Free In His Shadow (Tangled Ivy Book 1) by Tiffany Snow

way she knew how.
    And to save me.
    Some days the guilt was enough to paralyze me.
    Normally, I’d go crawl into bed with Logan when nightmares from my past visited me in the dead of night, but he’d already dealt with one crisis of mine today and he had to be up early for work in the morning.
    Knowing I wouldn’t be able to sleep, I climbed out of bed and headed to the bathroom. A long, steaming shower would relax me, and maybe temporarily wash away the terrors of the past.
    I piled my hair on top of my head and stepped under the hot spray, just this side of scalding. A sigh escaped me. I tried to clear my mind. I didn’t want to think about the past or remember the look on my mom’s face as she watched me from the porch as I pedaled away that fateful morning.
    The next day, I’d gone to live with my grandparents.
    I was crying without even realizing it, the water mixing with the tears sliding down my cheeks. So many memories and remembered horrors streamed through my mind, and overwhelming it all was a nearly crippling grief for my mother and guilt that she’d done what she had for me.
    Hands on my shoulders made me gasp in fear. I spun around, terrified, only to be stunned into immobility. Devon was there with me, naked in the shower. Relief washed over me so fast, I thought I might pass out.
    “Didn’t mean to give you a fright, luv.” His brows were creased as he studied me, his hands lifting to cradle my face, then he was kissing me. The long, hard length of his body pressed against mine and thoughts of the past fled.
    I lifted my hands, resting them on his arms as his mouth moved to trail down my neck. The suits Devon wore hadn’t done justice to his body. His biceps were massive under my fingers, his shoulders wide and layered with muscle. Now that I could see him in the light, he took my breath away.
    “Don’t think,” he murmured against the skin of my shoulder. “Just feel.”
    I don’t know why it was easier to do this time, maybe because after what I’d been through today, his touch felt more like comfort than a threat, and I did as he said. His hand moved to slide between my thighs and my eyes drifted shut. His fingers slipped between my folds, his touch gentle but sure. I clutched at his shoulders as he stroked me, my eyes flying open when a thick finger pushed inside me.
    Devon was watching me, the icy blue of his eyes penetrating my soul the way he was penetrating my body. His arm had moved to curve around my waist, supporting my weight as my suddenly weak knees threatened to collapse.
    My heart raced, the steam from the water feeling almost cool against my overheated skin. I could feel the hard press of his erection against my hip, an answering flush of heat between my legs coating his fingers. Each thrust of his finger stroked my clit until I was panting with desire. My eyes slid shut as he brought me closer and closer to the edge.
    “Open your eyes,” he said roughly. “Look at me.”
    I obeyed, though it took effort, my nails digging into his skin. His eyes were darker now, the pupils wide.
    “I won’t hurt you,” he said, careful to enunciate each word.
    I tried to concentrate on what he was saying, but all I could feel was what he was doing to me. His hand moved faster, the pressure building inside me until I was moaning.
    I felt helpless to do anything but let him touch me, and I knew by the look in his eyes that there was nothing I could have said or done to stop him.
    “Come for me, sweet Ivy,” he rasped.
    Devon’s finger pressed hard and my whole body seemed to explode into a pulsing wave of pleasure. His mouth covered mine and I greedily opened my lips to kiss him. His tongue stroked mine, his hand still touching me in a way that made my legs tremble.
    Lifting me, Devon shifted my legs around his waist and I clung to him. He turned off the water and carried me to my bed, still kissing me. His cock was hard as a rock and I whimpered, his size and length making me want him