“Ryder,” she breathes, and the desire in her voice makes my blood sing.
“Tell me what you need,” I murmur against her throat, one hand sliding to span her waist. Even through her thermal shirt, I can feel her heat, her softness.
“You.” The word is barely a whisper. “Oh, Ryder, I need you.”
I pull back to look at her, making sure I understand what she’s offering. Her pupils are blown wide, her lips kiss-swollen, and there’s a flush spreading down her neck that I want to follow with my mouth.
“Are you sure?” I ask, even though every cell in my body is screaming at me to take what she’s offering. “We don’t have to—”
“I’m sure.” Her hands frame my face, thumbs stroking across my cheekbones. “I want this. I want you. I’m tired of being afraid.”
“You’re beautiful,” I whisper, and watch her eyes fill with tears—the good kind, born of finally accepting something she’s never let herself believe before.
“Show me,” she says, her voice steady despite the mixed emotions swimming in her eyes. “Show me what it feels like to be enough.”
The vulnerability in that request nearly breaks me. This isn’t just about desire—though the heat between us is crackling like wildfire. This is about her trusting me with something deeper. With her fears, her hope, her carefully guarded heart.
“Always, Sunshine. You’re more than enough. You’re everything I’ve ever wanted and didn’t think I could have.” I stand, lifting her easily in my arms. She wraps her legs around my waist instinctively, and the position puts her core right against my stomach, hot even through our clothes. The small sound she makes goes straight to my cock. “Always chosen. Always wanted. Alwaysmine.”
The possessive words should scare her. Instead, I feel her clench against me, hear her breath hitch with desire.
Hamlet chooses that moment to investigate our activity, snorting loudly as he follows us with the determination of a chaperone who takes his job far too seriously. From his cage, Peanut squawks: “Smart orc!”
Moving us both over to Peanut’s cage, Laney reaches over to lower the cover for the night. “Good night, Peanut.”
“Night, night, Sunshine. Night, night, smart orc. Kissy. Kissy.” His commentary ends with a laugh that would get him a part in a pirate movie.
Hamlet bumps his head repeatedly against my legs and snorts when I don’t budge an inch.
“Persistent pig,” Laney laughs breathlessly against my neck, but she’s smiling as I carry her toward the mattress near the fire.
“He’s right to be concerned,” I say solemnly. “We’re about to do something important. Something that changes everything.”
“I know,” she whispers, her eyes holding mine. “I want it to change everything. I want you to be mine.”
“Already am, Sunshine.” I kiss her softly, tenderly, and then with growing heat. “But I’m going to make sure you never doubt it.”
I lower her to the mattress, the soft rustle of blankets blending with the crackle of wood. Behind us, Hamlet snorts once more, then settles down, conceding defeat. The world narrows to the circle of light around us—firelight gilding her skin, shadows painting her curves.
It’s just us now. The warmth of the flames. The scent of pine and smoke. The steady rhythm of her breath against mine.
And the promise of everything we’re about to become to each other.
Chapter Fourteen
Laney
The room feels different now—sacred somehow. The fire’s warmth wraps around us, the scent of pine and smoke grounding me in this single heartbeat of forever.
My heart pounds as we lie here, both of us breathing hard, the air between us electric with anticipation and want and something deeper I’m not ready to name.
“You’re sure about this?” Ryder asks, even though we’re both flushed and aching with desire. His amber eyes search mine with an intensity that makes my pulse race. “We don’t have to rush anything. We can take this as slow as you need.”
The consideration in his voice, the way he’s giving me space to choose even when I can see how much he wants me, makes my decision easy.
“I’m sure,” I whisper. “I want this. I want you.” Reaching to cup his face, his stubble rasps against my palms. “I’m tired of being afraid of wanting things.”
His groan is pure male satisfaction. “You have no idea what you do to me, Sunshine. How beautiful you are. How brave.”
