"That's it," Grant encouraged, his hips rising to meet her thrusts. "Take what you need, baby. I'm right here."
Riley's hands braced on his chest, her breathing ragged as she rode him harder, chasing her pleasure. Grant could feel her tightening around him and knew she was close.
"Grant," she gasped. "I'm—I need?—"
Grant sat up, wrapping one arm around her waist while his other hand slid between them, finding where they were joined. His fingers found her sensitive spot and circled, and Riley's rhythm stuttered.
"Come for me," Grant said against her lips. "I want to feel you."
Riley shattered with a cry, her body clenching around him as pleasure crashed through her. The feeling of her coming undone pushed Grant over the edge, and he followed her with a groan, burying his face in her shoulder as his release took him.
For a long moment, they just breathed together, hearts racing in sync, bodies still joined.
Then Riley laughed—soft and a little breathless and full of joy.
Grant lifted his head to look at her. "What?"
"We're really doing this," she said, her eyes bright. "No more pretending. No more fake. Just us."
"Just us," Grant agreed, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "For real this time."
"For real."
He rolled to the side, pulling her with him, tucking her against his chest. Riley fit there perfectly, her head on his shoulder, her hand over his heart.
"Stay," Grant said quietly. "Not just tonight. Stay."
"I'm staying." Riley pressed a kiss to his chest. "I already told you—I'm not going anywhere. You're stuck with me."
"Good." Grant's arms tightened around her. "Because I'm not letting you go. Not ever again."
They lay there in the quiet, wrapped in each other, and Grant felt something settle in his chest. Something that had been restless and aching for ten years finally at peace.
Riley was home.
She was staying.
She loved him.
And this time—this time it was real.
"Grant?" Riley's voice was soft.
"Yeah?"
"Thank you for giving me another chance. For listening. For loving me even when I was being an idiot."
Grant pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "You weren't being an idiot. You were scared. I get it. I was scared too."
"What were you scared of?"
"That you'd leave again. That I wasn't enough to make you stay." Grant's voice was quiet. "That I'd lose you for good this time."
Riley pushed up on her elbow to look at him, her expression fierce. "You're enough. You've always been enough. I was just too scared to admit what I really wanted."
"And what do you want?" He gave her a smirk.
"This." Riley gestured between them. "You. The farm. Pine Valley. A life that feels real instead of some performance where I'm constantly trying to prove I'm good enough." Her smile was soft. "I want mornings drinking coffee on the porch. I want to help with the Tree Toss next year. I want to build my business and be close to my family and run into people I've known my whole life at the grocery store."
