Total pages in book: 120
Estimated words: 112917 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 565(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112917 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 565(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 376(@300wpm)
When he sucked me deep into his mouth, I moved my hand around to cup the back of his head, trying my hardest not to yank him onto my dick.
He took me in too deep and gagged, pulling off for a moment to catch his breath and then lowering himself again. The warm, wet clasp of his mouth and throat sent me soaring until I choked out his name and came down his throat.
Breaths heaved in my chest as my legs quivered. Zane crawled up my body and kissed my chest, neck, and cheek. “S’okay?”
I grabbed the back of his head and kissed him again, even though the skin of my lips was tender from all the kissing we’d already done. “Better than okay. It was fine.”
He pulled back and glared, which only made me laugh.
“Now you know how it feels to hear that word.”
He let out a mpfh and settled down to lie on my chest. His fingers played in my chest hair as we both calmed down from the excitement.
I wasn’t sure when I’d ever been this relaxed, this content and ebullient all at the same time. It was blissful…
For about ten minutes.
Zane moved off me with a sigh. “I’d better go clean up.” He took a step toward the bathroom, then paused and shifted his weight from foot to foot. “Er… thank you, Bear. I’ll see you in the morning?”
I blinked at him. Was he giving me the brush-off?
I sat up and moved to the edge of the bed to watch him go. The pale globes of his ass flared out slightly below his slender waist and back.
He paused at the doorway to the bathroom as if waiting for my response, and I pulled myself out of my daze.
“Oh. Uh, sure. I’ll just… go.”
Zane nodded and continued into the bathroom, closing the door behind him.
I stared at the closed door for a beat, feeling off-balance and unsure. Was he having regrets? Was this a simple desire not to share a bed while sleeping? Was he scared I was going to expect more from him than he was willing to give?
Was he rejecting me? Or was he worried that I would reject him, and he was trying to beat me to the punch?
What the hell was that?
I wanted to stay and ask him, to press him for an explanation and assure him that I would respect whatever wishes he had, but then I realized he’d already made his wishes clear.
And he wished to see me in the morning. Not tonight.
Not right now.
I stood up and gathered my clothes before making my way to my own bedroom.
It took me hours to fall asleep. For as many years as I’d spent on hyper-alert, I’d never been so tuned in to trying to hear something as I was when I listened for Zane that night.
But he didn’t call.
FIFTEEN
ZANE
When brown bears flash an open-mouth grin, it usually means, ‘‘Let’s play!” But if they happen to spot a tasty snack—for example, a camper’s sausage—that playful expression is just as likely to mean, ‘Get in my mouth!’ Bears are ravenous creatures, and their appetites for their favorite treats are never satisfied.
—Bear Facts for Insomniacs, Episode 7
My hands shook as I turned on the water in the sink and attempted to brush my teeth. I was feeling completely topsy-turvy and out of sorts. We’d agreed to hook up for practice. Temporarily. But when I’d lain there with my head on Bear’s chest, enjoying the aftermath of our first practice session, suddenly, a tidal wave of doubts had washed over me.
I’d realized he hadn’t said much about what he wanted and what he was okay with. He’d kissed me after I’d suggested the agreement, but he hadn’t actually said much of anything. What if… what if he hadn’t felt like he was in a position to say no?
I shook my head at myself in the mirror. No. He definitely wanted it. There was no doubt in my mind he’d been turned on and totally down for the hookup… er, practice. He’d said he wanted a repeat. He’d said… he’d said I was beautiful.
And I’d taken those kind words and run with them. I’d erected beautiful imaginary castles in the air in my mind—happily ever afters in which I had a big grumpy bear looking out for me and I was the center of Ryan Galloway’s world. I’d done the stupid thing where I’d jumped from a one-night hookup to… well, everything dreamy and rainbow-colored.
A fairy tale.
But that wasn’t the way the real world was. In the real world, hookups didn’t have to mean anything. Guys fucked, exchanged happy orgasms, and went their separate ways. They didn’t… necessarily… demand cuddles and beg the other guy to stay all night.
Did they?
Certainly not when they’d just agreed to a temporary agreement of sorts.