Unwritten Rules (Filthy Florida Alphas 3)

“I can see you’re thinking hard about it,” he laughs. His thumb moves over my forehead as if to erase the lines I’m sure have formed. “I told you I couldn’t kiss you, because you weren’t mine to claim.”

“I remember.” I take a deep, shuddering breath. I’m not sure I can forget the fact that he didn’t kiss me. Maybe if he had, I wouldn’t crave his kiss quite so much now. The mystery would be kind of gone, and I could put it behind me.

“I also warned you that if you ever decided I was yours, nothing would keep me from you.”

“But…”

“No buts.”

“I mean, I didn’t. Did I?”

“You definitely did,” he argues.

“I don’t remember that.”

“Doesn’t matter. What does matter is what comes next.”

At that declaration my eyes widen and I’m pretty sure I stop breathing.

“Next?” I ask, and my voice comes out a squeak—and I don’t think it has a thing to do with the fact it hurts to talk.

“I finally get my kiss, Dragonfly. Any arguments?”

If I wanted to be logical, I’d say I had plenty—like how fast this is going, how he’s all wrong for me, how I need to get away from Florida… The list is never ending. Yet, at the thought of Marcum finishing what he teased me with the other day, I can’t force any of the reasons out of my mouth.

“I can’t think of any,” I whisper instead, and his smile deepens and blurs in my vision as he brings his lips to mine.35MarcumOver the years all the women I’ve been with have kind of faded into a haze. The old saying, “You’ve been with one, you’ve been with them all,” is exactly how I felt. There’s not a thing a woman could do that would surprise me. There’s nothing about being with one that is different. Maybe that’s why I’ve gone so long without a woman. Those around me think it was because of Cherry and the way she left.

It would have been simpler if that was the reason.

Fuck, seeing her today… I felt nothing. There’s a chance she is betraying the club, and that should have me upset, but hell… I can’t even feel much about that. I resented having to see to her when I could have been with Toi. I don’t know what the fuck that says about me, but it is true—just the same.

But Toi… Toi is special. I shouldn’t have anything to do with her. I should stay the fuck away. I’ve been fighting it, trying with everything in me. Every turn I make has been spent with the intention of staying away from her. Tonight she made that impossible.

I tried to convince myself she wasn’t strong enough to survive in my world. I used that as another reason I shouldn’t touch her. Then… tonight, with one single, selfless act—an act that put blood on her hands—she crumbled every fucking defense I had to use against her.

I told her, but I don’t think she understood. It’s time I show her.

“I can’t think of any,” her soft whisper breathes out and that’s all the permission I need—the final wall between us comes crashing down.

I hold her face gently, keeping her still for me. I have done a lot of things with women in my life, but gentle has never been a part of it. Something about Toi makes me want to be gentle. I press my lips to hers lightly, letting my tongue seep between hers slowly, running it along them, just to tease. She doesn’t open for me, but I don’t sense rejection from her. I’ve surprised her. I suck on her bottom lip, being as tender as I know how—which is nowhere near what she deserves.

She tastes sweet like candy and I know it’s a taste I’ll quickly become addicted to.

“Open your mouth for me, Dragonfly,” I groan, wanting more of her, but trying to let her be the one to give it to me. Soon, there will be a time when I’ll demand what I want and she’ll give it to me, but for now it’s important she gives herself to me at her pace.

She lets me in slowly, and I try not to rush her—but the moment I can I slide my tongue inside her mouth and explore, I’m lost. I drink from her, learning her, and claiming her. She’s shy. Maybe she’s not sure yet of the two of us. I can understand that. As hard as I fought giving in to my desires, I doubt she ever saw me as her man… but I am.

I let my fingers move to her neck, needing to feel her warmth. I stroke the soft skin as I plunder her mouth. I allow my hand to move farther and palm one of her breasts. I do nothing but massage it, knead it in my hands but I’m rewarded when her body pushes up from the bed toward me.