Chapter 16
Jane
Tex cups my breasts, teasing his thumbs over my nipples until my body arches involuntarily. The sensation is sharp and electric. My skin is suddenly too sensitive to air as every nerve ending screams to life. My mind, which usually won’t shut up, goes blissfully, terrifyingly quiet.
Tex watches my face intently, as if he’s deciphering my feelings. “You okay?”
“Yes,” I breathe. “God, yes.”
He lowers his head, taking one of my nipples into his mouth and sucking gently. The pleasure hits me so hard that my knees weaken, and I grip his shoulders for support.
He groans softly, his tongue and teeth gentle on my sensitive flesh.
My head tips back, and I make a sound that’s anything but dignified.
Tex’s hand grips my hip, steadying me. “That’s it,” he murmurs. “Let it out.”
No one has ever told me that before, not about anything—crying or laughing too loudly or taking up too much space.
I swallow a sob that isn’t exactly sadness, just an overwhelming rush of emotion.
Tex kisses his way up my chest to my throat, then back to my mouth, swallowing my sound as if he wants all of it. I kiss him back, reckless now, grabbing at his shirt, craving more skin and fewer barriers.
He catches my wrists gently. “Easy.”
“I don’t want easy,” I object, frustration creeping into my voice.
His eyes darken. “I know.”
He releases my wrists and pulls his shirt over his head, tossing it aside. The sight of him steals my breath, scars and all. This man standing before me is built like a fortress, and he’s willing to let me in.
My fingers hover near another faint scar on his chest, over his heart, not the one he let me touch before.
Tex’s gaze drops to my hand. “It’s fine,” he says as if I’ve asked the question.
I touch it gently. “Does it hurt?”
“Not anymore,” he replies. “Some days, it feels like it should.”
I step closer and press my mouth to the raised line.
Tex goes still. Then he cups the back of my head, holding me there for a heartbeat.
When I lift my face, his eyes are wild.
“Don’t do that unless you mean it,” he says thickly.
“I mean it.”
Something in his expression breaks. He kisses me hard, lifting me effortlessly and laying me on the bed. The mattress dips beneath us as Tex braces over me, hands planted on either side of my head, his eyes locked on mine.
“Last chance,” he says again.
I reach up and grab his jaw, pulling him closer. “Stop asking.”
His mouth curves in a dark, heated smile. “Not going to stop askin’. Not with you.”
God, he’s attentive in a way that feels empowering, not condescending. Every touch seems like a deliberate choice, not a reflex he can’t control.
I lie there naked, heart racing and skin flushed.
Tex sits back on his heels, his gaze sweeping over me. Instead of making me feel exposed, it makes me feel seen. The way I've longed to be seen my entire life.
“You’re shaking.”
“I’m not,” I lie automatically.
He raises an eyebrow.
I exhale sharply. “Okay, fine. I am.”
Tex’s voice drops. “Scared?”
“A little.”
His hand glides up my calf, his thumb stroking gently. “Good.” He meets my eyes. “It means it matters.”
He leans forward and kisses my knee, then my thigh, the inside of my thigh. Closer and closer to where I need him most until my breath turns into tiny, helpless gasps.
He kisses my hip, then the other. His breath is warm against skin that feels too sensitive.
I clutch the sheets when his tongue finally slides through my folds, knowing I’m embarrassingly wet down there. The world tilts, and I gasp, my hips jerking upward.
Tex’s hands settle on my thighs, steadying me. “Let me take care of you.”
Then he lowers his mouth again, his tongue slow and knowing, and my mind goes blank. No constant running commentary. Only sensation. The pleasure builds quickly, sharp and overwhelming.
My body arches desperately, chasing more. Tex keeps me grounded, guiding the pace, not letting me rush past what my body can handle.
I claw at the sheets. “Tex…”
He hums against me, and the vibration makes my vision blur. My thighs tremble, and my breath falters.
His hand slides up, his fingers rubbing my clit in tandem with his tongue, and I come apart with a ragged cry I don’t recognize. My whole body shakes, and for a moment, I can’t breathe.
Tex doesn’t move right away. He remains there, his mouth soft and hands steady as he soothes me through the lingering pulses of pleasure.
He crawls up my body and kisses me slowly, tenderly, grounding me back into myself. I cling to him, desperate for contact.
His hand slides to my cheek, his thumb brushing gently. “Still okay?”
I smile. “Yes.”
His eyes hold mine. “Do you want me inside you?”
My breath catches at his bluntness. It sends my pulse racing with fear and desire intertwined.
“Yes.”
Tex’s jaw tightens. “It might hurt.”
“I know. I still want you.”
He studies me for a long moment, then nods.
Rolling off the bed, he reaches into the nightstand drawer. My stomach flips. Condoms.
He unbuttons his jeans and pulls them down with his boxers, freeing himself. My breath catches hard. I’ve seen him before, made him come in my hand, but he seems even bigger than I remember.
Tex sees the panic flickering in my eyes and stills. “Jane.”
“I’m fine,” I lie.
His mouth tightens. “No, you’re not.”
My cheeks burn.
“Look at me.”
I do.
His gaze is intense. “We go slow, remember?”
I nod. “Yes.”
He leans down and kisses me gently, then murmurs against my mouth, “You’re safe. Always.”
A lump lodges in my throat.
Tex rolls on the condom, then reaches for something else—lube. Of course, he has lube. Of course, he has supplies and plans for everything, even this. Even me.
It’s so typical of him that it almost makes me laugh despite my nerves.
Tex slicks his fingers and joins me on the bed. He slides them between my thighs, stroking gently, easing me open with slow, careful touches.
I gasp.
He watches my face closely, constantly checking.
“I’m okay,” I breathe before he can ask, clinging to his shoulders.
He adds another finger, stretching me slowly and ensuring my body isn’t resisting.
It’s intense and a little uncomfortable, but not unbearable. And it’s intimate in a way I didn’t expect. Like he’s learning me, mapping every response, every breath. He’s taking the time to make sure I’m not enduring but truly feeling. Wanting.
When he withdraws his fingers, he shifts over me again, bracing on his forearms.
His breath shudders. “Ready to be mine, darlin’?”
I cup his face. “So ready.”
He lines himself up and pushes inside me slowly. The stretch burns, and I gasp, my body tensing instinctively.
Tex stills instantly; his eyes locked on mine. “Breathe.”
I try.
He kisses me softly, murmuring against my mouth, “That’s it. I’ve got you.”
The burn eases slightly, replaced by a deep, overwhelming fullness.
My eyes sting, not with pain but with the sheer reality of having Tex inside me, choosing me.
Tex is careful, as if I’m something precious that deserves his time. He doesn’t move yet. He stays still, allowing my body to adjust.
His voice is rough. “How does it feel?”
I try to find the words. “Wow. Just... wow.”
His mouth twitches. “Yeah.”
Then he moves with slow, deliberate thrusts, each one controlled, coaxing rather than taking. He watches my face as if it’s the only thing that matters.
The burn fades, and pleasure rises, low and deep, different from what I felt when I came on his mouth. It’s fuller, heavier, and more connected.
Tex’s hands slide under my thighs, lifting me slightly and adjusting his angle. His eyes never leave mine, checking in, asking without words.
“Tell me if it hurts,” he murmurs.
“It doesn’t,” I breathe, surprised by how true that is now. “It feels... so good.”
His eyes darken, and a low, guttural sound escapes him, one of pure male satisfaction.
He kisses me harder now, his control fraying. I cling to him, my body instinctively meeting his, my hips lifting in rhythm.
Tex groans, jaw clenched. “That’s it,” he rasps. “Just like that.”
Heat builds in my core again, fast and fierce. My nails dig into his shoulders, leaving tiny crescents.
Tex anchors my hips, holding me steady as he moves deeper. The pleasure sharpens, becoming bright and relentless.
I gasp, my head tipping back. “Tex—”
He kisses my throat. “I’m here. Right here, darlin’.”
My body tightens as I spiral toward the edge. My climax hits me suddenly like a wave, ripping through me, and I cry out.
Tex’s body goes rigid over mine. His breath stutters. Then he breaks, groaning my name harshly, burying his face in my neck as he comes.
For a moment, all I can feel is his weight and his heat, his breath against my skin as the aftershocks roll through my body.
He lifts his head, his eyes wild yet soft. “Shit, Jane. That was…”
I smile, kissing his mouth softly. “Yeah.”
He gently pulls out and disposes of the condom quickly. After cleaning me tenderly with a warm washcloth, he returns to the bed as if he can’t bear to be away from me.
Pulling me into his arms, he tucks my head under his chin and wraps the blanket around us.
I blink, disoriented. My body feels loose, warm, and boneless. My mind is quiet for once—truly quiet, not just distracted.
Tex strokes his fingers through my hair slowly, soothingly.
“Do you hurt?” he murmurs.
“No.” I shake my head. “Just... overwhelmed.”
He huffs a quiet breath. “Me too. Because you’re here. With me.”
I blink back tears. This softness after the intensity is almost worse; it makes everything feel real.
I shift in his arms, gazing up at him. He seems different now, less controlled, as if the careful lines of his world have shifted to make room for me.
And that terrifies me. He could destroy me if he decides to leave.
The fear that has lingered at the edges of my consciousness, the fear I’ve been trying to outrun since I first allowed myself to want this, finally catches up.
“Please don’t let me be a mistake.”
Tex goes completely still. His eyes lock onto mine, fierce and certain. “You’re the best damn thing that’s ever happened to me, Jane. I choose you. Every day. Every time.”
And for the first time in my life, I believe a man when he says he chose me on purpose.