the counter beneath her. Neither of us moves to clean it up. This is exactly where we both want to be.
She smooths a hand between my shoulders, her touch igniting me with something tender and soft after such a rough scene. Then, with a startling realization, I piece together that she’s giving me aftercare.
I chuckle into her hair, causing her fingers to stop stroking.
“No, keep going,” I pant.
She leans her head against mine before continuing.
I close my eyes, letting everything wash over me—having her in my arms, the feeling of us connected, and the warmth shared between us.
What we just did was erotic and filthy, but this moment here is so intimate and special that I don’t want it to end. It’s the part where it’s just us.
“So much for making you breakfast,” she giggles, her voice vibrating against my cheek.
“We can still salvage it.”
Her whole frame shakes with silent laughter.
I pull back. “What?”
She tucks her lips in. “You knocked the eggs onto the floor.”
My head whips down, and sure enough, our breakfast is scattered across the tiles of the kitchen. I don’t know when or how I did that…
“Huh…” I trail. “Then I guess this is a sign that you’re my guest and shouldn’t be cooking for me.”
She rolls her eyes. “I wanted to.”
“I know, but maybe I just want to spoil you a little?”
Her expression becomes bashful, but I can tell she likes the idea of that. From my understanding, she isn’t used to being treated this way, and it encourages me more to show her that I’m fully in this. If she needs to show me who she is, then I need to show her I’m not going anywhere.
I slowly back away, our mess dripping onto the counter. I become mesmerized by it, watching our release leak from her perfect pussy until she slides a finger between her folds and pushes it between her lips to taste us.
“Do you want some too?” She asks sweetly, batting her eyelashes.
She slides her finger back through the mix of cum and I snatch her wrist before shoving it past my lips. The heady taste dances over my tongue as it strokes until every last drop is gone.
We taste amazing together.
She’s hypnotized by me, her mouth parted as her eyes follow every movement. Her tongue darts over her bottom lip as if she’s savoring the memory.
I plant my hands beside her hips, hanging my head in defeat. “You’re going to be the death of me, Thalia.”
Her laughter rises above me, twinkling and carefree. “I hope you know how to make a mean omelette. I’m starving.”
My head shifts upward, and I stop as I examine her from this new angle. She’s leaning towards me, a bloody, bed-rustled mess, with a glow to her that leaves me breathless. She really is radiant. Inside and out.
I pull back before grabbing her hand and lifting her knuckles to my lips. “Anything for you.”
Her blush is instant, scarlet heat spreading like wildfire as I guide her to the bar and lift her onto a stool. She spins in place, glancing around my apartment with wide blue eyes until she finds my apron on the rack next to my coffee bar.
“You have to wear that,” she commands.
I tuck my head, hiding my smile as I pad over to the gift Taryn got me last year. It’s dry surgeon humor written in massive white block letters over the chest.
I Make More Cuts Than The USDA.
I slip it around my neck before fastening it at the waist. I’m in just my underwear with a corny apron covering me. My hands spread as if to say what do you think?
Thalia is trying her best to hold it together—her fingers are pressed to her lips, suppressing the burst of giggles I know she wants to release; her face is flushed with amusement, and she tilts her chin down.
I place my hands on my hips. “You can laugh—”
My words barely leave my lips before she tosses her head back and the chime of her hysterics fills my kitchen. For a moment, I forget all about the humiliation. Because that sound is far more important than a little embarrassing gag gift.
“Oh my god!” she gasps. “You’re such a dork!”
I scoff playfully. “I’m your dork.”
She sobers a little, wiping a stray tear from under her eye. “Yeah, you are…”
Warmth spreads across my chest as I get to cleaning up the mess we made earlier. Once the old eggs are trashed and everything is spotless, we chat idly as I get started on making my girl the best damn omelette she’ll ever have. Because if she enjoys the food, she’ll want to stay, right?
“What in the world are you doing?” She asks as she props her elbow on the counter and rests her chin in her palm.
I’m whisking egg whites into a bowl as I add spinach and mushrooms. I have an array of ingredients out, using my healthcare expertise to make something nutritious while also being delicious.
“Egg whites are a healthier option while offering more protein when mixed with two large eggs. The spinach is to provide potassium and nitrates. The mushrooms are dense with B-vitamins, and the oranges aid digestion and protect against things like heart disease.” As I ramble about the importance of everything I’ve concocted, I turn towards Thalia, only to find she’s staring at me with wide eyes.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
She blinks a few times before her surprise morphs into something dangerous and almost…obsessive. That’s the only way I can explain the intensity in her gaze. “Are you trying to help me live a longer life, Reed?”
I swallow. “W-well yes.”
She hums, lowering her eyelids into that siren stare that could trap any mortal soul. “I think I like you taking care of me.”
The breath skates past my lips before I answer her quietly. “And I think I really enjoy taking care of you, Thalia.”
The moment stretches between us, and I realize that I would do this for a lifetime if she would have me. I would wake up every day and be at her beck and call—breakfast, emotional support, a chest to sleep on, an ear to listen. Anything.
“Saying things like that is dangerous,” she croons.
My mouth twitches. “Then I don’t want to be safe.”
There’s a flicker in her expression. I’ve seen it before.
Like apprehension that doesn’t fully win over.
She’s still holding onto whatever happened in her past, and it fucking pains me to know I can’t just reach inside of her and rip it out like I would do on the operating table.
This kind of healing is far slower and involves the utmost trust and patience. I have enough for both of us.
I clear my throat, sensing the change in the atmosphere, and decide to bring up something that’s been bothering me. “So, do you care to talk about why Brooks is trying to kill you?”
She sobers, only to groan at the mention of her ex-boyfriend. “That falls into the category of showing you what I’m about. If I told you the truth now…”
She doesn’t finish her sentence, but I fill in the gaps myself. She’s afraid it’s going to drive me away.
I nod. “Then at least explain what happened.”
She sighs, staring down at the counter as she becomes wrapped up in something I can’t see—a day terror.
“My parents weren’t good people…” She takes a shaky breath as her hand tightens into a fist on the counter.
“Brooks knew that, and he used it against me. I thought he liked me. I was young and dumb. He saw an opportunity and took it. That resulted in him hurting me and causing my parents to hurt me too.”
My heart stops.
They hurt her?
The people who are supposed to love her unconditionally hurt her?
Anger bubbles through my veins. I didn’t know the extent of it all until now, but this changes things. I don’t just want to fucking punch her ex. I want him to suffer for what he did.
“What happened?” I ask quietly, keeping my rage from seeping into my voice.
She swallows before lifting a hand to her elbow and picking at her skin. “It’s really hard for me to talk about this stuff, but I want to.” Her eyes shift up to me. “Just know, I don’t want pity, Reed.”
I shake my head quickly. “I don’t see anyone to pity. I see someone who’s been through a lot and is still standing.”
Her expression softens into melancholy. “Do you really think that about me?”