Free Midnight Heat (Black Phoenix Book 2) by Sarah Grimm

his hand in her hair, slid the other down her body to cup her breast, rasping his thumb back and forth over her nipple, making it stand at attention. She couldn’t hold back her moan.
    His kiss was as powerful as ever, more so, for she knew where it could lead. He played her body better than anyone before or after him, knowing just where to touch and for how long. The depth of penetration to send her over the edge again and again.
    Right before he slipped out the door and disappeared.
    Again.
    For the second time that night, Rebecca pushed free of a man’s embrace.
    Shifting away, she walked a few steps before turning back and finding his gaze on hers, silent and assessing. She dropped hers to the bulge filling out the front of his jeans and her throat tightened. She ached with the need to touch him, open her body to him.
    Only self-preservation kept her still.
    “I can’t do this again, Dominic. Do you have any idea what you did to me? How low I sank, crying all over Noah, begging him to tell me where you’d gone, how I could find you?”
    His body tightened, making it very clear this was the first he’d heard any of it. “Noah?”
    “He didn’t tell you about that? I went looking for you at Noah’s.” He’d lived in Sacramento then, not far from her condo. “The minute he opened the door I knew you were never coming back. It was written all over his face.”
    “Rebecca—”
    “Go away, Dom.”
    He hadn’t taken his gaze off her, and his eyes were filled with frustration, hunger, and bewilderment. “I did come back.”
    She shook her head. “Why now? For nearly three years you’ve been content not to be with me.”
    “The hell I was.”
    “You never—”
    “I called you. You shut me out.”
    “You called me? You called me?” Rebecca had to purposely draw in a breath and let it out again. She was trembling, her body vibrating. “Four months, Dominic. You called me four months after you walked out.”
    “I never meant to hurt you,” he said, his voice gentling.
    “Never meant to hurt me? You made love to me, led me to believe I was important to you and then you walked away without a word.” The backs of her eyes stung with disappointment and grief. “Damn you. I told you I loved you. Do you remember what you said to me?”
    “I remember,” he whispered.
    “ Fuck .” He flinched. “I told you I loved you and you said fuck .”
    “Becca, please.” He scrubbed a hand over his face as she continued, tossing his words back in his face.
    “No, I believe it was, ‘Why do women always have to do that?’ ” Just saying the words again brought back the agony she’d experienced at first hearing them. Her stomach soured. Her breath hitched. “You felt the need to point out how many times you’d heard the words, but I’d never said them before. Do you have any idea how difficult it was for me to tell you?”
    Dominic heaved a breath and his shoulders fell. “I know. I know that now. I’m sorry.”
    “I’d waited nearly all my life to tell someone I love them and what did you do? You walked out. No goodbye. Fuck off. Nothing.” She shook her head, wanting so badly to understand. “Was it that horrible? The thought of loving…of me loving you that you ran all the way back to London?”
    “Damn it,” he stalked away, pivoted and stalked back. “I was scared, okay? Afraid to admit you mattered to me. Afraid that you might not…” His voice was tight, desperate as he continued. “I was afraid and I ran. A mistake, yes, but one I’ve had to live with ever since. I can’t even look at another woman without comparing her to you. I haven’t had sex with anyone but my own fist in three years.”
    She startled for a minute, but only a minute. How was she to believe him after the ease with which he’d walked away? “Bullshit.”
    “It’s true. The only sexual gratification I’ve had is tossing off in the shower.”
    Once upon a time the sun rose and set with him. No more. She didn’t