Page 437 of Once Upon a Fable

Breathing hard, he sank inside me, his head pressed against mine, his trembling body pushing me against the mattress. “I’ll get better,” he breathed, thrusting the final inch into me. “One day, I’ll be able to show you how much you mean to me. I want to watch you come by your own hand while I do the same.”

I shivered as his cock struck the perfect spot inside, nudging my orgasm back into being.

I squirmed beneath him, my hips rising to meet his as his hand closed over my breast. “I look forward to it,” I moaned, settling into the rocking motion of Kas fucking me possessively, completely, lovingly.

We lost ourselves to the moment.

We climbed up the pleasure mountain and fell together, rippling with bands of pleasure, holding each other as we crashed at the bottom.

The exhaustion that I’d been battling ever since we’d left the valley returned like an entire house landed on my head.

I was home.

With the man I loved.

Who’d just stolen the rest of my coherency and was currently in my bed.

My eyes drifted closed as Kas withdrew, and I rolled onto my side. I patted the mattress behind me, fully expecting him to snuggle in close. We could shower later. We could unpack and explore later. We could eat and talk...later.

Kas didn’t spoon me, and for a second, I hovered in tiredness before the chill along my naked skin made my eyes open.

I focused on Kas.

Instantly, my exhaustion faded.

He’d already put his jeans back on and pulled his T-shirt back into place.

I sat up, yanking a silver cushion over my nudity. “Where are you going?”

Stark fear filled me that he was leaving.

That we’d just arrived but all of this was too much, too soon, too overwhelming. “If you don’t like it here, we can go—”

“It’s not that.” Grabbing one of my pillows, he held it dangling by his thigh, his eyes lingering on me, full of frustration, regret, and need. “I can’t sleep in here with you.”

I shook my head. “You slept with me in the hospital. Not once did you wake and try to hurt me.”

“I know, but I think I always knew that if I did wake up mid-strangle, a doctor would’ve come to your aid a moment later. They would’ve stopped me, and you would’ve been safe because we weren’t alone, not really.” He backed toward the door. “We’re alone here. I’m tired. My head hurts. I’ve had micro whiteouts for the past few hours. I think I should sleep alone tonight.”

Pain bruised my heart. “But what about your choice back at Fables? You said you made the choice to no longer let your nightmares control you.”

He took a moment to reply, his voice rusty and coarse. “I wish it was that simple. I’ve made more progress than I thought possible, but...I don’t know if I’m still capable of hurting you against my will. I’m not willing to risk it.”

“You won’t.”

“I don’t know that.”

“I trust you, Kas.”

He shrugged sadly. “But I don’t trust myself.” Stepping into the hallway, he murmured, “Eventually, I’ll be able to sleep right there beside you. Believe me, it’s fucking killing me to leave. But...I love you. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here. And if I did anything to harm you—” He cleared his throat, his shoulders swooping back with determination. “Good night, Gem. Thanks for welcoming me into your home. I’ll...I’ll see you in the morning, okay?”

Tears came for no other reason than I was tired and wrung out and hurting for both of us. I’d been ignoring the realities of our situation, believing he’d be cured now that we were away from Fables.

I’d been silly to think all his issues would disappear overnight.

Nodding slowly, I smiled. “I’ll see you in the morning.” I said it like a promise and a threat. “Don’t go outside until I’m with you, okay? I want to be with you when you explore your new home.”

I also, selfishly, didn’t want him seeing trees in the distance and running.