So much for not getting involved with a woman during the championships. I’m about as involved as a guy can get. In the past few hours, I’ve threatened her boss, declared my feelings for her on live TV, punched out a couple of drunk assholes for her, and taken her back to her room. Rage floods through me when I think about those pricks, but as I hold her in my arms and listen to the sound of her breathing, I start to calm down.

She’s safe now and if I have my way, she always will be. I hold her even though dinner time has long since passed and I’m as hungry as a bear in spring. There’s nothing that could tear me away from her. Not when she needs me.

She wakes after an hour, seeming confused, then rubbing her eyes and looking embarrassed. “Did I fall asleep on you?”

“I don’t mind. How are you doing?”

“Hungry, but otherwise okay.” She gets up off of my lap and I’m left feeling empty even though she’s standing right in front of me.

I stand as well. “I’ll order some food unless you prefer that I leave.”

Shaking her head, she says, “I don’t want to be alone tonight.”

“Then you don’t have to be.”

* * *

Half an hour later, we’re sitting out on the balcony eating burgers and sipping cold beers. Julia has started to relax a little and I even manage to make her laugh a few times. I take a sip of my drink, but keep my eyes on her, unable to pull my gaze away for more than a second at a time.

Once we’ve eaten, she sighs, looking out at the view below.

“What do you want to do now?” I ask her.

“Before that happened, all I wanted was some room service and a hot bath.”

“One down, one to go,” I say, standing and holding my hand out.

She looks shocked for a second until I shake my head. “For you, not me. Not tonight.”

I open the French door and lead her back into the suite, then to the bathroom. I plug the drain of the enormous jetted tub, then turn on the water and test it with my hand, then pour half a bottle of bubble bath in. Julia stands by the counter watching me, her eyes soft.

“Why’d you walk away from me the other night? In the kitchen?”

I cross the room and lift both hands to her face. “I didn’t want to take you when you’d been drinking. I also promised myself I wouldn’t get involved with anyone until after the finals were over.”

“So, it wasn’t because you don’t find me…” She looks down at the floor.

I lift her chin so she has to look me in the eye. “Attractive? Hell, no. I want you, Julia. You’re the sexiest, most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. I want you every way a man can have a woman, including forever.”

“But, if you want me so bad, how could you leave like that? Without saying anything?”

“Because I knew the next thing I said would scare you off. Because I knew I wasn’t going to be able to resist taking you if I stayed even a second longer.” I ache to kiss her, but I won’t. Not tonight.

“I’m so confused. I don’t know what to believe.”

“Believe this—I’ll be here tonight. I’ll be here tomorrow. And I’ll be here every day after that if you’ll let me.”

She reaches up on her tiptoes and kisses me softly, tentatively. I let her set the pace, knowing what she’s been through and what she needs from me right now. She needs to know she can trust me. We kiss and hold each other for a few minutes until I remember the bath water is running. I pull away and hurry to shut it off.

When I turn back to her, she’s unbuttoning her shirt. The look on her face says she wants more than just comfort. Her shirt falls to the tile at her feet, leaving her in a lacy pink bra and her jeans. I swallow hard, reminding myself that she’s not mine for the taking. Not yet.

She pushes off the counter and walks to me, her eyes on mine the entire time. When she reaches me, she tugs my shirt out of my jeans and yanks at the front, causing the snaps to open. Running her hands over my chest, she smiles. “It’s only fair if we both take our shirts off.”

“Well, I’m all about fair, honey,” I say with a slow grin.

She glides her hands up and across my shoulders, moving the fabric out of her way. When it’s off, she makes a little moaning sound at the sight of me like this. Next, she unbuttons the top button of her jeans, unzips them, and shimmies them past her hips and to the floor. Stepping out of them, she toes them out of the way. I’m stunned by her beauty—in nothing but her lacy bra and matching panties. She reaches for my belt buckle.

I put my hand over hers and stop her. “You don’t have to do this. Not if you’re not ready.”

“There’s nothing I want more than you, right here.”

“I came up here to take care of you, not get you into bed.”

“I want you to do both.” She tugs at the buckle but it won’t open for her so I flick her fingers out of the way and do it myself. Within a few seconds, I’m naked, my cock aimed straight at her.

She shivers as I run my fingertips down her arms. “You’re cold.”

Nodding, she holds her hand out to me. “Want to warm up in the bath with me?”

I follow her to the tub, then watch as she slides her panties off, then unhooks her bra and lets it drop. Unable to stop myself, I take hold of her, pressing myself against her curvy body. She leans against me and looks up over her shoulder. Leaning down, I kiss her long and hard, letting her know what I want.

She steps into the bath water and I follow her, then we both sink together into the bubbles and warmth with her on my lap, her back against me. I pick up some soap and wash away the bad memories of earlier this evening. As I get to her thighs, she spreads them for me and I run the bar of soap along her pussy lips, my cock throbbing with desire for her.

I drop the soap and rub her with my hand, then take the other hand and glide it up to her full, wet breasts. Kissing my way down her neck, I stop as she reaches for me with one hand. She tilts her face to find mine and when our lips meet, an explosion of lust and love and passion goes off in my body. She twists all the way around and spreads her legs on either side of my lap. I pull her as close as I can so her perfect breasts are pressed up against me. She rubs herself over me, her wet skin incredibly soft against mine. We kiss like there’s no tomorrow, like we’ll never see each other again. I run my hands down to her ass and squeeze her firm, round behind. Fuck, she’s amazing.

Julia moans and wiggles her hips, drawing the tip of my cock inside. I don’t want her to stop but a distant part of my brain is telling me not to take advantage of her when she’s vulnerable like this. I grip her hips and stop her from taking me in further. “We should wait. You’ve been through too much tonight.”

Shaking her head, she says, “Make me forget.”

I press my forehead to hers, keeping her body from moving. “I shouldn’t be doing this. Not until I know I can take care of you for good.” My voice is low and soft because I’m so overcome with need.

“I don’t care about money. You’ve already taken care of me in the ways that matter.” She kisses me hard, then pulls back. “I think I might die if you make me wait any longer, Ryder. I need you. Now.”

I loosen my grip and let her push her body down all the way until I’m in to the hilt. My eyes roll back and I shut them. Nothing has ever felt this good, this tight, this perfect. She moves in slow circles over me, driving me wild while she adjusts to the size of my huge cock. I can feel that I’m stretching her tight pussy and I’m glad she’s on top so I don’t hurt her for our first time.

Water sloshes onto the floor as she starts moving faster now. I take hold of her ass and set the pace, slowing her down so I can last for her. She leans her head back and arches her upper body, giving me access to her breasts. I lick and suck on her hard, pink nipples, then take a mouthful of her flesh and suck until she lets out a loud moan.

I feel her body buck and jolt over me as she comes, squeezing my cock as she lets go. I fight like hell to stop myself from coming with her, biting down on my lip until it opens up again from where she slapped me.

When she’s done, I stand, holding her up with her legs wrapped around my waist. I step out of the tub and take her to the bed where I can make her mine. The lights from the city let me see her as I lay her down on her back. She smiles at me—a seductive smile that I hope will only be for me from now on. I run my hands up and down her wet body, then lower myself to my knees. I’m as hard as a rock, but I want to make her come again before I do. “I want to taste your sweet pussy.”

I spread her legs with my hands and move in so I can lick her. She tastes like sex and honey and I almost come as I slide my tongue into her pussy. Working in long, slow drags, I bring her to the edge, then I flick my tongue over her clit, moving quickly back and forth, then side to side over it. She bucks her hips and screams as I thrust two fingers inside her while I keep rubbing her nub. “Oh, Ryder, yes! Just like that!”

My cock aches to fuck her now, but I wait until she rides every last wave of her orgasm. She pants and twists against my mouth then collapses when she’s done. I stand and move over her, laying on top of her and propping myself up onto one elbow so I don’t crush her tiny body. She grabs the back of my neck, pulling me to her so we can kiss some more.

I stop after a minute and look down at her. “You’re so beautiful, I can hardly look at you.” I kiss her again. “If we do this, there will be no walking away.”

“I don’t want to walk away. I want you.” The intensity in her words and in her eyes tells me that she wants what I want. Forever.

I thrust myself inside her and her breath catches as I stretch her. I pump myself into her over and over, rolling my hips in circles, then using long, hard thrusts to get as deep as I can. She claws at my back with her nails and lifts her head off the pillow to kiss my neck as I move over her, making her mine with each thrust, each moan. When I can’t wait any longer, I let go, my body tensing and releasing as I fill her with long spurts of hot come. I come so hard and for so long that I almost black out with the force of it. “Fuck, fuck, fuck…”

I feel her coming with me, her entire body curling up as she cries out with pleasure. I feel her pussy tightening and it makes me come even harder.

When it’s over, I roll her on top of me, with me still buried inside her, and lay down on my back. We pant and recover together, wearing matching satisfied grins. I tuck her close to my chest and kiss her forehead, running my hand over her back and down to her very grabbable ass. We lay together like this, our hearts beating to the same beat, our breathing slowing at the same pace. We’re perfect together. Perfectly in sync. Perfectly satisfied. Perfectly matched.

After a few minutes, we’re both ready again, needing each other once more. We fall asleep an hour later, tangled together, naked in the sheets. As I drift off to sleep, I pray that this will be forever.