He caged me in with his hands on either side of my head. “Lyla, my love.” He cupped my face, brushing his thumb along my lower lip. Heat pooled low in my belly, and between his words and his touch, I didn’t stand a chance. “I promise I’ll take it easy. In fact, if it makes you happy, I’ll let you do all the work. But I cannot wait another minute to be inside you. I need to feel you.”
Before I could protest again, his mouth descended on mine. I melted into the kiss, my body coming alive, craving everything he was offering. I moaned into his mouth while his tongue explored every inch.
He trailed his mouth along my jaw and nipped at the shell of my ear. “You want that too, don’t you?”
I tried to squeeze my legs together to relieve the throbbing at the apex of my thighs, but his knee wedged between them, stopping me.
“You’re already soaked for me, aren’t you?” He ran his handup my leg and under my sweater dress, brushing his fingers over the fabric of my lacy thong. “You were hoping I would be cleared and find out what you were wearing under this dress.”
It wasn’t a question. It was a statement. One I couldn’t totally argue with.
But the doctor said he still wanted him to take it easy for the next day, and I didn’t think that meant plowing into me until I saw stars.
The way his fingers dipped under the fabric, teasing and exploring, I was a writhing mess in seconds, completely forgetting about his injury and the doctor’s orders.
“Tell me, love.” He sucked on the sensitive skin of my neck, and I all but lost it. “Tell me you’re as desperate as I am.”
“I am. So desperate.”
He pulled back, looking down at me, and removed his hand. His pupils blew out as he brought his fingers to his mouth, sucking my wetness off them and moaning like a starving man who’d just had his first bite of food.
I sighed. “I just don’t want to hurt you.”
He cupped my face with both of his hands and his gaze bore into me. “Nothing you will ever do could hurt me.” He pressed his lips to my forehead. “Being with you will always bring me happiness, never pain.”
I smiled, thinking how grumpy he’d been with me just a few days earlier when I demanded he sit down and let me take care of him. Even then, he had a very different, and probably better—or at least more fun—idea of what that entailed.
He searched my face. “Do you trust me?”
“With my whole heart,” I whispered, running my hands up his chest and latching them behind his neck.
A smile lit up his face, like that was all he needed to know. He stepped back and grabbed my hand, pulling me down the hallway to our bedroom.
Concern and my own stubbornness gave way to anticipation,and love and utter happiness swelled in my chest. I couldn’t wait to spend forever with the insanely stubborn man who never failed to make me feel absolutely cherished and adored.
Epilogue
ADAM
I leaned backand placed my arm around Lyla, pulling her close. Steam from the hot tub surrounded us and made it the perfect late-night activity. Too bad we weren’t alone. Other guests from The Lodge milled about the pool area. I couldn’t be mad, but that didn’t stop me from considering pulling the fire alarm so they’d all clear out.
My love surprised me with the weekend trip for my thirtieth birthday. Walking through the lobby earlier, I couldn’t stop picturing having our wedding there. She’d mentioned she thought it would be a great wedding venue. I smiled thinking about how her cheeks had flushed adorably as she’d stumbled over her words, attempting to clarify she meant in general, not for anyone in particular.
God, I hoped that was a lie. That it was us she thought of. Getting married was never something I’d ever considered, but Lyla as my wife made perfect sense.
First, I needed a ring.
“Has Zack found another player for the volleyball game?”
I stiffened at the reminder of the large fire last month that took the life of one of our own. It still sat heavy in my gut. He would be honored at the annual PD vs. FD volleyball game coming up next week. But I didn’t want either of us thinking about that right now and dampening our weekend.
“No, I don’t think so.” I smirked, pulling her closer to my side. “You sure you don’t want to join the team?”
She raised a brow. “Do you want me to get another concussion?”
“Fair.” I pressed my lips to her temple.
The water shifted as Zack stepped down into it. “Ahh… this feels good on my muscles after yesterday’s shift.”
