Dump and Chase (Nashville Assassins Next Generation 1)

“You’re so beautiful,” I whisper against her lips as I carry her to the bed, laying her down as I cover her sweet body with mine. Her lips curve while she pulls my shirt up and out of my slacks as our kisses deepen. I sit back, unbuttoning my shirt with her before throwing it off. “Thanks for letting me be here today. I really enjoyed watching you.”

Her eyes fill with such admiration. “Thank you for coming.”

“I’m still really sorry for yesterday. I froze—”

“It doesn’t matter now.”

I press my nose into hers. “I’m an idiot. I shouldn’t question you or even this.”

A smile plays on her lips as she unfastens my pants. “It’s part of your charm.”

I laugh as I toe out of my shoes, kicking them off along with my pants. I pull her thong down as she removes the stickers from her boobs, flinching a bit but laughing too.

“These things suck.”

“You don’t need them.”

“I didn’t want my nips to be hard!”

“I would have loved it,” I say before taking her breast into my mouth. Her fingers run through my hair as I hitch her leg up, digging my fingers into her thigh. I’m about to enter her slick center when somehow, in the lust cloud she keeps me in, I remember I don’t have a condom. I pull back and kiss between her breasts. “One second. I gotta find a condom.”

“Don’t.”

I pause and then meet her gaze. “Don’t?”

She shakes her head. “I’m on birth control.”

I lick my lips. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.”

I look down at her center and then at my hard cock. It’s right there. What’s holding me back? I meet her gaze once more, and I know why. Because if I do it without a condom, then this is more real than I ever could have imagined it would be. I now know only people who truly trust each other should have sex without condoms. I learned that from her. I’ve learned a lot from her. I drop my head to hers. I’ve learned who I want to be, and it’s the man she wants. I slowly enter her, inch by inch, falling into all-encompassing ecstasy. She felt good before, but now… Now, she is truly out of this world. She completes me.

She arches off the bed, my name falling from her lips, and my chin hits her breastbone. I’m lost. Completely lost.

I have a pretty good idea what that means.

And it terrifies me.

Shelli moves her fingers through my hair as we lie naked against each other. Her body is sweet, hot against mine, and so damn beautiful. We ate a midnight snack naked and drank a bottle of champagne I had brought up along with strawberries. It’s over-the-top romantic, but I wanted her to feel special. I’m so proud of her, and I want her to feel that. The moon is shining in on us, along with the lights from the bright New York skyline, and I almost miss living here. Almost, because nothing is Nashville in my opinion. I kiss the side of her breast as I close my eyes. We have to wake up early because I have to be back for practice, but for now, I just want to lie here and not move. She hums a soft melody as I hold her, nuzzling my nose against her body.

“What song is that? I think I’ve heard it.”

“‘My Man,’ from Funny Girl.”

Maybe I don’t know it. “Sing it.”

So she does, the room filling with her angelic voice. As soon as I hear the lyrics, talking about how much she loves her man, I know it instantly. “Your mom sang this to Shea at a game. It’s on YouTube.”

“Yup. It’s one of my favorites. Her big gesture to get him back.”

“My mom stood in the rain and yelled at my dad to join her.” A smile pulls at my lips. “They got into a fight over my aunt Audrey lying to my mom or something. Dad wasn’t ready to stop fighting for my mom, but she gave up. Tried to give up. I don’t know. It was a mess. My mom tried so hard to stay away from my dad, when it was obvious they belonged together.”

A silence envelops us, but Shelli’s fingers still slide through my hair. “Do you think that’s why you are the way you are? So hesitant about feeling something for someone?”

Not someone. Her. I didn’t care to feel anything before now. I bite my lip and then nod. “Yeah.”

“It worked out for her, though.”

“After a whole lot of pain,” I answer, and then her fingers stop.

“Aiden, I won’t hurt you.”

“The thing is, I know that,” I say, and then I lift my head to look at her. “I know that deep inside myself, but then I get freaked out at the thought of you finding someone better than me—”