We walk inside my house, and he sets me down on the floor. If he were really worried about my feet, he wouldn’t have set me down so soon. I do believe he just wanted to carry me.

“I am going to change into something comfortable.” I walk into my bedroom, leaving Butcher in the living room. I am assuming he is going to go change too, since he carried a bag in earlier.

I change into a pair of sweatpants and another baggy shirt that hangs off my shoulder. I throw my hair into a bun and make quick work of ridding myself of my makeup.

About ten minutes later, I walk into my living room. Butcher is sitting back on my couch, shirtless and in a pair of sweats. Those abs and tattoos! Sweet baby Jesus, give me strength. I feel my face getting hot—I know I am red with embarrassment.

Growing a set I sit down on the couch. I sit a foot away from him, but what I really want is to be pressed against that hard chest. “What do you want to watch?” I ask hesitantly then switch on the TV.

“Get your ass over here.”

I drop the remote and pick it up. “What?” I ask and set the remote on the coffee table in front of us.

“Over here.”

I scoot over to him, and I slowly lie down with my head on his chest. The moment I touch his bare chest, I swoon to myself. I’ve got to save some dignity. This is what heaven is.

His arm comes off the back of the couch and rests on my back with his hand on my hip. Not able to help myself, I bring my hand up his belly, slowly dragging it to his chest.

I feel him shiver, and I cover my mouth so I don’t make a sound. I like that he is affected by me like I am by him.

A few minutes into the TV show, he starts to move his hand up and down my back, which is a major weakness of mine. Eventually his hand snakes beneath my shirt to rub my back, his fingernails gliding down my back.

“Are you trying to make me go to sleep?” I sigh and burrow my head deeper into his chest. With my free hand, I grab my hair tie, letting my hair fall around me.

His hand sinks into my hair, and he lets his nails drag across my skin. I think I am going to marry him after this. “If you keep on doing that, I am going to fall in love with you.” I yawn again.

“That’s the plan.”

I freeze and blink a few times. Did he just say that or did I imagine it? To confirm, I climb off of him and onto my knees facing him.

“Did you just say that?” I ask in a whisper.

He nods and smiles. I lean forward, wrapping my arms around his neck, hugging him. My cheek lands against his, and I breathe in his intoxicating scent, which is all male. He moves his cheek from mine, and then those lips touch my forehead.

I sit perfectly still, letting him do whatever he wants. I keep my eyes closed. His lips leave my face, and my stomach clenches in anticipation of what will happen next.

His lips touch my cheek, and I jump slightly at the contact. I rest my hands on his shoulders.

His lips touch the corner of my mouth and I scoot closer, wanting them to move that small distance to my lips.

Then it happens. His lips touch mine, and the moment they do it feels like I have been electrocuted. I gasp and bring my hands to the back of his head, and I twine my fingers through his hair.

Butcher growls and grabs my hips, pulling me fully into his lap, my legs on either side of him. His large hand moves up my back and then into my hair, taking complete control of the kiss.

His lips move over mine and I open my mouth, sinking into the kiss. I bring one hand from his hair to his jawbone. I feel his jaw move with his movement on my lips. I shudder and bring my body closer to him. Chest to chest.

His hand sinks into my hair, and he kisses me back harder. He takes my lip into his mouth, and I open my eyes. He drags his teeth across my bottom lip. “Mine,” he growls loudly, his eyes dark. His hand falls to my ass and—with both hands—he squeezes, pulling me harder against him.

That’s when I notice how hard he is, and it’s instinctual to rock my hips. That movement has me shuddering with pleasure. I fall forward, bringing my lips back to his, and I move my hips again, moaning against his mouth. He kisses me and pulls me harder against him.

I want him so bad, I feel like I am burning from the inside out. He stands and I wrap my legs around his waist. As he walks toward the bedroom, I don’t take my mouth from his.

A second later I feel my bed at my back, and I sink into the mattress. I don’t unhook my legs from Butcher. I feel his arms on either side of my head, and his body is pressed against mine.

He touches my hip and I moan. It’s so close.

His mouth breaks from mine, and he looks into my eyes. “What do you want?”

My chest is moving rapidly because I am out of breath. “I don’t know,” I tell him honestly. “I’ve never been with a man before, I haven’t ever been touched by one before,” I whisper to him, almost ashamed. What twenty-five-year-old girl has never been with a man before?

Butcher’s face changes, and a large smile comes over his face—it’s utterly breathtaking. I bring my hand up and cup his jaw.

He smiles wider and looks down at my lips, then at my eyes. I feel his hand move from my hip to my pussy, and it cups me. I jolt at the feel of him touching me, a thrill shooting through my body.

“Arms above your head.”

I shiver with excitement and nervousness. I sit up and he sits next to me. I raise my arms above my head. He yanks off my shirt and takes in the sight of me in my bra. He pulls my pants down my legs and throws them across the room.

I lie back down on the bed, and I scoot back so my head is lying on my pillow.

Butcher moves back to me, placing his body on top of mine and his face directly above mine. “I will not fuck you today,” he says in his deep, rough voice. His lips kiss mine softly then gradually move to my neck. I arch my neck, giving him better access, and goose bumps break out across my skin.

“Today.”

I open my eyes and look at him. He slides his hand behind my back. I feel my bra coming loose, and he lifts it off my arms. He throws it on the floor and gives me a wicked smile that tells me I am going to enjoy every second of this.

His hand closes around the waistband of my panties, and I clench in anticipation. I lick my lips, wondering what he’s going to do next. “Today…” He tightens his grip on my panties. “Today, I fucking taste every single part of your body, learning what makes you squirm, what makes you yell my name, and what makes you come over and over.” He rips the panties from my body, and they land on the ground.

Oh my god. Fuck me. I am completely naked in front of him right now. The only times I have been naked is when I am getting waxed or with my doctor.

My eager eyes follow his every move. He takes in my body, going from my feet to the top of my head. It takes everything in me not to cover myself. I am not self-conscious—it’s just instinctual.

“You’re gorgeous.”

I melt right there and then, and his face leaves my body and he looks deeply into my eyes.

“You’re the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”

“Butcher,” I whisper and sit up and press my lips to his. He is just perfect. He breaks the kiss and presses his forehead against mine, and I see him grin. “Now the fun begins.”

He scoots down my body, his lips moving to my shoulders. He kisses them and moves to the dip in my neck. He dips his tongue in, and I jerk at the feel. My hands go the back of his head, sinking into his hair.

His mouth moves between my breasts, kissing and licking. Torture—I believe that is what you can call this.

I take one hand from his hair and drag it down his back, my nails scouring it slightly. I feel his breath on my nipples for a split second before his mouth closes around the left nipple. Pleasure shoots straight down to my pussy. I cry out, and my hand goes back to his hair and instinctively pulls it.

He chuckles and moves on to the other nipple, and I throw my head back. I pull his hair again. I can’t help it. It gets intense for a split second, and it just happens for the next minute or so, dragging out my torture. I will take this torture any day though.

His lips leave my breasts and move down to my stomach, closer and closer to my…

Holy shit! Is he going to do what I think he is?

My question is answered shortly as he slides off the end of the bed and lands on his knees. His hands wrap around my knees, and I am pulled to the edge of the bed. I laugh at the sudden movement. He takes my knees and lifts them over my shoulders, leaving him facing me there.

I raise my head and look down at him wide eyed. He smirks at me and then lowers his head. Oh shit. “AHH!” I yell out. His tongue flicks my clit and it’s fucking intense. He does this over and over again.

My head is thrown back, my back slightly arched, and my hands buried deep in my covers. “Butcher,” I grunt and run my toes down his bare back. I am so close, so close, but I just need something.

He slides a finger inside of me and curls his finger.

I shatter into a million pieces. My body tightens up, and I feel my pussy pulsating around his finger. My shoulder jerks at the power of the orgasm, and I dig my head into the blanket beside my head, biting it, as I come down from the earth-shattering orgasm I just had.

Arms wrap around me, and I am lifted off the bed. I let go of the blanket and look up at Butcher, who has a smug smile on his face. I laugh softly to myself and lay my hand on his warm chest.

I am laid down on the bed, my head on the pillow, and Butcher walks to the light switch and turns it off. When he gets in bed, I’m still lying on my back, and I bring the blanket up to cover us up.

Butcher scoots over until we are touching. He kisses me on the cheek and lowers his head into my neck. His arm comes up and wraps around my neck, his palm resting on the pillow beside my head, and his body covers mine. I look to the bedroom door and then at Butcher.

“Butcher,” I say softly and he mutters,“Hmm.”

“You’re covering my body with yours, you’re protecting me. That’s why you slept outside my house. You’re protecting me,” I whisper and move closer to him, kissing the top of his head.

He moves his hand from my pillow to my cheek. “It kills me to think of something happening to you.”

I clamp my eyes shut to hold back tears. I have been protected my whole life, but for someone to go to such lengths to make sure nothing hurts me—I can’t describe the emotions I am feeling.

“Goodnight,” I whisper, my eyes still closed.

“Goodnight, Shay.” He takes his hand from my face, and I fall asleep smiling.