Page 30 of Blaze

Fuck, I hope I can turn that into a yes as soon as possible.My chest tightens at the thought of her leaving.

I climb onto the bed and straddle her legs so I can be closer to her.I like surrounding her.I like the way her breath hitches when I do so and the way she leans back and looks at me, trusting me.

She’s breathing heavier already.

Nodding toward the wall opposite us, I say, “I also claimed the room next to this one.”

She giggles.“Is that why there’s a door drawn on the wall in chalk?”

“Yep.”I lower my face to her neck and inhale her scent.The first thing I’m going to do is unpack her toiletries into our bathroom so that after her next bath, she’ll smell like her usual self.I want to know that scent.

“Why are you telling me about the next room, Blaze?”she asks softly, her small hands coming to my shoulders.

I nuzzle her neck and kiss her, making her shiver.“All my cousins claimed two rooms.”

“Ahh…” Her hands smooth down to my biceps.“Because they’re all pregnant.They need nurseries.”

“Exactly.”I kiss her before nipping at her earlobe.“We’ll need one, too.”

She whimpers.It’s a good sign.This Phoenix idea needs kicking to the curb.I hate it.

There’s no doubt I’m pushing her.I only met her yesterday.She’s injured.But she also melts for me, and she’s not running.Granted, she can’t exactly run.She’s injured, but she hasn’t told me to get the fuck out.

Because she feels our connection, too.

Her head drops back, and she tips it to one side, giving me better access to her neck.“Blaze…” Her fingers trail to the hem of my T-shirt, and she eases them under it and up to my chest.

She can touch me like this any time she wants.Having her palms on me is heavenly.I was just existing until I met her.Going through life.Work.Gym.Home.The occasional night out.Nothing was happening.I had no prospects.

Now that I’ve found Victoria, I’m invigorated.Alive.I wanteverythingwith her, and I want it now.“You’re mine…”

“You keep saying that.”

I kiss her neck again, nibbling a path to her mouth where I whisper against her lips, “If I say it enough, maybe you’ll believe me.”

She slides her hands around to my back.“It’s possible.”

I grin.“Good.”I take her mouth, consuming her, swallowing her moans.

She writhes beneath me, her fingertips gripping my shoulder blades.

It’s hard to stop, but I finally break away.“I’m supposed to be feeding you,” I murmur against her mouth.

“Mmm.”Her eyes are heavily lidded.Fuck, she’s gorgeous.Even better when she’s aroused.

Eventually, I force myself to hop off the bed.“Food.”

She giggles, her cheeks rosy from arousal.Sexy.Especially when she bites into her bottom lip and looks down, embarrassed.Cute.

I grab the tray and settle it over her thighs like I have for each meal so far.This time, nothing is going to spill.We don’t have to be as careful.I brought water bottles, sandwiches, chips, and cookies.

When I lift the lid off the platter, Victoria gasps.“Gretchen really does make her own bread and chips.”

“Yep.She’s a culinary goddess.I know Ryder immediately started paying her way more than our stingy grandfather ever paid her, but some days I wonder what the hell she’s doing managing a dilapidated structure like this when she could run her own restaurant.”

“No kidding.How long has she worked here?”

“All her adult life.She’s been the house manager for thirty years.She took over that position from her mother when she passed.Before that, Gretchen was on staff working with her mother.I think she was about twenty when she started.”