His palms pressed down on either side of the countertop and he leaned over me. “I would die before I’d let them hurt you. Don’t take that away from me, Eden. Don’t tell me I can’t protect you.”

The anger and frustration that had been roiling within me drained away. How could I possibly stay mad at the man when he wasn’t trying to cage me?

“You have to know that sometimes I can handle myself, even if you don’t believe me. I promise I’m not a fragile little princess. I’m not going to break.”

The intensity burning in his eyes turned molten. “I know you’re not a fragile little princess. You’re fucking resilient. I see it every time I look at you. If I thought you were going to break, I wouldn’t do this.”

His hand came off the counter and buried in my hair, tugging my head back before his lips crashed down onto mine. Every bit of emotion that had been flying between us burst into heat. I grabbed his shoulders, giving back as good as I got. I wanted his kiss, wanted him to take me right here, against my counter.

Bishop must have read my mind, because he dropped his hand from my hair and reached for my thigh, lifting it and wrapping it around his waist before shoving my dress up.

“You want me to prove that I don’t think I’ll break you? I’ll take what I want and make you scream for me.”

“Yes, yes.” I moaned against his lips, tugging his shirt away from his shoulders, and his hand slid between my legs. He tugged my panties aside.

“Fuck, cupcake. You’re so goddamned wet. Fighting with me makes you want to fuck, doesn’t it?”

The heat of a blush burned over my cheeks, but I wasn’t about to deny it. “Everything about you makes me want to fuck.”

The words felt foreign coming out of my mouth, even though they were the absolute truth.

“Naughty little girl. You fucking love when I tell you what I’m going to do to you, don’t you?”

I moaned a response and it spurred him on.

“Shouldn’t have worn panties tonight. I’m gonna rip them off and turn you around and bend you over the counter. You’re not going to move your hands while I drop to my knees and eat this sweet pussy until you scream. I’m not going to fuck you until you’re begging for my cock with every breath. When I take you, I’m not holding back. You’re going to feel me tomorrow with every step. If you’re a really fucking good girl, I’m going to play with that virgin asshole so you’re one step closer to taking my cock there. Because you’re mine, Eden. I’m going to own every fucking inch of you.”

My entire body went up in flames, and he did exactly what he promised.

The elastic of my panties snapped, and Bishop pulled my leg from his hip and spun me around.

I grasped for any kind of purchase, but my palms found nothing on the countertop to anchor me against the waves of anticipation rolling through me. My skirt was flipped up over my ass, and the cooler air of the room provided a counterpoint to the heat of my body. Bishop’s big hands covered my ass as he lowered himself to his knees.

I only had a fraction of a moment to feel a shred of embarrassment that he must have been staring right at my ass as he spread my legs, but given his promises about what he’d do if I were a really fucking good girl, I couldn’t help but shiver.

His mouth covered me from behind as he pressed his face between my legs, his tongue thrusting into me. My clit throbbed and ached for more until he slipped a hand around to circle it and tease me.

Moans slipped from my mouth, and Bishop growled his approval between my legs in a way that I felt all the way to the pleasure centers in my brain. They were blaring with color, and I swear whatever he did next had black spots invading my vision.

“Bishop!”

His name was ripped from my throat on a hoarse cry, but he didn’t slow. He pushed harder, finally making contact with my clit as an orgasm barreled down on me and shoved me toward the edge.

“Please, please.” I didn’t care that I was begging, and when the orgasm hit, I dropped my forehead to the counter and screamed.

Still, he didn’t slow. His movements sped up, and Bishop dragged another orgasm from my body until I was shaking and doubted the ability of my legs to hold me up.

“You ready to beg for my cock, cupcake? You want me to give you more?”

I nodded.

“I need the words, Eden. I want to hear it. I want you to tell me just how fucking bad you need it.”

“Please, I need it. I want it.”

“Not good enough, baby.”

Desperation rode me and I would have said anything, but words eluded me. “Please, I want you.”

“What do you want?”

“Your cock,” I said on a moan.

He pressed two thick fingers into me, and my body wept with the temporary relief.

“Yes!”

“In this tight little cunt?”

“Yes!”

“You gonna let me have it any way I want it?”

It seemed my vocabulary had diminished to only one word. The only one that mattered.

“Yes!”

“You gonna let me protect it and keep it safe so I can make you scream like this every night?”

Again, only one answer would work. “Yes.”

“Good, because you don’t have a fucking choice anymore, Eden. You’re mine. I don’t have much, but what’s mine I keep. I protect. I don’t ever let it go.”

“Please.”

“You on the pill? I want you bare. Nothing between us anymore.”

“IUD. I’m covered. Hurry.”

My words were pleas, but I knew I wouldn’t have to wait much longer because Bishop stood behind me and the hiss of his zipper was the best sound I’d ever heard.

“I’ve never fucked anyone without protection. I’ve never wanted to. But you crashed into my life and changed every goddamned thing.”

Bishop notched the thick head of his cock against my opening and then leaned over me, covering my hands and interlocking our fingers.

He pushed inside with one solid stroke. I expected him to pull out and slide in again and again, but he stilled. “I’ve been waiting for you my whole fucking life, and I didn’t have a clue.”

“I know. I know.”

“I don’t want to let you go, but I know you want my fingers on the hungry clit of yours, don’t you?”