In the bedroom, he kicked the door closed and carried me to the mattress. Every one of his kisses was deep and passionate. Nothing held back.
Tonight had been an emotional roller coaster, especially when added to the events of the last day, but giddinessbubbled inside me. We loved each other. We could be together now, and we wouldn’t let anything stand in our way.
Dean lowered me gently, then stripped off his shirt. The sight of him without the necklace was surprising. Just golden skin, a dusting of chest hair. A small bandage on his ribcage, where Woodson’s knife had glanced over Dean’s skin. A faint bruise on his jaw from the fight.
I finally understood the meaning of that necklace. A reminder didn’t have to be a bad thing at all, but for Dean, wearing that bullet around his neck meant he could never let the past go. He’d still been punishing himself for it.
I wasn’t sure he’d forgiven himself just yet. That wouldn’t happen overnight. But I believed he was finally ready to try.
His Adam’s apple moved as he swallowed, his hands going to the button of his cargo pants. He flicked it open. Shoved the cargoes down and stripped them off.
“No boxers?” I asked.
“I was hurrying earlier. Trying to go before I could change my mind. Obviously, that didn’t work.” He fisted his cock and stroked it a couple of times until it was thick and straining. “My mind’s made up. I’m not going anywhere again. Not without you.”
“You promise?”
“I promise.” He crawled onto the bed and stretched out over me. “I love you.”
Every time he said those words, I inhaled them like they were oxygen. Deanlovedme. He wasn’t going to leave. There were no guarantees, but we were actually going to try making this thing real.
He kissed me again, touching my face and neck. His hand moved to my wrist and covered the bracelet. That gift meant so much to me. It had hurt when I thought it was a consolation prize or something. An apology for leaving again.
But now, it felt like anotherI love you. A reminder of our friendship and a promise for the future.
“Why are you naked and I’m still dressed?” I asked when he gave us a moment to breathe between kisses.
“You’re right. Let me fix that.”
Dean helped me sit up and carefully tugged the shirt over my hair. Then slid my panties over my hips and down my legs.
He wasn’t rough this time. His touch was reverent. Like he was unwrapping a present or dealing with some precious object. And I knew that had nothing to do with my past injuries. I was all healed now. I could take whatever Dean wanted to give me.
He was showing his love. Touching my skin like it was the first time, and he didn’t want to miss a single thing. His blue gaze wandered over me. The scars and the imperfections. But I saw nothing but appreciation.
I lay back down. Dean was kneeling between my thighs. “I’m going to worship you, Keira. I’m gonna love you all night. Love you forever.”
There was so much raw desire in his tone that my eyelids fluttered, and my clit throbbed with want. We’d told each other how we felt in words, but our bodies spoke a different language. Something deeper and truer. That was what I craved now. Being as close to Dean as possible, sharing something that was only for us. No one else.
He bent down and kissed my knee. “Are you ready for me? Do you need a glass of water or something first? Because when I get started, I won’t want to stop.”
“Don’t stop,” I moaned. “Don’t ever stop. I’m ready.”
“Good.” The word was a whisper. “Get on your hands and knees for me at the edge of the mattress.”
Trembling and breathing hard, I crawled into position. Dean stood up behind me. His large hand rested between myshoulder blades, easing my upper body down and leaving my hips in the air.
“Arch your back, sweetness. Like that. Perfect.”
I was completely exposed to him. Nearly vibrating with how much I wanted him.
Dean went to his knees on the rug, holding on to my outer thighs. And then I felt his tongue at my core. Lapping over my most sensitive places.
I gasped, dropping my forehead to the mattress.
Even after weeks of being Dean’s lover, having his tongue inside me so many times, this still felt different. I felt likehisin every way. I was completely in Dean’s hands, more relaxed with him than I’d ever been. I trusted that he’d never leave me wanting again.
His tongue circled my clit, and then he said, “I love you,” before gently sucking.
