Everything in Eli tensed, then melted. He kissed her back, dropping all thought of dinner. His hand slid around her waist and pulled her closer, and the world narrowed to the feel of her lips, the way she sighed against his mouth, the heat that surged every time they touched.
She eased back from the kiss just enough to look up at him, her breath still a little uneven. “How are your ribs?”
Eli gave her a crooked smile. “All healed.”
She raised a brow, not convinced.
He reached for her hand and placed it flat against his chest, right over where the bruise had been. “Took a hell of a hit, yeah. But right now?” He leaned in, brushing his mouth against hers again. “The only thing I can feel is the heat.”
Then he kissed her.
Slow and deep this time.
And just like that, the rest of the world disappeared all over again.
Eli deepened the kiss, his hand sliding to the small of Delaney’s back, anchoring her close. She leaned into him without hesitation, her fingers threading into his hair. The last ten days had been a blur of recovery, reports, and unanswered questions, but none of it mattered right now.
Just her. Just this.
He eased her backward toward the couch, guiding her down with a gentleness that belied the tension coiled in every inch of his body. She tugged him with her, their mouths never breaking contact. Her hands roamed his chest, then slipped beneath his shirt. When her fingers brushed his bare skin, he let out a low sound, half growl, half need.
“Delaney,” he murmured against her throat, tasting the warm pulse there. “You sure?”
She cupped his face, her voice soft but steady. “I’ve never been more sure of anything.”
That undid him.
He pulled his shirt over his head and helped her out of hers, their clothes scattering across the floor. The room was quiet except for the sound of their breathing and the rain beginning to fall outside. She was warm beneath him, every sigh a yes, every touch a promise.
Eli took his time, relearning the shape of her, the rhythm of her heartbeat under his lips. Delaney arched beneath him, her breathcatching as his mouth moved lower, her fingers digging into his shoulders. The kissing deepened, turned hungry, and her hands were everywhere—gripping, urging, guiding.
They shed the rest of their clothes in urgent tugs, the heat between them building too fast to stop. He couldn’t get enough of her—her skin, her mouth, the way she whispered his name like it meant everything.
His jeans were somewhere on the floor, and he reached blindly for them, heart pounding. She laughed softly when he cursed under his breath, fingers finally finding his wallet. He pulled out the condom, grateful for the thin barrier that let him keep his head while the rest of him felt like fire.
Delaney watched him, her eyes dark, her lips parted. “Hurry,” she whispered.
He covered her body with his, their breaths tangling. Her legs wrapped around his waist, and when he eased into her, she gasped, clinging tighter. Eli stilled, overwhelmed by the feel of her—by the way her eyes met his, holding nothing back.
“You okay?” he asked, voice rough.
She nodded, her hands framing his face. “I’ve never been better.”
He moved then, slow at first, letting the rhythm take over, letting the pressure rise until they were both clinging to the edge. Her body tightened around him, her breath hitching as she cried out his name. That sound undid himcompletely.
Eli followed her over the edge, his release slamming through him like a rush of heat and light.
Afterward, he held her close, his heartbeat still racing. Delaney was quiet, her fingers trailing gently over his chest.
“Still worth the wait?” she murmured.
He smiled, kissed her hair and shifted so they were on their sides and face to face. “More than you’ll ever know.”
They lay tangled together, their bodies still warm from the sex. Outside, the evening light faded to twilight, soft and golden through the cabin windows. For the first time in days, the silence felt like peace instead of pressure.
Delaney ran her fingers lazily over his ribs. “I like your idea of a dinner date.”
“Yeah?” Eli tipped his head toward her, smiling.
