“So you’re not going to move in here when Cece gets her apartment?” Chaz asks me.

“Well….” I look around, feeling put on the spot.

“We’re going to take it one day at a time,” Talon says, giving my shoulder a squeeze. “Mia knows I want her here with me, but I’m not going to pressure her if she’s not ready.”

“Is Bax single?” Mom blurts, looking at Talon like he’s solely responsible for ending world hunger.

“Mom,” Cece snaps, knowing where she’s going with that question.

“What?” Mom snaps back. “He’s very handsome, is obviously a hard worker, and he’s Talon’s brother, so they’re probably a lot alike.”

“Just stop, Mom.” Cece pushes away from the table to stand and starts for the door, saying over her shoulder, “I’m gonna go check on my girls.”

“I was just asking.” Mom sighs when Chaz shakes his head at her.

“Cece has enough guy problems right now, don’t you think?” he asks her.

“I just want her to be happy,” Mom says quietly, and he covers her hand on the table with his.

“I think you more than anyone knows she’s not gonna find that in a man. She needs to find it in herself,” he says gently, and my fingers wrap around Talon’s thigh and dig in.

“You’re right.” Mom drops her head toward him, and he kisses her forehead.

Watching them in that moment, I know exactly why my mom fell in love with him, and I have to admit I love him even more than I already did, which was a whole hell of a lot. It takes a special kind of man to understand they can add to your life but they can’t be your life. One thing I’ve been learning with the help of the man at my side is that you have to find happiness and contentment within yourself before you are ever able to make anyone else happy, but if you’re lucky, you’ll find someone who is willing to wait for you while you figure things out.

CHAPTER 18

Talon

WITH MY HAND in Mia’s hair and her kneeling between my legs, I watch as she wraps her lips around my cock, sucking the tip and flicking the head before taking me fully into her mouth. Between her hunger and skill, every time she puts her mouth on me, I fight the urge to come immediately. “Goddamn, Mia,” I hiss, my head falling back, unable to hold it up as she twists her hand in sync with every upward stroke of her mouth. I right my head when her hand on my thigh moves, and groan as she slides it between her legs. Knowing how sweet she tastes and wanting her on my tongue, I pull her off my cock, ignoring her protest, and drag her up over my mouth.

“I was doing something,” she complains, with her hips jerking as I run a finger through her folds and circle her clit. I place my hands on her inner thighs, spreading her open and licking up her center. “Oh God.”

“What were you saying, baby?” I ask, and her eyes meet mine and narrow.

“Don’t stop,” she pants, and I lick her again and focus on her clit, flicking it with my tongue while looking up her body. Her head is back, and her hands are covering her tits, tugging her nipples.

“Talon!” she shouts, dropping her head forward, and I hold her gaze as I bury my tongue inside her. Then I groan when she comes, her hips jerking and thighs shaking. Kissing her inner thigh, I expect it to take a minute for her to recover as I start to move her, but before I have a chance to change our position, she straddles my hips, wraps her hand around my cock, and sinks down on my length.

“Fuck, Mia.” My body jerks as her tight, wet heat strangles my cock, and I wrap my hands around her hips to hold her steady before she can move. When her eyes meet mine, the wild look she gives me proves she’s half out of her mind with lust. “We keep fucking bare, Mia, and I’m gonna get you pregnant.”

My cock twitches at the idea of her carrying my child, and her walls spasm in response. Without responding to my statement, she falls forward, her mouth covering mine as she lifts her hips and falls back down my length in slow, steady movements that are driving me half out my mind.

Needing more, I flip her to her back, get up on my knees, then spin her to her belly, placing her legs on either side of mine and lifting her up by her hips. As soon as I’m in position, I sink into her in one harsh thrust then skim my hand up her back to her shoulder and pull her up. “I’m guessing, since you didn’t make me get a condom, that you’re good with having my baby,” I say harshly, fucking into her hard, and she moans, reaching her hands behind me to grab my ass. Nipping her neck, I wrap my arms around her, one moving to her breast and tugging her nipple, the other taking hold of her jaw and turning her head my way until her gaze meets mine. “I’m not fucking around anymore, Mia. If you’re willing to give me that, you can move in with me, wear my ring, and be my wife.” I kiss her, thrusting my tongue between her lips before she can reply. Releasing her jaw, I slide my hand down over her stomach to between her legs, finding her clit with my middle finger.

“Talon.” She covers my hand with hers, and I curse as her fingers cover mine as I sink into her. She turns her head my way. “I love you.”

“I know, baby.” I kiss her as she leans up for my mouth, and like it happens almost every time with her, she comes, and I jump over the edge with her, always willing to follow her. My hips jerk, and I hold her tighter as her cries fill the air. Sweaty, sated, with my heart pounding hard and my breaths coming in harsh pants, I collapse forward onto the bed, taking her with me, unwilling to lose our connection.

“No,” she whispers when I try to move, sure my weight is too much for her. “Just give me a minute.” She grabs my hand and links our fingers, pulling it up against her chest. I don’t fight her; instead, I kiss the lobe of her ear and relax against her, listening to her breathing slow to normal. “Are you sure about me moving in?” she asks, cutting through the silence, and my eyes slide closed.

“You know I’m sure, baby.”

“Okay,” she says quietly, then her breath evens out and it takes me a minute to realize she’s fallen asleep. Not wanting to wake her, I carefully dislodge myself from her hold and get up, tossing the blanket over her before going to the bathroom. After I grab a washrag and clean her up, I shut off the bathroom light and climb into bed, pulling her against me. She nuzzles into my side and curves her arm around my waist, giving it a squeeze. “I’m moving in, so we need to go shopping,” she says, sounding half asleep, and I smile at the ceiling.

“God, I hate that sound,” Mia, who’s pinned under me, moans, dragging the pillow over her head as I reach behind me for my cell to turn off my alarm. “How is it already morning?”

Laughing, I pull the pillow from her grasp and cup her cheek as her eyes blink open to meet mine. “Do you wanna shower?”

“Since I can’t go back to sleep, I might as well get an orgasm for having to wake up.” She touches her finger to the dimple in my chin then runs it along my bottom lip. “You’ve been running on less sleep than I’ve been. How are you not tired?”

“I’m running on adrenalin. It’s always been that way with me. When there’s work to do, I’m focused on getting it done, because I know there will be downtime when I can do nothing but relax.”