32 RHEA
We transition from outside, to inside. Unable to keep our hands off each other.
Corey’s bedroom is dark, the only light spilling in from the hallway.
He closes the door behind us, and I lean against it, arms crossed, trying to keep my cool.
My heart’s already racing, and he hasn’t even touched me yet.
“So,” I say, raising an eyebrow. “What happened to the whole not mixing business with pleasure?”
He smirks, that damn smirk that makes my knees weak.
“You tell me, Rhea. You’re the one standing in my bedroom.”
I open my mouth to fire back, but he’s already peeling off his shirt, muscles flexing under the dim light.
My words catch in my throat. He’s got that Marine-built body, all hard lines and ink that I suddenly want to trace with my fingers.
He steps closer, his hands moving to his jeans.
“Boots off first,” I blurt out, trying to sound casual.
He chuckles, low and dark, and kneels in front of me. His hands slide up my calves, curling around my ankles as he unties my Docs one by one. My jeans follow shortly after. His fingers brush against my skin, and I shiver, even though it’s not cold.
When he stands, he’s inches from me, his body heat radiating through the thin fabric of my shirt. He pulls me in, one hand sliding around my waist, the other tilting my chin up.
“You’re overthinking this,” he murmurs, his breath warm against my lips.
“Oh, I’m not overthinking,” I shoot back, trying to keep my voice steady.
“I’m just trying to figure out if this is worth crossing this big fucking line.”
His grin widens, and he backs me up against the door, his hands roaming down my sides.
“Only one way to find outt.” He tugs at the hem of my shirt, pulling it over my head, and I hear the sharp intake of his breath as he takes me in.
His fingers trace the edge of my bra, teasing, before he unhooks it with practiced ease.
His mouth follows, hot and insistent, against my collarbone, then lower.
“You’re not playing fair,” I manage, my hands tangling in his short hair.
He looks up, his eyes dark. “Who said anything about playing fair?”
He kisses me hard, his hands sliding down to my hips, lifting me off the ground.
I wrap my legs around him, and he carries me to the bed, laying me down with a gentleness that surprises me.
He stands at the edge, stripping off his jeans, and I bite my lip at the sight of him straining against his boxers.
“You want to stop?” he asks, his voice rough.
I swallow, my throat dry. “No.” He grins, that cocky, knowing grin. “Didn’t think so.” He climbs over me, his hands and mouth everywhere, and I arch into him, losing myself in the heat of his body against mine.
His hands slide down my sides, leaving trails of heat as he leans back enough to catch my gaze. “You on birth control?” he asks, his voice low, almost a growl.
“Yeah,” I manage, my breath already uneven.
“Why? You planning something?” He smirks, that cocky, knowing smirk that makes my stomach flip.
“Hell yeah. I want to feel you raw.” My heart skips a beat as he strips off his boxers, and holy fuck, he’s huge.
I can’t help but stare, my mouth going dry.
He’s all hard lines and perfect proportions, and for a second, I’m almost intimidated. Almost.
He climbs back over me, his body pressing into mine, and I can feel the heat of him, the tension in the air between us.
“Hold on,” he says, hands gripping my hips.
“Be ready.” I nod, swallowing hard, and he pushes into me, slow and deliberate.
I gasp, my nails digging into his shoulders as he fills me completely.
“Fuck, Rhea,” he groans, his head dropping to my shoulder.
“You’re so fucking tight. So fucking perfect.”
I arch into him, my breath coming in short, sharp gasps as he starts to move, each thrust deep and calculated.
He’s thorough, methodical, like he’s mapping out every inch of me, every reaction I have.
His hands are everywhere—my hips, my waist, my breasts— and his mouth follows, hot and insistent against my skin.
“You feel that?” he murmurs against my ear, his voice rough.
“You feel how good we fit together?”
“Yeah,” I manage, my voice barely a whisper.
“Fuck, Corey, you’re?—” He cuts me off with a kiss, deep and demanding, and I lose myself in it, in him, in the way he’s moving inside me, driving me wild.
It’s all I can do to hold on, to keep up with him, but he’s relentless, and I wouldn’t want it any other way.
He pulls out of me just long enough to flip me onto my hands and knees, his hands gripping my hips like he’s claiming me.
I brace myself, my breath catching as he slides back in, deeper this time, rougher.
The mattress creaks under us, and I claw at the sheets, trying to keep from falling apart too soon.
“Goddamnit, Rhea,” he growls, his voice thick with need.
“You take me so good.” I can’t even respond, my words turning into a moan as he picks up the pace, each thrust hitting that perfect spot that makes my whole body tense.
His hands move from my hips to my waist, then up to my shoulders, pulling me back against him until I’m arching, my back pressed to his chest.
“You close?” he murmurs against my ear, his breath hot and ragged.
“Yeah,” I manage, my voice breaking. “But you’re not making it easy to focus.”
He laughs, a low, dark sound, and bites down on my shoulder, just hard enough to make me gasp.
“Good. I want you to feel it, every fucking second.”
He’s relentless, his rhythm steady but punishing, and I’m barely holding on.
My thighs are trembling, my hands fisting the sheets as I try to keep my balance.
His fingers dig into my hips, and he leans over me, his chest pressing against my back.
“Come for me,” he demands, his voice rough, commanding.
“Now, Rhea.”
“Corey, fuck!” And just like that, I’m gone. My body tightens, every nerve on fire as I unravel, my breath coming in sharp, broken gasps. He follows me almost instantly, his grip on my hips tightening as he buries himself deep inside me, a low groan escaping his lips.
For a moment, neither of us moves. His forehead rests against my shoulder, his breathing heavy and uneven. I’m still shaking, my legs barely able to hold me up, and I collapse onto the bed, pulling him down with me.
“Holy shit,” I manage, my voice barely a whisper.
He laughs, a deep, satisfied sound, and rolls onto his side, pulling me with him so I’m tucked against his chest.
“Told you I’d keep up.” I snort, slapping his arm lightly.
“Don’t get cocky. You’re not that impressive.”
He raises an eyebrow, that damn smirk playing on his lips.
“Oh, I’m not? Pretty sure you were screaming my name two seconds ago.”
I open my mouth to argue, but I’m too spent to come up with a decent comeback.
Instead, I settle for flipping him off, which only makes him laugh harder.
He pulls me closer, his hand splayed across my back, and for the first time in what feels like forever, I let myself relax.