“Holy sh . . . I’m going to . . .”

“Let me see it, Doll,” he speaks huskily against my lips. “Show me. Show me what it looks like when you let go. Come for me.” Then he’s kissing me expertly and fucking me into the mattress hard enough to move us up with each powerful thrust and I’m wrapped completely around him.

It only takes four, four more mind-shattering strokes for my body to succumb. I’m propelled into another orgasm. Every limb stiffens. The intensity practically paralyzes me.

He growls low and thrusts deep. “Fuck, Ember. I feel you. You grip me so goddamn good, baby.” Still, he manipulates my body causing the pulses to stretch on and on forever.

He reaches up and grabs the headboard with both hands. His voice changes and his face hardens with concentration. “Christ, I’m ready to come in this sweet pussy. But not until you come around me like that one more time.”

Using his grip on the wood behind me, he drives up into me with such force that I swear I see stars each time he bottoms out. “Again. You’re gonna come again.”

Holy mother of God.

After only a few seconds of this new assault, I become someone I never knew I could be. And say things like, “Yes, please. Oh, my God! There, yes.” And I’m sure when this is over I’ll be embarrassed as hell, but right now I can only feel and be and open myself up to this new wild burning ache he’s started inside me.

When I’m not gasping for breath, I’m crying out his name more times than I can count. Leaning up, I lick the sweat from Mav’s chest and circle my tongue around his nipples. My claws rake down his back as he spears himself inside me.

Something cracks behind me and I almost giggle because . . . shit . . . I think we just broke his new bed.

He slams into me faster and grunts with the effort. His mouth comes to my ear. “Let me see it.” He bites my earlobe and mixes all the pleasure he’s giving me with a spike of pain. Every part of my body locks up, my head kicks back, and I scream. I detonate, and my orgasm sends tremors through every part of me.

Mav growls and his head bows forward. “Yes, Doll! I feel you.” He thrusts all the way in, and a shudder runs through his whole body. Together we break apart. Him right along with me this time. Warmth hits my womb as Mav’s body strings tight.

Moments later, as his muscles begin to relax, his arms give out, and he collapses over me, resting his forehead on my shoulder. And our heavy breaths are the only sound to be heard.

I have no idea how long it takes for us both to recover, but it’s a while. Mav’s the first to move. He kisses my shoulder. “Never felt anything like you locked around me before. And the way you look when you come. Most beautiful fuckin’ thing I’ve ever seen.”

He palms my face with both of his hands on my cheeks. “Promise me you’re gonna be here when I wake up, because I already know it’s gonna wreck me not to have more of this. More of you.”

“I’m here, Mav. I wasn’t planning on going anywhere.”

His kiss this time is utterly soft and gentle. Tender. And with it, he steals another piece of me. Another piece of my heart. I don’t think falling for him was ever a choice. More like an inevitability.

We all wear a shell that portrays the image we want others to see. But what matters is what’s underneath.

EMBER

Mav enters what looks to be a bathroom, flips on the light, and an instant later water’s running. He comes back with a wet towel. “We made a mess, but there is nothin’ like feelin’ you skin to skin.” He tentatively cleans between my legs. “How long will the birth control the doc gave you last?”

What?

His eyes sweep up to mine as his words work their way through me.

Oh, my God, we didn’t use protection.

I’ve been so wrapped up in him and the sensual feel of everything he’s done to me, I didn’t even think about it.

I stare at him stunned, speechless, and count the weeks since my last birth control shot. Warner had put me on the shot “just in case I changed my mind about waiting,” but surely, that’s worn off by now.

It’s been. . . .

Three and a half months.

“I never saw the doctor before today,” I say in a somewhat shaky voice. Lily just told Dozer I had, because she wanted to buy me some time before . . .”

His hand stops. Confusion has his brows knitting together. “But I thought . . .” He closes his eyes. In a hoarse voice lined with pain, he asks, “You’re not on anything?” As his eyes open, I give a slight shake of my head, and fight the nerves beginning to rise under my skin.

Will he be upset with me or Lily, or both? Does he think I’d try to trap him? I know some girls do that, but that’s not what this was. I just . . . the last thing I was thinking about when he was a second away from entering me was protection.

His gaze leaves mine and goes down to my stomach. It stays there for almost a full minute. Mav doesn’t say anything when he pulls out of his trance. He simply cups my face and kisses me deeply. It feels like he’s saying goodbye. And if I’m being honest, it scares the shit out of me.

He lies down on the bed and pulls me to lie on his chest.

“I’ll talk to doc tomorrow about gettin’ you the mornin’ after pill, okay?”

I nod. “Mav, I didn’t plan this. I wouldn’t . . .”

“Shhh . . .” He rubs my back. “I know.”

He’s silent for a long time though. Then finally he says, “Doll . . . later . . . if you decide this is not where you want to be, and you’re carrying my child inside you when you do, you need to know I’m only gonna let you go so far.”

“Mav—”

“Any child of mine is gonna have me in their life. There is nothin’ you could do that would hurt me more than takin’ my own child away from me. That means even if you’re not ready to be a mom, you need to at least carry it to term so I can take care of him or her.”

The feeling behind his words causes my heart to ache and tears to burn in my throat. I know what it’s like to have a child taken away from you. And I would never . . . never do that to him.

I’m sure that having grown up without a real dad in his life, he’s doesn’t want his son or daughter to do the same. I respect him for that. The fact that he’s doesn’t merely want to be responsible, but be a big part of his child’s life makes my heart swell.

“I could never do that to you or my child. But I don’t think we should gamble like that again. This is so new.”

“I know. If I‘d known you weren’t on anything, I swear, Doll, I would have used a condom.” I look up at him. “I should have anyway.” His jaw muscle throbs, “I just didn’t want any more barriers between us. I really fuckin’ want to know all of you; every single thing including how it feels to take you bare. But I should’ve waited. I’m sorry.”

I shake my head and look away. “I’m not upset, just worried.”

“I’m clean. I’ve always used protection. And the doc tests everyone at the club regularly.”

I cringe and relive for a few seconds all of the times Warner took me without protection. Drawing in a steadying breath, I tell him, “My ex . . . he didn’t use anything and I don’t know if he was . . .”

“Hey . . . hey.” He tips my chin up. “This is my fault. We’ll see the doc tomorrow and get tested. If there’s a problem, it’s on me. Okay? Not you.”

“It’s not all on you, Mav. I should have said something.”

He pushes my hair away from my eyes. “No. I swore to myself I wouldn’t push you into anything. But I still did.” His arms wrap around me and hold me tightly. His fingers begin to stoke up and down my spine. “I’ve just never wanted to be this close to another woman. Not since . . .”Dana. “And feeling you come around me is the single most sexiest thing I’ve ever seen or felt in my life.”