Wicked and True (Wicked & Devoted 4)

Suddenly, he wished she wasn’t on the pill. He wished even more that he had every right to plant his seed in her womb, hold her while she slept, and call her his wife.

Slowly, the blackness in his vision receded, his heart rate slowed, and his breathing returned to normal.

And only one thing careened through his overwrought brain. “I still love you, baby. Move in with me.”

Tessa clutched him, pressed her lips to his, and burst into tears.

The following morning, Tessa rolled over and sent a bleary-eyed glance at her alarm clock. It would go off in ten minutes. That’s how long she had to figure out what to say to Zy.

He’d asked her to move in. She hadn’t seen that coming…but she should have. He’d talked about it before and he’d told her that he loved her. Lord knew she was beyond tempted to say yes. She might not have said the words to Zy yet, but she loved him, too.

His warmth and woodsy, masculine musk lured her closer. She pressed her body to his, nuzzled his neck, and inhaled him. His scent filled her nose and swam in her head. God, how was she supposed to think straight when she was this close to him?

Tessa couldn’t get enough of the man, couldn’t stop wanting every inch of him—all steely, well-forged muscle wrapped in downy-warm skin in the body of a sex god. She didn’t even know the words to describe how good he made her feel when he touched her. He’d definitely been indefatigable all night. She’d lost count of the number of orgasms he’d heaped on her, especially when he’d been determined to prove that his oral fixation hadn’t been mere pillow talk.

Today was Tuesday and she had to work, but to have all the pleasure he’d given her, Tessa would gladly give up sleep. But even if he hadn’t made love to her over and over last night, resting wouldn’t have been in the cards because Zy had given her too much to think about.

Caution urged her to stop and thoroughly consider his proposition. Moving in together was a big step. Sure, he’d been great with Hallie the week he’d stayed with them, but her daughter was almost a toddler now. She slept through the night, but she was far more active, requiring constant supervision every waking moment of her day. She was mobile and inquisitive. And she got attached to people very easily. Last week, one of her daycare workers moved to another position, and Hallie had cried for hours, stomping out her displeasure. Tessa could only imagine what would happen if the little girl glommed on to Zy and then he moved on to greener pastures.

Of course Hallie had recovered. All it had taken to make her smile again had been a happy song and a stuffed sparkling unicorn.

This hesitation isn’t about Hallie; it’s about you.

Tessa inched away from Zy and stared out at the cloudy morning. When her ex-boyfriend, Cash, had abandoned her, she’d been devastated—and she hadn’t even loved him. She’d just been pissed that he’d run out on her and afraid she wouldn’t be able to handle single motherhood. She’d since proven otherwise to herself—and the world. But Zy was another story. She loved him so much her feelings scared her.

So much that she hadn’t told him how she felt.

How would she recover if she moved in with the man she loved, then he decided that shacking up was more permanence than he wanted? Or that being a daddy figure was more responsibility than he could handle? Tessa wasn’t sure how she’d make it. Then again, what would happen if she turned Zy down? He’d have every reason to leave.

And it was entirely possible he’d had everything to do with the sudden changes in their contracts. The more she thought about it, the more she wondered… The bosses would never admit they’d caved, but it seemed possible Zy’s insistence had convinced them to relent. What happened if he’d gone to all that trouble for her, and she refused to commit?

He’d be gone. And who would blame him?

Suddenly, Zy wrapped his arms around her and brought her against his body. “Morning, baby.”

His voice sounded rough and smoky, exactly like he’d been on the all-night sex bender he had been.

“Good morning.” Her voice sounded overused, too. Must have been all that screaming. “I should get up.”

Just like she should scrounge up some coffee for Zy, grab a shower, and start waking Hallie for breakfast.

But all she wanted to do was lie here with him for one more stolen moment.

“You okay?” He held her tight.

“Why wouldn’t I be?”

He chuckled. “I could feel you thinking.”

“Sorry.”

Zy kissed her forehead. “It’s okay. I don’t need an answer right now.”

“Thanks for understanding. There’s a lot to consider.”

“There is. But you should let me plead my case again. You know, just in case you need more persuading.”