A thrill sparked through her, as it always did when he came home, and she pushed herself up, moving quietly through the dark hallway toward the back door.
“You know it.”
Zee stepped inside, a rush of cool air following him as he closed the door.
Then he was turning her, pinning her to the wood, his hands framing her face as his lips seized hers as if he hadn’t seen her in a month.
Her knees nearly gave out, heat flooding her as she fisted his shirt and pulled him in.
His mouth moved over hers making her gasp and unraveling her thoughts until all she could feel was him.
His strength, his claim.
Without that grounding weight of him, she wasn’t whole.
He snaked a hand through her hair, tilted her head back and deepened the kiss as she moaned, wanting even more.
“I missed you.”
His gaze darkened, and the intensity of it sent a sharp, cool shiver down her spine.
“Haven’t even been gone a day.”
“I didn’t want to let you out of my sight.He said against her cheek.
She leaned against him, soaking in his familiarness.
“I needed you...you came.”Her voice was small as she melted against him.
“You’re mine, Ella.Always.I’m so sorry I didn’t protect you from what happened.I wish I had.I can’t stop thinking about how you were there, all on your own.”
Zee ran a hand over his face, as if he was trying to shake off his emotions and something in her cracked open.
It wasn’t fair.
Not fair that he was the one to punish her.
Not fair that he was the one in control and that she could be the open vulnerable one but that’s who they were.
For all these years, she had lived in this inequitable relationship.
Not fair, no and yet somehow, in that inequality, they’d built something that had held them both and made them better together.
This love had given her so much.
“Zee… I decided to fight because you told me to take care of your property.”Her voice caught.“Knowing I had to get back to you was my motivation for picking up that rock and attacking him.I knew he could overpower me but I wasn’t going to go quietly.”
“I’m so damn proud of you, dear heart.”Zee wrapped her in his arms and kissed her, a hot possessive kiss that left her breathless.
He edged her across the floor, until her thighs met the kitchen table.
Ella giggled so hard she snorted and covered her face.
“I love your giggles.”He pulled her hand away and kissed her deeply, sending tingles humming through her, he kissed her until her lips were sore, then pulled back just enough to rest his forehead against hers.
She saw all the years in his silver hair, the crow’s feet in his eyes, and the same hungry love that had been there the first time he ever touched her.
“Do you still want me?”
