“Fuck,” Chase muttered, and his eyes briefly closed. “You’re so wet.” He eased in and out a few times, being cautious and relaxing me enough to accept his girth without hurting.

Once he’d sufficiently broken me in, he began to move in and out rhythmically, with more intensity. Gentle thrusts became hard. Easing became rooting deep into my body. The only thing that didn’t change was the way Chase looked at me. He stared into my eyes like he could see inside me. It made me feel exposed, yet beautifully accepted.

Everything in the background faded away except the sound of our breathing. When I moaned, he smashed his lips to mine, seeming to need to swallow the sound of my coming undone. I pulled at his hair as I climbed closer, and his breathing became short, shallow spurts.

“I’m gonna…” I started, but my body beat me to the finish. “Oh God.”

Chase bit down on my shoulder, sending my slowly building orgasm into overdrive. It came over me like a tsunami, grabbing me and pulling me under. My muscles began pulsating, and my hooded eyes looked up at Chase.

He saw it on my face, felt it inside my body, and quickened his pace, working toward his own release. Finally, he ground down one last time, burying himself as deeply as he possibly could, and let out a groan as he released.

Unlike my previous lovers, he didn’t collapse and roll over abruptly after his finish. Instead, he kissed me softly until he had to pull out, then got up to dispose of the condom. When he came back, he had a warm facecloth, which he used to wash me. Then he grabbed a bottle of water from the mini-fridge, and we shared it—passing it back and forth—both of us still naked.

After all of the adrenaline running high for so long, suddenly I started to crash. I yawned, and Chase tossed the empty bottle on the nightstand. He lifted me on top of him and lay back, positioning me over his body, my head on his heart. His heartbeat was soothing as he stroked my hair.

“Get some sleep,” he said softly. “We have a long day tomorrow, and we have to be up early.”

I liked the idea of getting some sleep. It had been so long since I’d felt this relaxed. This safe.

Already groggy, I said, “Okay. But we don’t have to be at the focus group until ten.”

He kissed the top of my head. “I know, but we’re going to need a few hours for round two.”

Chapter 20

Reese

I woke to movement in the bed. The room was dark, and my innate reaction was fear—until my eyes began to focus, and I remembered where I was.

Chase was flailing around and mumbling something in his sleep. The only other person I’d ever witnessed having nightmares was my brother, Owen, after the break-in. He would cry in his sleep. Some nights it became too much, and my mother would wake him and console him. I wasn’t sure if I should let Chase sleep through this or not. He was so restless and seemed so tormented.

It was hard to watch him suffer, so I decided to try nudging him a little. Maybe just enough to bring him out of whatever was going on in his head.

Reaching for his shoulder, I gently tapped. “Chase?”

I almost jumped off the bed when he abruptly bolted upright.

He seemed confused at first. “What? What? Are you okay?” He was breathing heavy, his chest heaving.

With my hand still clutched over my rapidly beating heart, I said, “Yes! Yes…I’m fine. I think you were having a nightmare.”

Chase raked his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry. You’re sure you’re okay?”

“I’m perfectly fine.”

Appeased, he blew out a deep breath and slipped from the bed, heading to the bathroom. He stayed in there a long time before the door opened again. The bed dipped when he returned, but he didn’t immediately lie down. Instead, he sat on the edge of the mattress with his elbows on his knees, head hanging low, and his back to me.

I reached out and touched his bare skin. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“Not really. I’ve just started having them again. Hadn’t had one in a few years before that. Not that I was aware of anyway.”

“Are they…about your fiancée?”

He nodded. “I’m sorry.”

“There’s nothing to be sorry about. My brother had them for a while after the break-in. I don’t want to push, but…but maybe it will help if you talk about it.”

Chase was quiet for a long moment. “I finally got you into my bed. The last thing I want to do is talk to you about another woman while we’re in it.”

I sat up and crawled to where he was sitting. Wearing only the panties I’d put on while he was in the bathroom, I straddled him from behind, wrapping my arms around his waist. My cheek pressed to his shoulder, and my bare breasts smooshed against his back. He still smelled so good—woodsy with a delicious masculinity.

“We’re not in your bed,” I told him. “We’re in my hotel room.”

“There’s no room for anyone else when it’s me, you, and any bed.”

My arms squeezed around his waist. “Well, I’m here if you want to talk.”

Chase twisted his body to face me. One large hand wrapped around my throat while his thumb stroked the hollow of my neck. He leaned in to run his tongue over a pulsating vein. “I don’t want to talk.”

“But…” I tried to argue, but his lips were already at my ear.

“Shh,” he whispered. “No talking. My mouth has other plans.”

Before I’d realized he was moving, he dropped to his knees and pulled my ass to the edge of the bed. What he did with his mouth after that was far better than talking anyway.

***

We arrived at the focus group ahead of schedule and worked together setting up the display. Earlier, we’d eaten eggs and fruit naked in bed while discussing some questions I’d been considering adding to the moderator’s list.

Elaine came to greet us, and even though I’d been the one to give her the list of things we’d decided to change, she still addressed her questions to Chase.

“What do you think about modifying question eleven to make it a yes-no response and then having the moderator talk about the question in group discussion to get oral feedback?”

I loved that Chase directed her to me for an answer. “Whatever Reese thinks. She’s the boss. Only brought me to carry her bags.”