Chapter 23
Avery
There was a new weight in the air when Avery stepped inside the clubhouse now.
Last night, it had been noise and adrenaline and safety wrapped in chaos. Today, as Rook led her down the hallway toward his room, it felt quieter. Heavier. Charged.
His hand was wrapped around hers, warm and steady, thumb brushing her knuckles like he needed the contact as much as she did.
A prospect carried her overnight bag behind them, but Rook didn’t let go of her hand long enough to take it. He didn’t let go at all.
Rook stopped at the door, her hand still in his. His thumb dragged a slow line across her skin, like he needed the contact to steady himself.
“Aves,” he murmured, “last night you were scared. That’s why you stayed. But walking in now? That’s you choosing this… choosing me.” He angled his head, eyes locked on hers. “If this feels too fast, you tell me.”
She lifted her gaze to him, to the man who’d stepped between her and every threat without hesitation, who’d held her like she mattered, who’d kissed her like he’d been starving for it.
“I’m ready,” she said, voice soft but certain.
His jaw tightened, a flicker of emotion crossing his face, all of it tangled together.
He opened the door.
It was the same room she’d slept in last night, but it felt different now. More intimate. More theirs.
He took her bag from the prospects, set it gently on the dresser, and dismissed them with a nod.
Rook shut the door behind them, locking it with a soft click that sent a shiver down her spine.
Then it was just the two of them.
Avery stood in the middle of the room, suddenly aware of how quiet it was. How close he was. How much she wanted him.
Rook stepped toward her slowly, like approaching something fragile.
“You okay?” he asked.
She nodded. “Are you?”
He let out a breath that sounded like it had been trapped in his chest for years. “I don’t know. I just know I need you close.”
She swallowed. “Then I’m here.”
Something in him softened. He reached out, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, fingertips trailing down her jaw. She leaned into the touch without thinking.
“Aves,” he murmured, voice low and rough, “I’ve wanted you for so long it hurts.”
Her breath grew faint. “Noah…”
He cupped her face with both hands, his thumbs brushing her cheeks, his forehead lowering to hers.
“I tried to forget you,” he whispered. “Tried to bury it. Tried to be someone who didn’t need you.”
She closed her eyes, heart pounding. “Did it work?”
“No,” he said, voice breaking. “It never worked. Not once.”
Her hands slid up his chest, feeling the tension coiled beneath his skin. “I never forgot you either.”
He inhaled sharply, like her words hit him straight in the ribs.
“Come here,” he whispered.
She stepped into him, and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest. She melted into him, her cheek pressed to his heartbeat, her fingers curling into his shirt.
The steady thrum vibrated through her, warm and reassuring, carrying the faint cedar scent of his skin mingled with leather from his cut.
He held her like she was something precious. Something irreplaceable. Something he’d been terrified to touch.
“Avery,” he murmured into her hair, “I don’t know how to do this the right way. I’m not used to being careful.” He cupped the back of her neck, gentle despite his words. “But I want to be. With you.”
She brushed her thumb along his jaw. “Start with me.”
His eyes darkened with emotion, deep and unwavering. He lifted her chin with two fingers. “I’m going to kiss you now.”
“Please,” she whispered.
He kissed her.
Slow. Deep. Devastating.
His hands slid to her waist, pulling her closer, palms warm through her shirt.
Her fingers tangled in his hair, and he let out a soft sound against her mouth—a quiet exhale that made her entire body warm.
The kiss deepened, their breaths mingling, tasting faintly of the coffee they’d shared earlier.
Years of longing unfolded between them, soft and unhurried. He kissed her like he was memorizing her shape, her warmth. She kissed him like she was finally home.
When they broke apart, they were both breathing harder, foreheads resting together.
“You have no idea what you do to me,” he said softly.
Avery’s voice was barely a whisper. “Then show me.”
He paused and held her gaze, something vulnerable breaking through. “Aves… I need you to understand something.”
She waited, hands warm against his chest.
His voice dropped, rough around the edges. “I spent years trying to outrun what you were to me. Didn’t work. Never did.” He swallowed hard, his thumb brushing the corner of her mouth with a gentleness that didn’t match the tension in his shoulders. “You’ve always been it for me.”
Her inhale stuttered. “Noah…”
His thumb traced her lower lip, slow and deliberate. “Tell me you want this too.”
“I do,” she whispered. “Every part of you.”
Emotion filled his face, raw, open, profound. He kissed her again, deeper this time, his hands sliding up her back, holding her close as if afraid she might vanish.
Rook’s fingers found the hem of his faded black t-shirt, gripping it gently before pulling it up and over his head.
The fabric skimmed along his skin, carrying the subtle warmth of his body and a hint of cedar.
He let it fall to the wooden floor beside the bed.
Avery’s gaze traced the lines of his chest, the faint scars and tattoos that told stories of the years apart.
Her hands reached for him, palms pressing flat against his warm skin, feeling the rise and fall of his breaths. He exhaled slowly, the sound low and steady, as she explored the strength beneath her touch.
With equal care, his hands moved to her shirt, lifting it slowly, his knuckles grazing the soft skin of her sides.
She raised her arms, letting him draw it away.
The air in the room felt cool against her, quickly warmed by his nearness.
He traced the curve of her shoulders, down to the lace of her bra, his touch light, reverent.
“You’re beautiful,” he murmured, his voice a warm rumble against her ear.
He unhooked the bra with steady fingers, sliding the straps down her arms. Her breasts spilled free, and he cupped them gently, thumbs brushing over her nipples until they tightened under his care.
She arched into him, a soft gasp escaping her lips, the sound filling the quiet space between them.
He guided her toward the bed, the mattress yielding softly under their weight as they lowered together. The sheets were cool cotton, roughened slightly from use, warming instantly to their bodies.
Rook braced himself above her on his forearms, his warmth enveloping her without overwhelming.
His lips found her neck, pressing open-mouthed kisses along her collarbone, tasting the faint salt of her skin. She threaded her fingers through his hair, holding him close.
He moved lower, his mouth closing over one nipple, tongue warm and gentle, drawing a quiet moan from her. The sensation pulled at her core, a deep ache building steadily.
His hands worked at her jeans, unbuttoning them with care, easing the denim down her thighs along with her panties.
The fabric dragged softly over her skin, leaving her bare and open to him.
He paused, his breath warm against her inner thigh, inhaling her scent, clean and faintly sweet, like the memory of sugar and cinnamon from their youth.
Kneeling between her legs, he parted her thighs gently, his fingers tracing her folds. She was warm and ready, slick with need. He leaned in, his tongue gliding slowly over her most sensitive place, tasting her essence, subtle and inviting.
She trembled, hips lifting slightly, her breaths coming in soft waves. His mouth moved with patience, circling and pressing, while one finger slipped inside her, then two, curling to find the rhythm that made her gasp.
“Noah,” she breathed, her voice trembling with feeling. “Please…”
He continued until her body tensed, waves of release washing over her. Her thighs quivered around him, soft cries filling the air, her hands clutching the sheets.
Rising, he shed the rest of his clothes, his arousal evident, heavy and seeking. Avery reached for him, drawing him down. Their mouths met again, sharing the taste of her on his lips.
He positioned himself at her entrance, entering her slowly, inch by inch. She enveloped him in warmth, tight and welcoming, their bodies joining as one.
He paused when fully seated, their breaths syncing, foreheads touching. Then they moved together, gentle rolls of his hips, deep and measured, the mattress creaking softly beneath them. Skin slid against skin, slick with shared warmth, the air thick with their mingled scents.
“You’re everything,” he whispered, his voice breaking slightly.
“And you’re mine,” she replied, her legs wrapping around him.
Her second release came first, her body clenching around him, pulling him deeper. He followed moments later, spilling into her with a quiet groan, holding her through the waves.
Noah eased away gently, pressing a kiss to her forehead. He rose and stepped into the adjoining bathroom, the faucet running with a soft trickle. Returning with a warm washcloth, he tended to her with care, wiping away the traces of their union, his touch tender.
When he lay beside her again, she rested her head on his chest, his arms encircling her like a promise.
“Noah?” she whispered.
“Yeah?”
“I’m not running.”
He exhaled a long, shaky breath and pressed a kiss to her forehead.
“Good,” he murmured. “Because I’m done letting you go.”
And in the quiet of his room, wrapped in his arms, Avery realized she was home.