“I’m yours for as long as you want me.”

I nod, swallowing hard against the lump in my throat. “Okay.”

His eyes heat when he moves across the floor, erasing the distance between us. They travel along my body as if they’re mapping what I look like now. We’ve both changed physically since we separated. I’ve lost weight because money has been tight, and Cain’s bulked up a lot. “Tell me a word. One that you’ll say if I do something you don’t like.”

“A safe word?” I ask, brows furrowed. We’ve never had one of those before, never even discussed it. Immediately my body warms.

“Yeah,” he licks his lips. “A safe word. I’m always going to be a man of the law, and I’m gonna need that word. If I let my darkest thoughts out of the bag, I’ll need a way to reel them back in, if you don’t agree.”

His words are surprising. What has he been hiding under that good guy image, and badge? Has he been who I wanted all along, but he didn’t feel comfortable enough to show this side of himself? Rolling my lips together, I think about what I’ll use.

“I’m waiting, Ris. Give. Me. The. Word.”

A smirk works its way across my face. “Pages. That’s my word.” I don’t add that the reason I have so much confidence in myself now is because of what I read in the pages of the books I love.

He scoffs, tilting his head back, before bringing it forward to look into my eyes. He inhales, his nose flaring. “I’ll give you one more chance to back out of this.”

“I don’t want to back out of it.” I shake my head. 

His finger rubs at his lips. “Do you want me to take care of you one more time? For the two barely-twenties kids who had no idea what they were doing, but desperately loved each other?”

Taking care of me sounds like something I want him to do. I nod, pulling my lips in between my teeth. “Yeah, take care of me, Cain.”

I watch as his eyelids drop into hoods. Those eyes of his roam all the way down to my toes, and then back up to my face. He widens his stance so that we’re looking at one another direct. In a way we haven’t for months. My chest pumps up and down as I wait for him to make a move. Nipples tighten against the material of the shirt I’m wearing, and my pussy clenches. I’ve never been as turned on as I am right now, and he hasn’t even touched me.

Leaning forward, he digs a hand into my hair, pulling my head back so that I’m looking up at him. “Remember that safe word, because I’m going to push your boundaries tonight, Ris. The way I’ve wanted to for a long time.”

The heat in his eyes is this side of dangerous, and I want this more than I’ve ever wanted anything. “Please…”

Dropping his lips onto mine, he takes this kiss. He owns my mouth as he slants his over mine. Pulling my lips apart, he slides his tongue against the roof of mouth. I reach out, gripping his uniform shirt in between my fingers. Holding on for dear life, because I feel like I’m about to swoon. The kiss is aggressive, with some anger attached to it. Which is understandable. He didn’t want the separation, or the divorce. It was all me.