When they got back to Kelsey’s apartment, Adrien made sure she didn’t have any injuries and then insisted on her changing and getting comfortable and sitting on the couch while he took care of ordering them dinner.

“I’m really fine,” she said.

“I don’t care,” he said. “I mean, I care that you’re fine, but it doesn’t change how protective I feel over you. You were nearly hurt, and there wasn’t anything I could do about it without doing something awful, and—”

She stood up and went to him, wrapping her arms around him. “You’re fine. I’m fine. We’re both okay, thanks to Robbie.”

“That’s the other thing that’s bothering me,” he said. “What on earth—” He cut himself off. There was no point talking about this. Even if Adrien now suspected Robbie was a shifter or something supernatural, he couldn’t exactly tell Kelsey that when she had no idea such things existed.

He was sure Citrine was wondering the same thing.

How was it possible, though, that Robbie had been able to hide it from them? That was a mystery.

Still, as curious as he was, for now, the drama was over, and Citrine and Robbie could work out the rest between them.

He just wanted to spend the night winning over his mate. He wanted to win her that much faster so he didn’t have to be in the club any longer. So he had his powers to protect her. So she wouldn’t be in danger.

He slowly pulled her arms from around his waist and led her back to the couch, gently urging her to sit. He liked being able to see her there while he waited by the door for the food.

When she was fed and happy and they were relaxing together, he would finally, hopefully, calm down.

Dinner was delivered, Chinese, and he served it onto plates and brought it over to her so they could eat together in front of the TV.

As they watched a game show that he deemed far too easy and she laughed beside him, enjoying her food, he slowly felt his heart return to a steadier state.

They were both fine. He was just surprised by how worked up he’d gotten seeing that other woman try to hurt her. His fear for her was proportionate to how precious she was, and he couldn’t stand for anyone to harm a hair on her head.

She was his mate, and he had to protect her. He needed it more than he needed to breathe.

“You okay over there?” she asked, setting aside her plate. “You’re looking intense again.”

“Just thinking about what happened,” he said. “I’m sorry, but I found it disturbing.”

“I’ve never had someone be protective of me before,” she said, twisting her fingers nervously. Her green eyes were so honest and clear as they met his. “I like it.”

He grinned. “I’m glad. I like doing it.” He reached over to take her hands, rubbing his thumbs over her knuckles gently.

She shivered and bit her lip, looking into his eyes.

“I can think of some other things I’d like,” she said.

“Again? Already?” He laughed. “Well, I can’t really refuse you, but what do you want?” He made sure his own plate was out of the way on one of the side table and got on his knees, facing his mate, entwining their fingers between them.

“More,” she said. “Ever since you touched me, I’ve been wanting more. It’s not like me. I’m not… greedy. I usually have to worry about surviving. I had no idea how greedy I could be once things were going well and I was with a man I… trust.”

He rolled his lips together nervously. He hadn’t thought he would get another chance to be intimate with her so soon, and his heart was still racing slightly over everything that had happened.

But with even just her fingers creating ripples of warmth through him, he was in no way capable of turning her down.

He leaned forward, kissing her, and this time took control, his tongue swiping inside her mouth swiftly, exploring deep, catching her surprised moan.

He loved how quickly her body responded to him. How she moaned, her hands letting go of his to wrap around him, gently stroking his back.

Unlike the woman who’d been touching him earlier, every spot Kelsey touched felt like heaven. Every time he touched her, he was transported to a place that was neither here nor his old life, but somewhere higher, better, more amazing than anything he’d ever expected.

He leaned forward, laying her back on the couch as she kept her hands wrapped around his back, holding on to him as she fell lightly into the cushions.

Her eyes gazing up at him were green and erotic, predatory like cat’s eyes. Her soft curves were bared as her blazer fell away from her chest, her dress shirt unbuttoned at the top, showing generous, creamy cleavage.

“You’re so beautiful,” he said. “I don’t know how I got so lucky.”

“Luck has nothing to do with it,” she said. “You won me over, so now you’re mine.”

“That’s what you said earlier,” he said, running a finger over her cheek and down her jaw, watching her shiver, her curvy body squirming slightly beneath him. “What did you mean by that?”

“Just what I said,” she said. “I guess I’m like you. I don’t date unless I’m serious. I can’t afford to waste time. I have so much living to do. So while you’re with me, no one else is allowed to put hands on you.”

“I’m perfectly fine with that,” he said. “Everyone else’s touch feels disgusting.”

She laughed, raising a blondish eyebrow. “Really? I thought men were a little more relaxed about that kind of thing.”

He shook his head. “Not all men. Some of us can’t do that without a connection. I’m one of them, I guess.”

“That makes sense considering how mad everyone said you got when women would harass you.”

He nodded. “Plus, I just believe people should be allowed to have personal space and others should respect it.”

She reached up and ran her hand down the center of his muscled chest, and it was his turn to shudder. “But I can get in your personal space all I want?”

He nodded with a grin. “Yes, I think we’re past worrying about that now.”

She pursed her lips. “You mean we weren’t before?”

“I don’t know what I mean,” he said, his thoughts cloudy as he surveyed the beauty in front of him, tried to keep himself calm so he didn’t rush. “All I know is when you’re here with me, touching me, it’s all I can do to keep myself sane.”

She giggled. “I never would have thought I could drive a man like you mad.”

He sighed, running both hands along her soft, curvy sides and over her hips, loving the feel of her. “Oh, you definitely can and do.”

She reached up to entwine her hands around his neck. “Should we take this to the bedroom?”

“Oh yes, we should, for sure,” he said, standing and lifting her into his arms.

The bed. His mate. Would he be able to claim her completely this time? Would that even be right?

He decided he wasn’t going to allow himself to overthink it. Tonight, with her, he was going to let his heart decide.

* * *

Kelsey relaxed into the bed as he placed her there, stretching languidly at the thought of the pleasure he was about to bring.

Her body was already ready for him again, waiting, from just a kiss and a bit of his touch.

She wanted to be one with him, wanted to feel secure after how angry she’d been earlier when that woman had touched him. Wanted to spend the night alone, reassuring herself he was only hers.

At least for now.

For all his talk of committing, of permanence, she knew not to think too hard on it after only a few days.

But it was hard not to, because she’d never been so happy, felt so secure. So at home.

And it wasn’t having a roof over her head. It was having someone she could trust who watched out for her like she watched out for him.

He crawled over her, leaning down to place voracious kisses along her neck, suckling gently as his hands worked to remove her blazer, pulling it off her hands and out from under her and tossing it aside.

He moved up to kiss her deeply on the lips as his fingers fumbled with the buttons of her dress shirt. She felt excitement at his excitement, and the tension in her built higher as his fingers grazed over her breasts.

The more she learned, the harder she worked, the more she felt equal, as if they were on the same level instead of from different worlds. And if she just let go of the past, the way Robbie had told her to, it worked.

She was soon to be a manager, and he worked alongside her, and they both stayed in this beautiful building and both wanted each other and had each other’s backs.

It was too good to be true, yet here she was, making love to him.

Her hands trailed over his muscular back, savoring the bulges there, as he sat back so she could sit up and he could pull off her unbuttoned shirt.

She helped him by unhooking her bra and then lay back when she was free from that as well.

He stared at her breasts for a moment, his eyes like storm clouds with the sun behind them, and then his lips were over her nipple, sucking and biting gently, just barely running his teeth against her, as his hand found the button and zipper of her skirt.

He had it undone easily and sat back to pull it off, leaving her only in underwear.

He reached for those, but she stopped him, looking up with a glare.

“You first,” she said, a teasing glint in her eyes.

He smiled and grabbed his dress shirt on both sides of his collar and, to her total shock, just tore it off. It split down the middle, revealing his rippled abs and beautiful torso and strong pecs, and he flung the pieces to the sides.

He reached for the button of his pants and undid it, slid down the zipper with a grin, and kicked them off behind him, tossing them from the bed and onto the ground.

Now he was only in tight, dark-gray boxer briefs, which outlined powerful thighs, trim hips, and sharp Ken-doll lines leading toward something wonderful.

She literally couldn’t resist licking her lips, and his eyes gained heat, narrowing slightly.

“You’re beautiful,” she said quietly.

He nodded. “As are you.”

She laughed. “You didn’t even try to argue with me.”

“Why should I?” he asked, crawling over her again. This time he took both her wrists in one of his hands and pinned them over her head. “Is this okay?”

She nodded.

“Anyway, there’s no point fighting about it,” he said. “I’m aware of my appearance. Women like the one earlier just make that even clearer. But the thing is I only care when you say it. I only care how you feel about it. So when you say it, and I know it’s true, I’m not going to fight you, because that’s what I want.”

She nodded slowly, loving the feel of his firm hand holding hers like it was nothing, her body splayed and nearly naked under him.

He hooked a finger under her panties, which were made of purple lace. One of her favorites that she’d bought.

“I’ll buy you another pair,” he said. “A hundred if you want.”

She bit her lip, and he jerked them off of her, tearing them as easily as if they were tissue paper. But it was so hot, so dominant, that she couldn’t even complain about it. It simply turned her on further.

She wanted only him, and she wanted to feel his strength as he dominated her.

He leaned forward until his lips were close to hers. “Only mine,” he said. “No one else is allowed to do this. No one else is allowed to touch you. To look at you. And I’m going to stay around and make sure they don’t.”

She swallowed, her throat dry at how hot that was. It should be controlling, it should be odd this early in their relationship, yet she knew it was right.

She trusted him and he trusted her, and she wanted to be with him forever.

Deep in her heart, she knew that was true and wasn’t going to question it simply because it didn’t fit with the world’s rules.

He stroked her face softly with his free hand and then caught her chin as he reached down to capture her lips in a kiss. His tongue was forceful, aggressive, diving in and out of her in a passionate rhythm that had her thinking about what she hoped they would do next.

His hand released her chin and dipped downward to reach the apex of her legs, playing at the nub between them. She felt him slide over her already wet, warm flesh and arched at the sensation. So intense already and they’d only just started. It was as though her body were already anticipating his every move.

He gently played over her folds, teasing her and swirling as he broke the kiss and looked down at her with hunger, one hand holding her wrists, one hand reaching down to please her, using all his long, hard strength to his advantage.

She arched as her orgasm came speeding toward her like a bullet train, crashing through her like a burst of sheer warmth and pleasure. She cried out, calling his name as she writhed against his hands, but he didn’t let go, stroking mercilessly as she spasmed wetly against his hand.

“Darling,” he said, his gaze intense, his whole body paused as he watched her catch her breath, still captive in his arms. “I want you, badly. But I don’t want things to go too fast.”

“Oh, screw that,” she said, gritting her teeth and thrusting up against his hands. “If you don’t get inside me now, you’re going to have one very angry ‘darling’ on your hands.”

“Fine,” he said. “I don’t know if I could have resisted anyway. You’re intoxicating.” He released her hands, and she wrapped them around his neck and then rested them on his shoulders.

She wanted to be touching him, holding him, when he came inside her.

He readied himself between her legs, looking down at her wet entrance with gleaming eyes, and then she felt his head, huge and hard, playing at her softness.

But she was ready for him. Ready to be all his. She’d never been readier for anything in her life, and she somehow knew the rest would work out for them in the future.

This was just the start.

He slowly began pushing inside her, and she caught her lip in shock at the intense sensations that came. She took deep breaths, trying to relax as he pushed farther inside, but just as she was unsure if it were even possible, she felt him sink in, fully sheathed.

She wriggled around a bit, keeping her hands on him as her body tried to adjust so it was more comfortable. She was so full of him she felt she was bursting, but it wasn’t a bad feeling at all.

In fact, as he looked at her with concerned eyes and began to slowly move, she felt lightning go off inside her, setting off nerves she’d never felt on fire before.

“Oh,” she said breathlessly. “Oh, that’s amazing, Adrien.”

He grinned. “You can also call me Silver,” he said. “That’s my other name, to those who know me.” He looked between them. “And I think we can say you know me.”

“I would say so,” she said jerkily, unable to think as long as he was stroking inside her, making pressure build at an unbearable rate. She’d never felt so much pleasure in her life, never known sex could be anything like this. “Okay, Silver. Like your eyes.”

He nodded. “Thank you.”

She arched back against the covers, digging her nails into his back. As long as he was doing this to her, she’d call him whatever he wanted. As long as he kept giving her more.

He began going faster, and she locked her legs around his hips, urging him on. The pleasure building inside her was so strong it was almost painful, and she threw her head back as it rose, almost seeing stars.

When she finally came, cresting over the top of her release like someone heading into the free fall on a roller coaster, she screamed loudly and came up to cling onto his neck. “Silver,” she cried out. “Adrien. Silver.” Who cared what his name was? This man was hers.

He pulled back to look at her with a smile that was soft and pleased. “I love you, Kelsey.”

She gaped. He loved her? He could really say that? Now? But before she could think of it, he was driving forward again, taking her toward another inescapable, pleasurable release. All she could do was hold on tight. “Oh, Silver.”

His body was tightening now, his expression showing his exertion as he fought to contain his control. As she moved toward her release, she could feel him climbing the peak with her, and she was certain they would fall over together.

That was exactly what she wanted.

So she thrust eagerly against him, meeting him, heightening every move, nearly screaming at every moment until they finally came together in a tight, deep thrust that made her feel joined with his very soul, and she screamed out his name as he froze in her arms.

The next second, he was jerking inside her, filling her with warmth as her body clenched around him in another hard release. She screamed his names, both of them, again and again, not caring what any of it meant as long as he stayed in her arms, holding her through the earthquake of his love.

When she finally relaxed, relinquishing her hold on him and falling back on the mattress, he looked down at her haggardly, propping himself up on his arms, looking like the life had been drained out of him, but he was happy about it.

His beautiful, smooth skin was lightly damp from sweat and exertion, and his black hair was mussed.

“I love you,” he said, reaching up to thread a hand in her hair gently, gazing into her eyes.

She didn’t know what to say to him, had to wait for her heart to stop pounding before she could even know her own mind. But she knew she was grateful to have him in her life, and with time, she could match his feelings and bravery.

With time.

He pulled out carefully, grabbed a towel and gently cleaned up, and then flopped down beside her, spooning her from behind. “Oh, Kelsey, you’re mine. You know that, right? You can take as long as you want to tell me your feelings, but you know mine.” He squeezed his arms around her, surrounding her with warmth and safety. “Mine.”

She just curled in against him with a sigh as rain began to fall outside. The storm could rage, the world could turn cold, but in here, she was safe in his arms.

Here, with him, she could finally rest.

He was still murmuring sweet nothings in her ear when she fell asleep.