Page 83 of The Catch

I'm the one moaning now.

"What rule of dating casually is this?" She asks.

The universe is set to break me tonight. It makes a caricature of my heart and the times I fantasized about commitment.

I should be happy she expects this to end in the near future. It should make things easier. It's what I wanted, when I heard her in her room. For her to understand it wouldn't go anywhere. Now she's the one not wanting this to last. I should be content with taking what I can and making a few life-changing memories.

I should be happy, but I'm not. I'm resigned. She'll move on, and I'll have to find my way back to dating casually.

"Rule number four," I growl. "He better be fucking devout. Pleasing you has to be all he cares about. You deserve nothing less."

I clench my jaw. My cock pulses in her hand.

Our eyes lock and I beg for mercy.

Chapter 28

Ames

Saint stands in front of me, tension straining his shoulders and arms. Chest and abs. Fisted hands. He's holding on by a thread, while giving me total control. The power of it runs through me with white-hot electricity, and it's lightning coursing through my nerves, crackling and demanding that I give in.

If this is what he makes everyone feel— if this is how he offers himself to the people he has sex with— then it's no wonder he can have anyone he wants and they all would do anything to be with him.

I'm giving all of myself to him, too, like everyone else.

"How many people have you slept with?" I ask as I stroke his cock.

He moans. "Why are you thinking of them? I— God— I am not."

"Did you lose count, Saint?"

Jealousy flares up in the pit of my stomach. It tints my blood green. Again, a part of me forgets that Saint has every right to date a million people if he so wishes, and I have no right to covet his attention. His choice. His affection.

"Ames. Please."

His throat wobbles again and I wrap my free hand around his neck.

If I'm going to be possessive, I'll give in to it for tonight. This moment with Saint could be pure ecstasy, and I won't let anything get in the way.

"All my life," I say. "I did everything right in love. I prioritized my relationships with these men who I thought were so sensitive they had to be emotionally mature. I thought I was doing so much better than my parents. All I did was settle."

I slide my hand to his collarbones, and run a thumb over his chain.

"I don't want to settle again." I frown. "Never."

"Never settle, Ames." His voice is hoarse. "The moment you're not happy, you walk away."

He's earnest. Tremors flutter over his chest.

One of my hands still rubs his erection. I set a faster pace and he closes his eyes.

"If you—" he tries. "Fuck. If you are in any— any way unfulfilled—"

"Is my hand distracting you, Gael?"

"I'm trying to— have this conversation with you—"

"Why?" I close my fingers around the shaft as well as I can, and stroke the head with a firm thumb.