Apollo stood just outside her door. He didn’t know what he had expected, but it couldn’t end like this. His feelings were far too strong for him to let it end.
“Val,” he said. His voice cracked as he said her name.
He could hear her breathing just on the other side and rested his head against the cold door. She had wanted him. There was no question in his mind.
“I can’t,” she said quietly.
His heart ached at her words. She was for him. This was his one chance, and he couldn’t just let her walk out of his life.
Everyone else had been right. He thought that being without a woman had made him stronger than the others, but he’d been wrong. It’d made him weaker.
“All my life,” he said quietly. “I walked alone. Trying to make the most out of a situation that would never be good.”
He gave a bitter laugh at his former self.
“It never brought me anything good,” he said. “Being that person was lonely. But it didn’t matter. Because I knew one day there would be someone I could share my life with. That kept me going, kept me…maybe not happy, but at least not angry.”
The air was quiet around him as he struggled to tell her the things nestled close to his heart.
“One by one I watched the men around me find that someone,” he said. A lump formed, and he struggled to continue. “When you came, I had given up. The chances were almost zero. But there you were, defying everything that I thought.”
He thought of her sweet face and smiled.
“Whatever you might think, I’m not going away,” he said. “I’ll change. I’ll be what you need. I’ll make myself a better man, and then you’ll want me. I wasn’t always a dick, you know.”
He nodded to himself. Of course she wouldn’t want him in his current state. Everyone had said he was a dick, and now that was only coming back to bite him in the ass.
“Goodnight, Val,” he said and turned away.
Being a better man was a good goal. He finally understood what they others had gone through.
He made it to the bottom step when he heard the lock on the door click. Not daring to hope, he turned around.
She stood in the door, eyes glittering with tears, her silhouette outlined by the lights inside.
“You don’t need to make yourself a better man,” she said quietly.
He climbed up one of the steps and waited.
“I don’t want you to change,” she said and stepped out onto the porch. She didn’t stop until she was right in front of him. “I like you the way you are.”
His heart thumped in his chest.
“Well, maybe you could be less dickish at times.” She grinned, and he couldn’t help but return the smile.
“I can work on that,” he mumbled.
Val grabbed his shirt and pulled him down until their mouths were level.
“I don’t want you to go home,” she whispered.
Every nerve in his body sparked at the same time. Not even waiting, he swooped her up into his arms and carried her inside.
He kicked the door shut behind him and locked it.
Her breathing was driving him crazy. If he didn’t get her to the bedroom, he was going to have to lay her on the floor.
Love.
The feeling nearly choked her, but there was no denying it. Apollo loved her. Even if he never said it, she would always know. She could feel it pouring off him.
They entered her room, and she was grateful the bed was at least full size.
As if she was the most precious prize he had, Apollo placed her feet carefully on the floor.
Val reached down for the hem of her shirt but stopped when his hands found hers.
“I want to go slow,” he said.
“Fuck slow,” she huffed.
“That too,” he said with a grin.
She stared into his slightly glowing eyes. The color was just amazing.
“I’ve not…” He stopped, and she frowned. He was nervous.
Val placed a hand against his face and forced him to look back at her again. He seemed so vulnerable, and it made her chest ache.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in for a sweet kiss. When he leaned back, she smiled.
His unease seemed a bit better, but worry still filled the air. He pushed her gently to the bed and sat next to her.
“Val,” he said. His voice was raw with emotion. “In the facility, they tried to match up people to other Vestals. Some of the men were easier to match.” His eyes held hers, and she watched as the ring there spread to an intense glow. “And some men didn’t find a match at all.”
The worry increased, and her eyes widened.
“And you didn’t?” she asked.
He shook his head but kept staring at her. “It doesn’t mean I don’t know how, but I just want it to be good. I want to be good.”
A red hue colored his face, and she understood what he was saying.
Val leaned in and kissed him with everything she had. Her tongue slipped into his mouth, and she wove her body on top of his until she was straddling his thighs.
She sighed when his hands slipped behind her and rested on her tight ass.
When she pulled away, his eyes were like two bright yellow disks.
“Being with you will be amazing,” she said. She took his hand and led it to the damp cloth between her legs. “Just kissing you causes this.” She rubbed his hand against her wet spot and smiled at his surprised face. Her other hand found his hard length, and she ran a finger along it. “I’m sure this will feel even better.”
This time it was Apollo who closed the distance between them, his mouth hot against her own.
She gasped when the forgotten hand between her legs moved against her, rubbing the rough fabric against the sensitive nub between her legs.
She pulled her mouth away and groaned loudly. It was too much, and yet it wasn’t enough.
Val grabbed his hand. The air shifted to regret, but she ignored his emotions and pushed his hand down the front of her pants.
“Please,” she groaned in frustration.
His lust was thick in the air as his fingers slipped easily between her wet folds.
He explored her gently, rubbing all around but never nearly reaching what she needed.
Val shook with need as she lifted herself and leaned forward against him, her mouth near his ear.
“Fuck me,” she moaned.
She gasped when he slipped two fingers deep inside her. They scissored back and forth inside, stroking a spot that made her shake every time he hit it.
“How is that, baby?” he said to her, his voice low but strained.
All this time and she’d neglected him, not that she would have been able to do more. As soon as he touched her, she was a goner.
“I need more,” she said.
This time when she reached down to rip off her shirt, he didn’t bother to stop her. Her bra was next, and it was her turn to be embarrassed. She wasn’t well endowed like some women, but at least she had some.
Val looked away, but her eyes found him again after a moment.
She gasped as his mouth enclosed one hard peak. He pulled hard, and she hissed. Her orgasm was so close, but she didn’t want it to be this way.
Without warning, she stood and pulled his hand from her pants. The emptiness left her insides clenching.
She reached down and pulled his shirt over his head. Hard muscles rippled in the light. She ran her hands along them.
He growled at her touch, and she smiled. Stepping just out of reach, Val slipped out of the rest of her clothes. Standing naked in front of her made her excited and nervous all balled into one.
Apollo stood. Never in his life had he seen something so beautiful. Her cheeks were pink and lips red from their kisses. He walked to her and shuddered when she placed hot open-mouthed kisses against his chest.
Her tiny hands fumbled with the button on his pants and when she popped it open, her bright blue eyes found his. He watched as she unzipped his pants and slid them down his legs.
He stepped out and kicked them somewhere behind them.
She wrapped her hand around his thick length, and he groaned at her cool touch. The first time her mouth slipped over his hard cock, he nearly choked on his tongue. The feeling pulled at him from deep inside, and he wondered how long he’d be able to keep this up before he came.
It wasn’t like he was new to that aspect. There had been more than a few times that he had pictured her doing this very thing to him.
Before he could even think on it for too long, her mouth was gone. When he opened his eyes, she was climbing onto the bed.
“I need you,” she whispered.
That was all he needed to hear.
Without a word, he climbed onto the bed and between her legs. Like before, her heat called to him. His dick slipped between her wet folds, his head bumping her clit.
“Yes,” she whispered and stared up at him. He loved that she looked him in the eye, as if they were connected. Everything in him called to be connected in more than one way.
He continued letting his hard length slip between her folds, torturing not just himself but her as well.
“Apollo,” she said. Her nails bit into his arm as she writhed under him.
Not able to hold back and longer, he positioned his head at her opening. It was so very thick, and she was so very small.
Val smiled up at him. “It’s fine.”
He slowly pushed into her, one inch at a time, until he was fully rooted inside.
She moaned, and he started to pull back.
“No,” she shouted.
He brought his forehead to hers and panted as he waited for her.
He shifted inside her and took in a shuddered breath.
“Don’t you dare think about pulling out,” she whispered. “Now fuck me.”
She had known that was all he needed. His worry had filled the air, and he just needed to know she wasn’t going to break.
His hips slapped against her, and she locked her legs behind his back. It only seemed to encourage him more. When his hand came down and rubbed her clit hard, Val gasped and bucked hard against him, her insides just seconds away from release.
“Apollo,” she cried out, her orgasm so close.
He lifted up her hips and went faster. The friction was almost more than she could take, but soon, she was screaming his name. Her insides clamped hard over him, and he pushed into her one last time before coming. She felt his dick jerk hard inside and shuddered at the feeling of him. Tremors from her own still wracked her body.
Apollo rolled onto his back and took her with him. Still buried deep inside, she sighed and laid her head on his chest.
Their hearts beat in time.
Content.
His feelings echoed her own.
For the first time, she had the life that she always wanted.
Chapter Fourteen
The hum of the cars on the road didn’t drown out her guilty conscience as Val made her way along the outskirts of the creepy little town. She had wanted to go another way, but there was none. This was the only way out, especially if you didn’t have a car. She’d hitchhiked for a small bit, but the threatening vibe from the driver had her out of the car after not all that long.
She glanced down the road and caught her reflection in the glass of a store. She was the worst person ever. How could someone like her even exist? Apollo was more than anything she’d ever wanted, and yet she’d still run.
It didn’t matter. She couldn’t stay with him. She didn’t even know how. In the end, all she’d done her whole life was run. From foster families. From boyfriends. From any chance at friends. Thinking she’d be able to have a normal life was insane. She was anything but normal.
After several minutes, the coffee shop from the other day came into view, and she sighed. Despite the weirdness, she needed some caffeine and maybe a phone for a cab.
She stepped in front of the window and was surprised to see Jenna staring back at her.
Run? Hadn’t she already tried that? Little good it did her if she was just going to keep running into people.
She opened up the door and stepped inside.
Val glanced around and was glad the creepy waitress from the other day wasn’t working. She slipped into the seat opposite of Jenna and sighed.
“I’m surprised they let you out without a ride,” Jenna said, glancing around.
Worry was thick in the air. At least Val wasn’t the only one creeped out by the place.
“Well,” Val said and smiled when a waitress filled up the mug in front of her. When the waitress was far enough away, she continued. “I sorta took matters into my own hands.”
Jenna blinked at her a few times and frowned.
“If you hurt them…” she said in a deadly whisper.
Val shook her head vigorously. “It’s not like that,” she said quietly. “I didn’t hurt anyone.”
She frowned. That wasn’t exactly true either.
Jenna glared at her, and she could feel the suspicion cutting into her like a knife.
Her eyes welled up with tears.
“Apollo,” she said.
“Did you…?” The question hung in the air between them.
She nodded.
“I can’t do this,” Val whispered. “I’m not a family person. I wouldn’t know how to be if I tried. I’m not normal.”
Jenna crossed her arms. Her frown grew deeper. “And he is?”
Val knew this, but doubt about her own worth still ate at her.
“He could have a normal family,” she said.
Jenna raised a brow. “We are talking about the same Apollo, right?”
She tried to laugh, but it came out more as a choked sound.
He had said it. His words still rattled around in her brain. She was it. What if they were each other’s only chance? Was she willing to never see him again?
Tears dripped onto the table, and she grabbed a napkin.
“Come back with me,” Jenna said quietly. “It’s cold feet. These men can be so intense it’s a wonder that more women don’t run off.”
This time Val did laugh. They were intense. Hopefully, he would understand. She didn’t know what she was offering him, but whatever it was, she didn’t want to leave his side.
Jenna stood and walked to the counter to pay. Val followed, grateful that they were the only ones in the place.
She stared up at the news. Nothing new. Sunshine tomorrow. Maybe a new flavor. A new game on the market. The picture distorted, causing the show to flash off and on.