Ink
When he walked back into the garage, he found Naomi waiting for him, lips pursed and eyes narrowed slightly. Shit, he knew he’d moved too fast, but he didn’t see the point in hiding or pussyfooting around.
Asher was his as long as he was here. As long as Naomi was his. Still, maybe he shouldn’t have been so quick to let the internal thoughts slip out.
Damn it, this whole relationship thing was harder than it needed to be.
Yep, there were those four dreaded words. Good thing he didn’t scare easily.
He stopped in front of her, careful not to crowd her. “Did you get everything figured out?”
He didn’t mind delaying the inevitable a little bit, sue him.
“Yes, but I’m going to lock Jax out of the computer until I can figure out a way to make sure he can’t do that again.”
“Effective. Rogue will thank you.”
“Mm-hmm. Ink, we really need to talk about what our next steps are.”
His lips curled into his most charming smile. “Our next moves are I sit you on that desk and bury my face between your thighs. I’ve been thinking about tasting you again all day.” His mouth watered at the thought. “I really want you to come all over my face again, baby girl.”
She blinked, her eyes glazing at his words. Then she shook her head and narrowed her eyes. “You’re not distracting me with sex, Ink.”
“No?” He eased forward, wrapping his arms around her and bringing her tight against him. There was no mistaking his hard-on in this position and the way it pressed against her belly.
“Ink,” she snapped, glaring up at him. “You can’t just go around and claim Asher as your son.”
He sighed. Alright, looked like they were doing this. “Look, Naomi, I know that it might feel like this is a bit rushed—”
“You think?”
“Okay, maybe it is, but I don’t see a problem.”
“The problem is that you and I sleeping together does not mean you get to claim my son as your own. You and I are new, and I’m not about to confuse him.
I’ve already told you that I don’t know what the future holds.
I don’t know if I’m going to be here all the time, and while I want the next few months to be as normal as they can be for him, telling Asher that you’re his father isn’t in the cards.
What happens when we leave, hmmm? Or when you decide we’re done and you’re no longer interested in us?
I won’t have you hurting him and confusing him. ”
Temper pricked, he narrowed his eyes at her. “I never once said I was going to tell him to call me daddy.”
“You implied that—”
“Calling him our boy doesn’t mean I’m going to say anything to him. You don’t understand MC life, Naomi, but when you claim a woman as your Old Lady, then you claim every part of them, including their children.”
“Your Old Lady?”
Damn it, Ink, you’re just digging yourself deeper and deeper in the hole, aren’t you?
“What do you think claiming a woman in this life means, baby? Saying you’re mine means you’re under my protection. It means I’m saying to every other bastard in here that you’re the only one I want. That you’re mine. It’s not something anyone takes lightly. It-it’s a big fucking deal actually.”
And here he was screwing this all up.
Her eyes widened. “Ink, we’ve slept together once, and we’ve agreed to give this a shot. That doesn’t mean I’m going to commit to something like that. We barely know each other.”
“We know plenty about each other.”
Her expression was bland. “What’s my favorite color?”
He remained silent for a long moment. “Okay, so I don’t know that about you, but that’s not a deal breaker either.
You know what I know about you, Naomi? That you are ridiculously smart, beautiful, and a very good mother to your son.
You don’t break under pressure, you fight back.
You will risk everything to make sure your son is safe.
You will do what no one else has dared, because that’s who you are.
That’s the role model you want to be for Asher.
But you also have a sweet, shy side that makes me want to cuddle you and never let go. The side of you few get to see.”
Silence.
Finally, she whispered, “That’s what you see?”
“I see a lot where you’re concerned, Naomi. I see the woman that’s driven me crazy since she got here, making me see and want things I’ve never wanted before. And now that I’ve given in, I don’t ever want it to change.”
“Ink, you can’t … It’s not that easy.”
“Why not? Everyone around here got together in very short timelines, and look at them now. Babies everywhere, ridiculously happy couples, and they’re making it work. Why would we be any different?”
“We’re not them. And I’m not … I don’t know if I’ll be able to stay.”
The idea of her leaving filled him with dread, but he refused to let it overshadow his point. Instead, he said, “Why do we have to live waiting for the end? Or waiting for something bad to obliterate what we have?”
“Because I won’t survive if you hate me for it.”
“I’ll never hate you, baby. Ever. It’s not possible.
You could take my heart and stomp all over it, but I won’t hate you.
” Unable to stay away from her, he pulled her back into his arms and cupped the back of her head with one hand.
“But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to try and convince you to stay.
That I’m not going to do everything in my power to make you see that being with me is your best possible choice.
To let me fully into your life, into Asher’s.
I won’t push anything,” he added when she opened her mouth to protest. “But I’m going to be in his life every day, Naomi.
I want him to trust me. I want him to know that someone is looking after his mama. ”
Her breath shuddered out. “I’m terrified, Ink.”
“Then let me show you there’s nothing to be scared of, Naomi. Let me in, live in the moment with me, and let me hold you up when you feel like you’re going to fall. Let me show you what life can be like with someone ready to give you everything.”
“You’re not going to be angry that I want to take this slow?”
“As long as I’m in the same bed as you every night, then we can go at whatever pace you want.” Secretly, he was hoping she wouldn’t want to move at a glacial pace, but he would handle it if so.
“It’s going to be a crowded bed with Asher in there too,” she joked, the intensity of the moment lessening.
“Rogue, Scarlett, and the twins are going to be moving out of the apartment upstairs within the month, into the new house they’re building on the grounds, and he’s already given the okay that we can move in there when they do.
Asher can have his own room, but it’s close enough that all he has to do is call out and we’ll hear him. ”
Her face scrunched, but she didn’t outright object. Progress. There was time for her to get used to the idea.
“We good?” he asked.
She sighed and pressed her forehead to his chest. “Yes, but I’m probably going to freak out over something else soon.”
“Baby, as long as you talk to me, we can figure it out. Communication is important in relationships. Or so I’m told.” He yelped when she pinched his side. “Not exactly what I meant, baby girl.” Gripping her hair, he tugged her head back so he could look at her.
She smirked at him, eyes darkening. Oh, someone liked that. He loved discovering all the little things she loved and responded to. “Whatever works,” she rasped.
“Naughty girl.” He brushed his mouth over hers, nipping her lip, and she gasped. He guided her head back farther, exposing her neck, and nipped and sucked along the elegant line. Until she let him tattoo her, he would mark her skin any way he could.
He couldn’t wait to see his ink on her.
“Ink,” she gasped. Her body trembled.
“Do you like it when I take control, baby? Do you like knowing you’re at my mercy?” He tightened his grip on her hair, increasing the pressure.
She moaned, cheeks darkening. “Yes,” she breathed, skimming her hand under his T-shirt and running her nails over his skin.
“Is your pussy soaked for me, Naomi? Is it craving my cock again?”
She was flushed, eyes hooded and filled with desire. His cock strained against his zipper. He loved to look at her just like this. “Tell me, my dirty girl. Tell me you want my cock deep inside you, filling you up so full you’ll never be able to get the feeling of me inside you out.”
“God, Ink, yes. Yes, I want that so much. I’ve been thinking about it all day.
Reliving it in my head over and over.” She shuddered and gripped his sides tight.
He might have a few bruises after this, but it only made it better.
“It’s like I can see and feel everything all over again.
I can feel your mouth on me and the way you filled me up.
How you stretched me. It’s like I’m right there again. ”
Shit, that was hot. “Tell me your favorite part, Naomi. What was the part you relived the most?”
If it were possible, her skin darkened even more.
A ruby red spread over her cheeks, and her eyes flitted away before coming back to his.
“I … uh—” She swallowed hard, working up the courage to answer him.
He simply waited, body strung tight with anticipation.
“I … I kept remembering what it felt like when you were pushing inside me. The stretch and burn, and … it was just hot and exciting. But then I would remember what it felt like when you were deep inside me. Moving. I didn’t want it to stop. ”
It was his turn to shudder. He was so close to the edge he was sure he was going to go insane. He wanted to give her that again. Right now.
Releasing her hair, he eased back enough to find the button of her shorts and pop it open.
Her eyes widened, but she lifted her hips to help him.
“I need to give you that again, baby girl,” he rasped.
“But this time, you’re going to tell me everything you’re feeling so I can live it with you.
So I can remember every fine detail like you. ”