Throughout the night, I stirred. Even without finishing my cup of tea, I found myself tiptoeing around the darkened bedroom to use the toilet. The first time was when I remembered I hadn't brushed my teeth before bed so needed a 'just in case pee'. After that it seemed like I had to go on the hour. Although that was a slight exaggeration. More like every couple.

After my third or fourth bathroom trip, I stood in the doorway, a slither of moonlight seeping through the room, and watched the rise and fall of Daan's chest under the thin white sheet. Each time I left the bed, I feared he would wake but he slept so soundly, I almost thought he was pretending. Not even a brief snore or grunt.

I edged the side of the bed and carefully slipped under the thin cover, pulling up the duvet Daan had kicked down to his feet earlier in the night. His breathing deepened and he turned towards me shortly after I settled beside him. After staring at his back for most of the night, I welcomed the new angle so I could admire the outline of his face without being caught. When would I get this chance again?

I shuffled closer, his breath tickling my forehead while I glanced at his slightly parted lips. Was this too much? I yearned to touch him. My skin heated and the covers were almost unbearable. I willed my eyes to close but it was pointless. I wanted too much.

His dark, long lashes rested against his cheeks and twitched every so often. The hollow at the base of his throat sunk and rose rhythmically. But nothing else on his body moved. Would he feel this? I reached out to brush my knuckles along his jaw, but stopped myself before making contact. Wake up.

I stayed like that for a few more minutes and the stillness in the room grew uncomfortable. My heart pounded in my chest and for a while, all I could hear was my pulse echoing in my ears.

Then I felt it. Him.

Daan moved towards me by only a fraction and placed his hand on my bare thigh, below the hem of my shorts, setting that inch of skin aflame.

"Are you awake?" I whispered gently, worried I would actually wake him if he wasn't. Please be awake.

"You make too much noise," he mumbled back, sleep still thick in his voice.

"Sorry."

"It's okay." His thumb moved back and forth and my stomach dipped-like when you go over a speed bump too fast in the car. A sensation that took you off guard but you wanted to recreate over and over again. "Why are you still awake?"

A sweet fire burned slowly under my skin and my focus was all on that thumb. "I can't sleep."

"Have you even fallen asleep once?" His fingers trailed further down my leg, drawing small circles in a way only a lover would.

"No."

He opened his eyes and by the looks of it, he hadn't actually been sleeping much either. "Can I do anything to help you fall asleep?"

When I didn't answer, he brushed the hair out of my face and rested his hand on my cheek. "Turn around and I'll hold you until you do."

I closed my eyes and nodded once in agreement, spinning around so my back was flush with his front.

"Is this okay?" He asked into my shoulder, sending a shiver down my spine. His hand moved to my side, hovering just above my hip bone and he dipped his pinky below the waistband of my shorts.

"Yeah." No. I didn't want him to go slow or to hesitate, but feared that if I voiced my thoughts out loud, I would scare us both into stopping.

His lips were so close to my neck. One shift and I would feel them on my skin. I tilted my head to the side, praying he read my mind but instead his chin took its place. His hand drifted to my lower belly, renewing the lazy circles he had traced on my thigh but the timid strokes grew bolder as he inched closer to the underside of my breast. My entire body was restless. I throbbed at the thought of where those fingers could go next.

I wasn't sure who moved first. Either I had arched my back into him or he had pushed himself into me. But there was no denying what I felt. He hardened against me and I grew wetter with that knowledge.

"Noa..." he breathed hard against my shoulder, followed by his lips trailing up my neck. He sucked on a spot below my ear, my toes curled, and a low moan escaped my mouth.

I'd think about what this meant after. Because at that moment, all I wanted was to feel him around me, in me, over me. I didn't want to think at all.

My blood slowly reached boiling point until I noticed the absence of his hand on my stomach. Half expecting him to stop, I stilled and the anticipation of his next touch only heightened my need for him.

He grabbed my jaw, twisting my head to the side so he could reach, and his mouth searched mine in the dark. I whimpered at the contact of our lips crashing together and the taste of his kiss flowed down my chest, flooding my lungs, my heart, my gut.

A memory of us hit me and we were once again sticky summer nights and electric storm-filled skies. He was everywhere at once.

His hand moved down my neck, the friction sending me over a ledge I didn't know I wanted to jump just yet. He palmed my breast and the pressure wasn't enough. Harder. Softer. More. Just more of everything.

Daan Booker could set my world on fire and I wouldn't care.

Warm slickness ached between my legs as our kiss grew deeper and deeper until we were both breathless.

I didn't need air for where I was going.

Nails dug into my hip, and I pictured each crescent moon it would temporarily leave there. But should they become permanent like scars I would treasure them.

He pushed my sleep shorts partway down my legs one handed and used his foot to get them all the way off.

"I want to touch you." I reached behind me for the waistband of his boxers but he moved slightly away.

"Don't worry about me, right now."

I rolled my hips against him, loving the sensation of his length growing hotter and thicker between my bare arse cheeks while his fingers found my clit. He teased the moisture pooling in my core and ran the pad of his finger back to rub tiny circles around my sensitive bud.

The fabric of my vest tightened under my armpit as I tugged it further up, releasing my heavy breasts. Brushing my palm down over them, I stopped to pinch a nipple between my index and middle finger and rolled it back and forth, enjoying the ache it left behind.

A low voltage vibration hummed from my feet and gradually crept up my legs, and hovered part way up my thighs. I was so close. On the brink of an orgasm and all I needed was a push.

"Fuck, you're so wet." He groaned into my ear and the hard edge of his cock rocked against me. Sweat dripped down my spine and stuck to his chest.

Daan's mouth latched onto my shoulder and he bit down lightly. The added pain shot straight down between my legs and I dug my nails into the edge of the bed.

"Ah, again."

Daan kept up the tempo of his fingers and bit once more into my skin.

"Shit." A blissful soreness seared the apex of my thighs and I shuddered. "Fuck," I panted, covering my eyes with the back of my arm. "Shit." A burst of pleasure wracked through and I arched my back, crying out.

Daan buried his face into the crook of my neck and released a raspy chuckle.

"Don't laugh." But in the moment, I couldn't help laughing along with him as I came down from my high.

"Can't help it. You're too cute. You never swear and then you can't stop when you come."

I turned in his arms and hooked my leg over his thigh. "But it's not funny." I smiled and closed my eyes, still catching my breath.

"Okay. Not funny." His kiss started off painfully and deliciously slow. Like I was a fine dessert he wanted to savour. "This is only the start," he mumbled over the dip between my breasts before his tongue flicked my hardened nipple.

"That's okay. I'm still your girlfriend for a few more hours." I smiled down and buried my hand into his hair as his head lowered between my parted legs.

Just a few more hours before reality crashes down. The last drops of alcohol in my system evaporated as my orgasm hit and I wasn't prepared to face why I'd given into Daan so easily.

***

Before regret seeped into my thoughts, Daan climbed over my sated body, planting kisses on each breast on the way. I tilted my head to the side and watched him move across the room as I lay there naked and waiting. He unzipped the front of his suitcase, his hand disappearing into the pocket and emerged with a box of condoms.

The only reason I was so okay with all this was because I hadn't had sex in a while. That had to be it. Unconsciously, I was listening to Selene and had decided to let off some steam. She would be so proud of me. This meant nothing. Nothing more than sex-fantastic sex-between two consenting adults.

"A bit presumptuous. So you knew I'd sleep with you?" I laughed lightly, licking my lips, still breathing heavily.

"You can call it that but I'll call it hopeful." He shrugged, sliding the condom over his erect penis. The shadows and moonlight licking his skin as he walked back towards me only enhanced the corded muscles on his forearms and my core raged with heated want.

Just sex. Just to get him out of my system one last time. I kept repeating to myself while my insides clenched and my pulse quickened.

He climbed back on top of me but before he fully nestled between my legs, he pulled a pillow from his side of the bed and tucked it under my lifted pelvis.

"Trust me, okay. You'll love it."

"Shh. Don't tell me. Just do it." I smiled and reached out to touch his hard stomach.

That was my weakness. This body and those looks. And while playing pretend, my heart forgot to protect itself because nothing good could come from this. But sometimes we all craved a touch of wicked and Daan had all the potential to be the wickedest.

He rubbed the head of his cock repeatedly over my wetness and we both groaned.

"Don't tease me, Daan," I moaned against his lips, pulling his head closer to me. "I want you inside me."

He tugged on my bottom lip with his teeth. "I won't," he smirked, kissing down my neck. "I'll leave the teasing to you."

The first inch was the sweetest, as my body let out a sigh of relief. I'd forgotten how good it felt to finally give in to lust. When his next inches sunk in, my body flew-sparks firing in all directions. My back arched off the bed, pushing my pelvis further into him.

With the pillow under my hips, his pubic bone pressed against my clit. My inner muscles rippled around his erection as he pushed himself deeper. The head of his cock brushed against my G spot and I forced myself to keep my eyes on his. He gripped the side of my face with one hand-my hip with the other-and a whimper left my mouth. His fixed gaze was almost too much, as it seemed to delve below the surface, searching for more than I had to offer him.

Overcome with the need to run away from the pricking burn in my limbs-or to bury myself further into him so I never had to leave-I rocked my hips for relief and to heighten the sensation enough to drown all unwelcome thoughts.

I kissed him hard, unable to take anymore of his dark stare and focussed on enjoying the stretching in my muscles and his fullness as he picked up the pace. Pulling all the way out, he gave me no time to calm my racing heart as he slammed back into me.

A wave of heat travelled through my body-sweat marking my skin-and I shuddered underneath him. My chin tilted up and my mouth parted into a silent O.

Daan pulled my bottom lip between his teeth and moved harder, but not faster, into me. My heels dug into the mattress as my pussy clamped around him and I climbed into my orgasm. He rolled his hips, his hands trembling while holding onto me and we crashed into each other when he found his own release.

Neither one of us spoke as he laid his head on my chest and I curled my fingers around the strands of his dark, damp hair. His shallow breaths feathered across my skin like a ghost and we both gave in to sleep not knowing where this would leave us tomorrow.

How could Daan ever be a mistake if this felt so sinfully right?

***

Damn Daan! 🔥
Have I already mentioned how much I loved writing these chapters?