I closed the little space between us and tugged on his already loosened jeans until I realized he was still wearing his boots. I loved his boots. “You need to take those off,” I reminded him.

He smirked, bent down, and pulled them both off with ease. “Done.”

He made me feel as if I could ask him anything and he would do it. That was a powerful yet humbling emotion. I continued pulling his jeans down, pausing to appreciate his muscular thighs and perfect calves.

I stood up, glancing at his boxers. My cheeks felt warm as I touched them and gently began pulling them down. I could hear Mase’s breathing hitch, and that sent a shiver of anticipation through me. My being close to him like this—especially his penis—excited him. That was a powerful feeling for me, too. Knowing he liked it when I took my time, I paused and glanced up at him when I had the boxers low enough to expose him. His eyes were heated with excitement.

Leaning in, I pressed a kiss to the swollen red tip.

“Fuck, baby,” he groaned.

I liked that. No, I loved that.

I continued moving his boxers down his legs, then stood up and touched his stomach as I ran my hands up his chest. His hands settled on my hips.

“Let me take you to bed,” he said, pulling me flush up against him.

“OK,” I whispered.

He picked me up and held me closely to his chest as he walked me to his room, my legs wrapped around his waist. His mouth covered mine in a hungry kiss before he laid me down gently on the king-size bed.

I stared up at him, letting my legs fall open as I held my hands up for him. I wanted him covering me. Completing me.

Mase fell into my arms immediately.

“I love you,” he said fervently as he kissed my neck. “I love you so much I can’t breathe. You are my heart, Reese. My life.” He continued to kiss a trail down my neck until he was nibbling at my collarbone.

“Mase,” I moaned, lifting my hips. I wanted more. I wanted him inside me. Filling me.

He slipped a hand between my legs, and his finger slid inside. “So fucking wet. Damn,” he groaned. He took that same finger, slipped it into his mouth, and sucked on it before lowering himself until I felt the tip of his hardness press against me.

This was what I needed. This connection.

He slowly sank into me, stretching me with his size. The muscles in his arms bulged, and he closed his eyes tightly. I watched his beautiful face. The tight clenching of his jaw and the vein in his neck. All of it made me hum with pleasure.

When he was finally deep inside me, his eyes opened, and he met my gaze. There was so much emotion in them that I felt my own eyes start to tear up. He didn’t have to tell me how he felt about me—I could see it. He bared it all to me in that moment, and I knew it.

“Wrap your legs around me,” he said in a hoarse whisper as he lowered himself even further. His mouth brushed my ear.

I did as I was told.

“So good,” he said, whispering his praise.

I held on to his shoulders, ready for him to move inside me. I knew it would be so incredible—more than incredible, really; there was no way to describe how I felt during sex with Mase.

“Keep those legs open wide, baby. Let me love you until you can’t remember your name.”

With those words, he nearly brought me to the brink of an orgasm. Was that even possible?

“Sweet, just like that. Let me make you feel good. I want you to reach heaven the way I do when I’m buried inside you.”

I started to assure him I was there, that I knew what he was feeling, but his hips rocked, and I lost all thoughts and the ability to breathe as I held on tight. He made growling sounds of pleasure as he sent sparks of heat through me.

When the first orgasm crashed over me, he scooped me against his chest and whispered how beautiful I was and other sweet things I couldn’t quite remember—his words and the steady rhythm of his movements were already bringing me to my next orgasm. Quickly. I held him close, clinging to him for dear life.

By the time the third one hit me, Mase roared and cried out my name as his body shook with his own orgasm. He pressed his face into my neck as he gasped for air.

Feeling him fall apart over me made me tremble with pleasure once more, before we collapsed together, our hearts thudding wildly.

The sound of knocking broke into my dreams as I forced my eyes open. I looked around in the darkness of the room, Mase’s warm body pressed against mine as I lay wrapped in his arms. After the third time we’d made love last night, we had both passed out.

Mase groaned and blinked his eyes open. “What the . . . ?” his sleepy voice asked.

“Mase!” a woman’s voice called out. I recognized it. Aida was here. “Open up. I brought food.”

“Shit,” he growled as he eased out of bed. He walked over to the closet and grabbed a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. When he turned back to me, he gave me a pleased grin. “You hungry?”

I was sleepy but hungry, too. It looked like we had slept past dinner. I nodded.

“I’ll get your suitcase. Take your time getting dressed. I’ll fix your plate,” he said, bending down to press a kiss to my lips.

Mase left the room. I lay there, tucked into blankets that smelled like him.

I could hear Aida at the front door as her voice filled the house. “What took you so long? I brought you food. I’d think you’d be more grateful.”

“Thanks,” he said flatly.

“Where you going?”

“Bringing Reese her suitcase,” he replied as his footsteps made their way back to the bedroom.