I don’t have to be alone anymore.
And I don’t have to pretend to care for someone, out of fear or shame.
I feel like a puzzle with the final piece slotting into place.
“Sounds perfect to me,” I say, gripping her hips with even more possessive passion. “I can’t hold it back anymore. I feel like I’m going to erupt. Hell, I need to put a baby inside of you.”
She shivers against me, her breasts brushing against my chest and that drives me even wilder.
But then she frowns. “What if I can’t…”
I brush the hair from her face. “Don’t forget it’s my first time too. We’re going to experience it all together.”
She touches my face, gently brushing her fingers along my jawline, staring at me as though in shock.
It’s like she can’t believe what’s happening. I know the feeling.
“Together,” she whispers. “But in the restaurant, well… you were clearly the more confident one.”
“My body just acted on instinct. I didn’t have to think. It was like… this is going to sound crazy. But it was like the beast inside was guiding me on what to do. I can’t stop thinking about it, about you, about driving into you and making you mine.”
She whimpers at my words, lust taking hold of her expression.
A moment later, she sighs, turning to the pond.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“I hate my brain sometimes.”
I laugh. “That’s a strange thing to say.”
“It’s just… I guess this makes us boyfriend and girlfriend, now right?”
I smirk as I kiss her on the cheek, forcing myself not to move to her lips again. I’m getting dangerously close to completely losing it. My cock has been rock hard ever since I told her who she belonged to, my seed making my balls swollen and heavy, precome leaking from my tip.
“That’s an understatement,” I tell her. “But yes, we’re boyfriend and girlfriend.”
“So work is going to be awkward.” She shrugs. “Like I said, bad brain. But it just popped into my head.”
“Work?” I pause, and then it hits me. “Oh, right…”
Lena.
“Penny, you don’t need to work there anymore.
She wheels on me, waving a hand. “What!”
I chuckle, shrugging. “What do you mean, what? You’re my woman and I’ve got money. More than I know what to do with. Of course, you don’t have to work a job you hate. You can quit right now.”
“It’s not just me I have to think about,” she says softly. “My sister needs my help paying the rent.”
“I’ll pay it,” I say instantly. “Or I’ll buy her a whole new place.”
“Preston…”
I take hold of her and pull her close to me, so there’s no space between us, our bodies pressed right up against each other. She makes that intoxicating sighing noise, making my cock somehow harder, which I thought was impossible.
“You belong to me,” I tell her. “Which means I’m going to support you with whatever you need. If you need to pay the rent or move to a new place, it’s my duty – as your man – to take care of that.”
“Oh,” she murmurs.
“What? Why are you getting so pouty?”
“No, it’s nothing.”
I smooth my thumb along her cheek, savoring the way she turns toward my touch as if driven by the same instinct that compels me. “Tell the truth, Penny.”
“It’s just… moving to a new place. I guess I figured—but that’s taking things too fast.”
“I misspoke. I meant your sister. We’re going to live together. That way I can keep watch on you, make sure no other men come sniffing around.”
“I don’t want anybody else,” she says quickly. “Never. Are you sure? This is all happening so quickly.”
“Are you complaining?”
“No way!” she says. “But I want to make sure you’re sure.”
“You’re living with me. That’s not a request. I need to wake up next to your beautiful face every morning. I need to be able to reach across our bed any time I want and have that sweet body of yours. I need… fuck, Penny, what I need most of all is to take you someplace we can be alone.”
She grips my sides, digging her fingernails in. “Just be patient. If I can’t… if I’m not what you expect…”
“Oh, Penny.” I brush my lips along her forehead. “You’re already more than I ever could have hoped for.”
I turn, take her hand, and together we walk out of the park.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Penny
I clutch tightly onto his arm as we ride the elevator up to his apartment. My work clothes feel tighter than they did this morning as if my skin has become super sensitive. Everything gentle brush against my skin has my body trembling, buzzing.
Glancing at Preston, I suppress a shiver of nervousness.
He’s all full of tension too, his muscles practically bursting out of his shirt, his face tight as he turns to me. His eyes are dark, captivating… making me feel like the only woman who matters, the only woman who will ever matter to him.