Landon
T ell me.
I’m ready. I’m yours. I ? —
“I’m hungry, .”
I squeezed my eyes shut, as if that might force out the lingering memories. They wouldn’t abate.
And I couldn’t stand it.
Last night, we’d arrived at the cabin late. The second I walked inside, I saw it. Him, opening the door to his cabin and leading her inside. Biding his time for the first chance to show her what awaited her. Drawing her a bath…
No.
She wanted to win more than anything. More than anyone .
He wouldn’t break her. He couldn’t…
Kingston had been right about her. She wouldn’t fall for it. She was too smart.
Too guarded now.
It hadn’t all been for nothing.
“, did you hear me?” Elaine’s voice cut through my thoughts, and I tensed the arm slung over my face. “What are you doing out here? Why didn’t you come to bed?”
Because, when I slept, all I saw was her …
I dreamt of sleep shirts with grumpy cats. Soft curls, hair falling around me like silk. Two frightened souls holding each other in the dark.
Night after night, the images came.
But they grew wilder and more confusing.
“I thought you were supposed to…” She huffed, coming around the couch to stand over me. “You’re supposed to make me breakfast, .”
Elaine, however, practically begged me to break her.
I scrubbed my eyes with my hands. They felt raw as I sat up.
Could Elaine see it written on my face?
How much it would please me? How much I wanted to witness it as she broke? The need to do it was desperate, clawing at my chest.
But I had to face her first.
And I couldn’t stomach it.
It was obvious how easy it would be…A soft smile, a simple touch, and Elaine would be putty in my hands.
I could take it even further, too.
Bind her. Tie her to the bed. Tempt her to undress me without giving in to the desire for more. Lose myself. Become the Knight. Play the part she wanted to see.
It would be easy .
But I couldn’t bring myself to do it.
Elaine scoffed. “Fine, if that’s what you’re going to be like, I’ll make it myself.”
Stomping into the kitchen, she walked through the cabin in lingerie. Not bothering to get dressed, as if that might convince me to want her. Because she truly didn’t see it.
I wanted nothing from her.
I wanted nothing else. No one else.
With choppy movements, I went into the bedroom. The need to claw at my skin, as if ants crawled all over me, became unbearable. I locked myself in the bathroom. I tore off my clothes.
Nothing would rid me of this feeling. It ate away at me. I wanted to rip myself apart.
The water scalded me as I showered instead.
I wanted it to burn.
I’m ready. I’m yours. I ? —
Nothing drove the memories away. Nothing eased the unraveling in my mind.
The breaking in my chest.
Images escaped before I could contain them. Flyaway strands of hair escaped her elastic, my fingers brushing her golden-tan skin…
Blood rushed south, and my cock hardened at the memory. I braced a hand against the wall. Water rained down on my back. It pelted my neck as I bent forward.
Dark curls coated with sweat, clinging to her neck as she arched her whole body…
I stemmed off the release I didn’t deserve to take. I kept it at bay for as long as I could.
Even now, I didn’t know if I should’ve done it…
Seeking salvation, I found heaven in her arms. Every sound, every soft sigh and desperate whisper leading me to ecstasy …For one brief moment, I earned redemption.
But it all ended with her regret.
I needed her legs locked around my waist, her arms clutching me tightly. I needed her voice in the dark. I needed to see her face.
Her big brown eyes staring at me with love , shining in the fading light…
My breaths came out in harsh, ragged gasps.
The urge to block out what I’d done became blinding. The pain of hurting her would drown me. And the thought of her with him consumed me.
I couldn’t bear it.
The need to ease the ache grew maddening. The need to touch her unraveled my mind.
But failing her—losing her completely—would destroy me.
Clenching my fist, I squeezed my cock. I soothed the ache with forceful strokes. I couldn’t fight it.
My hips thrust into my fist. My fingers tightened with every pass.
Flashes of her filled my head.
Pressure built in the base of my spine. My balls drew up as pleasure burst through me. Coursing out of me. Coating the wall with my release.
And crashing reality down upon me.
I stared, unblinking, as the water washed it all away. It cleared my release from the wall, until nothing remained and every trace of it was gone.
Time would wash the memories away. It would clear me from her mind, until nothing remained and every trace of us was gone…
Some things I didn’t want to remember.
But her? I’d never be able to forget.
And I couldn’t stand it.