It’s well past dinner time when Rafe brings me back to Sin’s place. My stomach sinks with probably unfounded guilt when I see Sin’s car is parked in the driveway. I had been hoping he wouldn’t be home yet. I wanted to get here first, that way I wouldn’t feel like I had abandoned him here alone and gone off with Rafe. I hate feeling like I missed out on time I could have spent with Sin—which is a little alarming, because I only have a few more days with him. If I feel guilty and bereft that I’ve missed—at most—hours with him, how am I going to feel when I’m back east and I never see him again?

Shoving those thoughts down into the Pit of Unthinkable Thoughts, I try to give Rafe a hug in the car so I can go in the house alone, but when I go to lean in and thank him for a nice day, his door is open and he’s already getting out of the car.

It’s not my house, so I guess I can’t tell him not to come in. Maybe he even needs to talk to Sin, for all I know. Their business connection makes it more difficult to navigate the romantic rivals part of all this, so I try to let them sort that out amongst themselves. Bracing myself for another round, I climb out of the car. Rafe stands in front of it, holding my bag of books and waiting for me.

“I can carry those,” I tell him, reaching for the bag.

“Nope. I got it.”

He may be carrying the bag, but I’m carrying all the guilt. I feel it gathering in my gut with every step I take closer to the front door. I don’t know whether or not it will be unlocked, but the knob turns easily when I twist it.

My eyes are peeled for Sin as soon as I step inside, but I don’t see him. I feel like I’m returning home from having an affair, and as confused as I am—when I certainly wasn’t this morning—I need Sin’s dark, brooding face to center me. As much as I want to be his good girl, I feel like I’ve been a very bad girl today. Maybe Sin should spank me until I remember how to behave.

Shaking off the little bite of arousal that mental image stirs, I make my way up the stairs into the living room. “Sin?”

Rafe follows me up the stairs. Sin doesn’t answer, but once I get to the top, I look over and see him sitting alone on the couch. He’s not sitting back against the cushions relaxing, but sitting on the edge with his head hanging, like he’s been waiting.

At the sight of him, guilt multiplies and wrecks my stomach. I forget that I need to take these strappy heels off, forget the nice time I had with Rafe, forget everything but wiping that horrible, solemn look off Sin’s face. Walking around the couch, I take a tentative seat next to him and rest my hand on his thigh to get his attention.

“Hey,” I say, softly.

His dark gaze slides to mine, but I can’t tell what he’s feeling. I sense sadness, but I don’t know if it’s real or I’m conjuring it from the guilt I feel. Displeasure seems the most obvious feeling. Yes, definitely displeasure. Even though I feel bad, Sin did tell me I could go with Rafe this morning. He assured me on the phone that he was fine with it, told me to go and have fun.

Right now he does not look like a man who is happy I went out and had fun. I didn’t think it was a good idea either, but he swore it was fine.

On instinct, I scoot off the couch and drop to my knees in front of him. He still doesn’t speak, but his eyes follow me as I crawl between his legs, placing a hand on each of his thighs, and wordlessly seek his approval.

At first, he doesn’t give it to me. He just watches me through hooded lids, maybe to see if I’ll stay here or move. I dimly realize Rafe is standing just off to the left, watching, but now that Sin is here, I’m focused. I have a mission, a purpose, a need to make sure he’s all right.

Finally, Sin reaches his scarred hand toward my face and caresses my jawline. I sigh with relief, sinking into his touch. Even though nothing sexual is happening, my loins stir. I think it’s the submissive position, perhaps the behavior. I didn’t think about it at all, I just came in, read the vibe, and responded.

Fuck, maybe I am a submissive. Rafe told me I had tendencies, but I haven’t researched it myself, so I’m not sure what all it involves. I can’t think of a rational reason to explain what I just did, though. Or why it turns me on—that’s probably the weird part.

Whatever I am, Sin is a little less alone than he was when I came in just a minute ago, so I don’t care. I don’t require labels anyway; I like what I like, and if Sin likes it too, great.

Finally speaking, Sin turns his head to look at Rafe and says, “Thanks for bringing her home safely.”

“My pleasure,” Rafe says, rather easily. Holding up my bag of books so I can see it, Rafe says, “I’ll just leave these here by the wall, kitten.”

Out of my peripherals, I see Sin’s hand clench into a fist on his thigh as Rafe utters the nickname he gave me. Absently placing a placating hand over his fist, I nod my head at Rafe. “Thank you.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” Rafe tells me, before making his way back down the stairs.

Sin raises his eyebrows at me, but waits until he hears the door click shut behind Rafe to ask, “Tomorrow?”

“Maybe. Nothing is set in stone. When we were at the bookstore today, we realized I never saw Rafe’s library. He said we should come over tomorrow night for dinner and he’ll—and I can see it.”

Sin’s hands trace the curve of my jaw, almost absently. “Did he, now?”

I nod, but go ahead and add, “If you want to, anyway.”

“I’m sure he doesn’t care if I want to,” Sin remarks.

“But I do,” I assure him.

“Yeah?”

I nod my head, inching further between his legs so I can get closer to him. “Of course.”

“Why’s that?” he asks, idly.

I sense an invitation lying beneath his words, and I really want to accept. “Because I love pleasing you.”

“Yeah?” I nod. “Do you think you pleased me today?”

Certainly not. Since I can’t say that, I give him a devilish little smile and tell him, “The day’s not over yet.”

Sin gifts me with a little smile, and I lean in to kiss his chest. He’s wearing clothes, but I kiss him right through the fabric, kissing my way up to his neck. My whole body responds when his hands press against my back, pulling me closer. His arm locks around my waist, but then he hauls me against him as he stands.

I have to stop kissing his neck to see what we’re doing. Hopefully he’ll take my hand and lead me upstairs.

He doesn’t. He grabs me under the ass and lifts me instead. Automatically wrapping my legs around his waist, I hold on as he carries me up the stairs to the bedroom. Sin deposits me none too gently on the mattress, spreads my legs so he can see my panties, then points his finger at me. “Stay here, just like this.”

“Yes, sir,” I murmur, playfully.

He shoots me a dark look that sends a thrill straight through me, then disappears from the bedroom. He’s only gone a minute, but I take the whole 60 seconds to fantasize about him. I hope I didn’t make him feel bad today spending time with Rafe, but boy, am I eager to make it up to him. When he comes back in, he’s drawing his T-shirt over his head and tossing it, revealing that gorgeous body for me to appreciate.

“God, you’re beautiful,” I tell him.

His eyebrows shoot up briefly, then he cracks a smile. “Beautiful?”

“Gorgeous. Handsome. You make my panties disintegrate simply by existing.”

His tone warms as he walks back over to the bed. “Oh yeah? Let’s see about that.” My legs are still spread for him since he told me to stay like this. He looks between my legs, then hooks his fingers in the sides of my panties and drags them off. “Hm, they haven’t disintegrated at all.”

I watch him toss them behind him. “Weird. I could have sworn I felt them melt right off. Maybe because you’re still wearing pants.”

Sin drops to his knees, braces his hands on each of my thighs, and leans his face between them. Without taking time to tease me this time, he latches his mouth onto my pussy, his tongue pushing inside me and sending the most glorious jolts of pleasure through my body. I close my eyes and reach above me, reveling in his generosity. The pleasure builds fast, since I’m already turned on. I can’t help grabbing a fistful of blankets and thrusting my head back against the mussed sheets. Sin’s tongue glides inside me like a channel he’s already familiar with. The way he touches me, the way he tastes me—everything he does makes me feel like I belong to him.

When his tongue teases my clit, the pleasure is so intense, I could almost come for him right then. I’ve never had someone bring me to orgasm as quickly as Sin can, but everything about him excites me. Just visualizing that beautiful, sensual mouth lapping at the most intimate part of my body causes my stomach to tighten, then he stabs my clit just the right way and my left leg jerks.

I clutch two fistfuls of bedding above me, writhing helplessly. “Oh, Sin. Oh, God.”

His fingers tighten on my thighs and he pulls my pussy against his face harder, his tongue wringing half-assed gasps and whimpers—just a string of pitiful noises out of me. Then I come for him, and I couldn’t care less what kind of noises I’m making. Wave after wave of pleasure washes over me. I can still feel him between my legs, but he’s not prodding my oversensitive parts, he’s just kissing along my lips in the sweetest way.

God, I love that.

Sated at least for the moment, I sigh with contentment. I love every second that we spend like this. I love being here in this bed with him. I want him closer, but he already seems to know that. Now that he’s done eating me out, he climbs on the bed beside me. Without delay, I turn and curl up against him, as close as I can get.

“That was wonderful. Thank you,” I murmur.

“My pleasure,” he assures me, lightly caressing my arm with his thumb as he holds me.

As my limbs begin to feel capable of supporting my weight again, I let my hand drift down between his legs so I can rub him. He’s already hard, so I unbutton and unzip his slacks, sliding my hand down the front and wrapping my fingers around his cock.

“My turn to play,” I murmur, kissing my way along his muscled chest, then circling his nipple with my tongue.

Sin closes his eyes for a moment while I work him, then he opens them and his eyes lock on me. I love when he watches me. I want to know what he’s thinking right now, but I know he won’t tell me if I ask.

I want to dive into him and swim around until I know all his secrets. I feel like I can see so much looking at him, but logically I know there’s still so much I don’t know. It doesn’t feel like anything matters outside this bubble, like I just want to forget that life exists outside of Sin’s house and build upon what we have here. I want him to possess me completely, to obliterate everything that came before him and consume me so he’s all that comes next.

It’s almost scary. It would be scary if I didn’t feel so securely attached to him, like he’s my rock. The need to express gratitude hits me hard and I release him so I can climb off the bed just long enough to tug off his pants and underwear. I need his cock in my mouth. I need to worship him and let him know how much I crave him.

Sin crawls back toward the middle of the bed so I have more room to work, and I sink between his legs. I grip his hard cock in one hand and kiss it, gently at first, and then with more fervor. I want him to feel how much I crave him, how much I adore this beautiful instrument. Stroking him close to the base, I stick my tongue out and drag it along his generous length. I lick it again beneath, then the other side, then I flatten my tongue and cover as much of his cock with it as I can.

“Fuck, Laurel.”

Satisfaction flows through me and I smile up at him, gripping his cock firmly and tugging it up and down. “You like that, baby?”

Sin nods, watching me. I feel relieved that he accepted my endearment, then express my gratitude by opening my mouth and taking the tip inside so I can I play with it. God, I love to play with him. A guttural noise rumbles from his throat and my heart soars. I want to please him more, so I take him deeper.

Sin wants some control now, so he reaches down and gathers my hair in a pony tail, wrapping it around his scarred fist and guiding my mouth over his cock. He must want my throat, because once I get a good rhythm going, he shoves his whole length to the back of my throat and holds me there while I struggle to take it. My muscles relax and I manage, then I position my tongue under him so that when he pulls my head back, my tongue caresses him.

“Mm, yes, you know I like that.”

And he knows I like when he holds onto my hair and brutally fucks my throat. Or, if he doesn’t know it, I certainly do. Even though he just got me off, I start to get turned on again as he uses my mouth for his pleasure, and when he comes, my pussy clenches like I’m the one being pleasured.

I try to pull back, but he holds my head still. “Nope, you get every last drop.”

His words make me wetter than I already was. I use my lips and tongue until he’s satisfied with my clean-up job, then he releases my hair.

I give his dick a couple more soft kisses, then I crawl up and burrow back into my spot beside him. Sin wraps his arm back around me and tugs me close, but he keeps his eyes closed, like he’s at peace. It makes me feel more fulfilled than maybe anything else ever has that I played a part in giving him that.

My arm around him tightens, but he’s still not close enough. I want him closer. I want him inside me. Not just to fuck me, I want him to live there. Somehow he is already in my blood; I’m like a junkie in this bed, yearning for my next hit.

My stomach hollows out as it hits me, the illogical, insane, ill-fated realization.

I’m in love with Sin.

Maybe I don’t know enough to love love him, but I know this feeling, this natural high. It’s the same feeling lovestruck fools dating back to forever have been hit with, the feeling that inspires poetry and music and art. I crave him. I derive so much pleasure just from his mere presence; he excites me and preoccupies me, completely dominating my thoughts. I want to know every thought that goes through his head, and share every idea that flits through mine. Mostly, I want to stay here in this bed with him, kissing his scarred knuckles and drawing pleasure out of his magnificent body forever, the rest of the world bedamned.

Could I really be in love with this man who hasn’t even kissed me? Who hasn’t even fucked me? Without even penetrating my body, could he have found a way inside me? More dangerous than sex, not as permanent as real love, but an on-ramp, a spot in my heart he shouldn’t have access to. Somehow Sin is already inside me in the way that really matters, and he seems to have found a shortcut to getting there.

Could that have really happened in just a few days?

Apparently, it can, because here I am.

Fuck.

I am in love.