Chapter 13
Chapter
Thirteen
D amien
Once we're at her apartment, we're facing one another, next to her bed, because that's where we've ended up. I refuse to make the first move, because I almost always do that where she's concerned. "What do you need?"
"I need to forget," Maggie whispers against my lips, her hands gripping my shirt. "Make me forget, Damien. I need you to fuck me."
Her words hit me hard, causing my cock to take notice. The desperation in her voice matches the hunger in her eyes. I search her face, making sure this is really what she wants.
"You sure about this?" I ask, my voice rougher than normal.
She answers by pulling us both down onto the bed, crashing her lips against mine. There's nothing gentle about it—just raw need. I span her waist with my hands, feeling her legs wrap around my waist.
Somehow we start to get our clothes off. I undress her carefully, savoring each inch of skin revealed. The moonlight through the window paints her body in silver, making her look like some goddamn angel come to life. I've imagined this moment too many times to rush through it now.
"You're beautiful," I murmur against her neck.
Her fingers dig into my shoulders as I worship her body with my hands, my mouth. Each gasp and moan guides me, telling me what she needs.
Before I'm too far gone, I stop us. "Do we need protection?"
She nods. "It's not you. It's me. Calvin cheated on me, and…"
I stop her words with a firm, passionate kiss. "You don't have to explain."
When I finally sink into her, the world outside ceases to exist. There's only her warmth surrounding me, her breath mixing with mine.
"Stay with me," I whisper, holding her gaze. "Right here, with me."
Something shifts in her eyes—vulnerability replacing the desperate need from before. We move together, finding a rhythm that feels like we've been doing this dance for years. When she falls apart in my arms, calling my name like a prayer, I follow her over the edge.
Afterward, I hold her against my chest, listening to her breathing even out as she drifts to sleep. I stay awake longer, memorizing the weight of her in my arms, afraid this might be the only night I get.
—---
Morning comes early, sunlight streaming through the curtains. I wake to find Maggie already dressed, standing by the window with her arms wrapped around herself. The softness from last night is gone, replaced by rigid shoulders.
"Hey," I say, sitting up. "You okay?"
"Last night was a mistake," she says without turning. "I shouldn't have?—"
"Don't." I get up, pulling on my jeans. "Don't do that, Maggie."
When she finally faces me, her eyes are guarded. "This isn't going to work, Damien."
"Because you won't let it," I counter, frustration building. "You say you trust me, but you don't act like it."
"I do trust you," she insists, voice rising. "But Calvin?—"
"Calvin isn't here. I am," I remind her, teeth clenched. My stomach drops as I realize she's not going to give us a fair shot.
She shakes her head, tears forming. "You don't understand. Until I let go of what he did to me, what we could have won't matter. I can't give you what you deserve."
I grab my shirt, anger and hurt mixing dangerously. "So you're just giving up? Using your ex as an excuse to run away?"
"It's not that simple!"
"Nothing worth having ever is," I shoot back, pulling my boots on. I stand at the door, looking at the woman who's somehow crawled under my skin in ways no one else has.
"I'm not him, and I never will be," I say, keeping my voice steady despite the storm inside. "You can compare me as much as you fuckin' want to, but there's no comparison. Ball is in your court, Mags. It's your decision. You gonna let him keep fucking up your life, or are you brave enough to live the life you want?"
I don't wait for her answer. The door closes behind me with a finality that aches. I hope like hell she finds her courage, because walking away from her might be the hardest thing I've ever done. And life has handed me a lot of hard shit over the years.