When we walk into my condo, Olive lowers herself slowly onto the couch and laughs. “I seriously thought Rayne was going to tie me up to get me to stay at their house.”

I toss the keys for the rental car onto the kitchen island and turn to face her. Jeremy and Rayne had taken us home from the hospital this morning, and Olive had stayed with Rayne while Jeremy drove me to get a rental. When I arrived at the Teague house to grab Olive, Rayne had put up a good fight.

Ultimately, I left the decision up to Olive. I know that staying with Jeremy and Rayne, with Brains there to protect her, would keep her just as safe as if she’d been staying with me. And that’s all I want…is for her to be safe.

Well, fuck. No, that’s not all I want. I want her to be safe, and I want her with me. Now more than ever. The thought of leaving her there and coming back to my condo alone made me feel sick and cold.

Looking at her now, all cozy on my couch like she belongs here, sends a warm sensation floating through my chest and hot, sizzling want straight to my dick.

Fucking hell, I want her.

“Yeah, I’m pretty sure she’s not gonna forgive me for this for a long time.” Chuckling quietly, I move forward and sit on the coffee table in front of her. “What can I get you? Are you hurting? Do you want the pain meds they gave you?”

She’s thoughtful for a second, and I can tell she’s evaluating her pain level. Then she smiles, and I’m struck hard by how much I’ve come to want that smile in my life every day. We might not agree on everything and we may push each other’s buttons. But when she smiles? It lights up all the dark corners of my world.

“I don’t think I need them. I mean, there’s definitely an ache, but it’s manageable.” Her eyes glitter with some kind of mischief I can’t wait to get into with her. “Why don’t you come a little closer?”

Rearing back, playful smirk in place, I hold my hands out in front of me. “Hold on there, Red. You want to get handsy with me right now? You just got out of the hospital. Jesus.” Acting like I’m nothing but offended, I roll my eyes and cross my arms over my chest. All the while I’m loving it as her eyes flash with annoyance.

“You wish. I was only trying to save your ass from sitting on the hard coffee table. But, whatever. You can stay there, it doesn’t make a difference to me.” She turns her head slightly to the side, like she’s finished with the conversation.

The hell you are, Red.

“Oh, yeah? You just want me to walk away?”

She doesn’t answer, which just ramps up the competitive nature of what’s about to go down.

Pushing up off the table, I cage her in with arms on either side of her against the back of the couch. I lean forward, stopping just inches from her perfect face. Still turned away, she doesn’t acknowledge me at all.

The pull and drag, the give-and-take when it comes to this woman. It’s so fucking exciting, and I never even knew it was something I wanted.

“So,” I murmur, inches from her ear. “You’d be indifferent if I did this?”

I only have to lean for my lips to touch her neck, and I use my tongue to taste her. I feel her shiver underneath my lips, and my hands land on top of her thighs.

“Totally indifferent,” she answers. But the high tone her voice has taken says otherwise, and I smile against her neck.

“And this?” Sliding my hands up, I meet the bare skin of her stomach and push upward. When my hands find the lacy material of her bra, I deftly slip the cups down and caress her with my thumbs.

That’s my girl. You might be acting like you don’t care, but your body tells another story.

Involuntarily, she arches into my hands, and I grip the fullness of her in my palms. Her skin is warm and smooth; she feels so fucking good I could eat her. In fact…

When I glance up at her, the stubborn expression has melted off her face, and her eyes are dark and burning with need, staring down at me.

Lifting a brow, I continue palming her breasts. “So, still not making a difference to you whether I’m here or not?”

She doesn’t answer, but her eyes flash and she sucks her bottom lip between her teeth. With a smile, I lower my head below her lifted shirt and pull one tight little nipple into my mouth. I suck hard.

She moans, her hips pushing against me, and I use my teeth to nibble at her heated skin. That only excited her; I can tell by the way her fingers drift up to my hair and start tugging on the top strands.

“Ronin,” she gasps.

Between nibbles, licks, and kisses, I grind out the words, “Say it. Say you want this, Red.”

I can almost hear her internal struggle. She’s weighing the choices: concede to me or continue her stubborn rebellion? I already know the answer though, before she even speaks.

Olive wants me just as much as I need her, and I’m going to try my damnedest to make sure it stays that way.

“Hell,” she gasps. “Yes, Ronin. I want you, now.”

“Then let’s take this off.” Working carefully so as not to aggravate her injured shoulder, we work together to remove her shirt. Reaching around her so she doesn’t have to do it and hurt herself, I make quick work of removing the navy-blue bra.

Something I’ve learned about Olive? The woman doesn’t skimp on underwear. She’s even sexier underneath her clothes than she is when she’s all dressed up. And knowing that only makes me imagine what she’s got on underneath when she’s fully dressed.

Pulling back slightly, I grip the edges of the soft, gray leggings she’s wearing and pull them down the long length of her legs. Pausing only to remove the purple furry boots she has on, I peel them off of her completely and sit back on the coffee table to admire the beauty before me.

Son of a bitch. How had I gone this long knowing her without insisting on a taste of her? She’s fucking perfect, in every way. The navy-blue underwear, tiny things with just a scrap of lace in front and a G-string in back are the next to go, even though I make a mental note to ask her to put them back on for me later. Once they’re tossed aside, I lower myself to my knees in front of her.

When I look up to meet her gaze, she stares down at me with an expression in her eyes I can’t read. There’s lust; absolutely. There’s also warmth.

But what else?

Then it hits me. There’s self-doubt there, in her eyes. She tugs her bottom lip between her teeth.

“Hey,” I murmur. “What’s this? What’s going through that pretty little head?”

Her glance darts away before it flicks back to mine. “My body…I’ve put it through a lot, you know? It’s not perfect.” She runs tentative fingers down the side of her torso. I let my gaze follow, to the faint marks that scar her soft skin.

“Stretch marks,” she whispers. “From gaining and losing weight.”

Dipping my head, I brush my lips gently across the marring. Before lifting my eyes to hers. “You think stretch marks turn me off? Fuck, woman. Everything about you is drop-dead gorgeous in my eyes. Imperfections? Only make you more real, more beautiful. You believe me?”

The stiff posture she had when she talked about her body relaxes and her eyes go all soft and sexy. “Yes.”

Just like before, I start with a finger. This time, I start at the instep of her pretty little foot and drag it up her calf, the inside of her knee, and along her thigh. She twitches and shivers with the trail I make, her muscles flexing against me as I use the other hand to hold her steady.

When I reach the juncture between her thighs, I let my finger trail against the center of her curls.

And my eyes drift shut.

Wet. So fucking wet for me.

“Jesus, Red.” My voice comes out in a low rumble. “You don’t know what it does to me when I feel you like this. It just makes me want a taste.”

Her cheeks flush a deep red, but her eyes grow hotter with the flame that’s always burning between us. Her hands knead my shoulders, like she’s telling me to hurry up.

“Be patient, sweetheart. I’m gonna taste you. But I want you to taste you first.”

Her pupils dilate, her eyes flaring wide as I plunge my index finger deep inside her. Fascinated, I stare as I pull it slowly out again and circle it around her tight little clit, already swelling up with pleasure.

God…why is this so fucking sexy, like I’ve never done it before? Everything is fresh, new, and so goddamn hot.

Lifting my hand to her lips, I insert my finger into her mouth. She closes her plump lips around it and sucks, her eyes closing on a moan.

“See? You taste so fucking good.”

Reaching down, I adjust myself, because watching Olive suck on my finger is almost too much for me to handle. My cock is throbbing painfully in my pants, begging me to get inside her.

Dipping my head, I lick her. Fuck…she tastes better than the last time.

I’m pretty sure that Olive will never be out of my system. She’s going to be a permanent fixture there, and I’m surprised with how okay with that I am.

Moving my hands to hold her hips, I eat her until her muscles are trembling, until her hands are pulling at my hair frantically, until she’s moaning my name over and over again. And then I stop.

Impatiently tugging me, her eyes fly open and she stares at me. Giving her a devilish smirk, I step back from her and strip down, leaving my clothes in a heap right beside hers, staring her down like she’s the last meal I’ll ever eat. Eventually, I’m going to bend her over this couch and pound into her from the back. But not today, after she’s just been released from the hospital.

Today, I’m going to let her take control.

Sitting down beside her, I grip her waist and lift her gently onto my lap. Immediately, her soft, warm heat rubs against my throbbing dick, and my hips jerk in response. “Fuck. Don’t come yet, Red. Need to be inside you first.”

She nods, her eyes glazed over with lust as she rocks over me again. She rests her hands on my shoulders as I lift her hips. I slide inside, just the tip, and total ecstasy washes over me with such intensity that I almost lose my shit.

Then, I still. “Dammit. Condom.”

She shakes her head, wiggling as I hold her, trying to sink all the way down on me.

“Wait, baby. I have to go get a condom.”

Her eyes focus on mine, and a small smile lifts her lips. “No, you don’t. Not unless you want to. I’m clean, and I’ve been on the pill since college.”

Swallowing thickly, I’m frozen. Do I want to? Fuck, yes, I want to. But it’s not about that. It’s the fact that I’ve never been bare inside any woman other than my dead wife.

Olive sees my hesitation, and the disappointment in her eyes is clear. Her hurt cuts me deep, something I never want to cause her.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

“It’s not you,” I start, grabbing her hand so she can’t run too far. “I just never—”

Shaking her head, she smiles at me. It’s a little sad, but there’s no anger in her eyes. “Go grab one. I’ll wait right here.”

Staring at her, I’m instantly sorry that I hesitated at all. If I’m sleeping with Olive, then she’s the only woman I’m sleeping with. And if she’s the only one—and I have all these crazy-as-fuck feelings for her—why wouldn’t I choose to be bare inside her?

Fucking hell.

No more hesitating.

Pulling her back down on top of me, careful not to jar her shoulder, I allow her to sink fully down. Her lips part on a gasp, and she’s hot, wet, and tight. My three favorite things.

“I-I thought…” she stutters, her eyes fluttering shut as I gently thrust my hips upward.

“I thought, too. In fact, I was thinking way too damn much. I want this…I want you.” She dips her forehead against mine, her soulful eyes burning into me.

“You do?” She gasps as I find a rhythm with my thrusts. Joining in, she bounces on top of me, and I can already feel the tightening at the base of my spine that spreads out to my legs, signaling the impending release.

“Yes. God, yes. And…” I close my eyes against the pleasure. “And Red…this thing we’re doing?”

She wraps her arms around my neck and squeezes, her legs beginning to shake. “Yeah?”

“It’s just me and you. Got that? While we’re doing this…you’re mine.” I look deep into her eyes, making sure she understands exactly what I’m saying.

She nods, her fingers sliding along my slick skin, and I watch as her lip slips between her teeth.

“And you’re mine?”

As I sink into her again and again, and I finally grab hold of that lip with my own teeth and suck it into my mouth, I contemplate that. And I know without a doubt that it’s the truth.

“Yeah, Red. I’m yours.”