“Hey.”
She dove in, bit his lip, worked her hips in a tight circle.
“Hey, Leo.Leo.”
His hands moved from her waist, grabbed her wrists, and held her still. Or at least tried to. She wasn’t having any of this thinking business, not letting the doubts wiggle in and poison what was just a moment of enjoyment. Pure pleasure, no emotions, nothing that could hurt her.
She wouldn’t let him inside her that way. Would never put her heart on the line.
“Leo, sweetheart.Leo.” He let her wrists go and cradled her face with such sweetness, such care, she knew what a liar she was. She was already lost. “Leo, sweetheart, you’re crying.”
She nodded, tried to smile, and gave up on that, like she’d just given up on guarding her heart and soul and body from this man. It was probably too fast and too urgent and too early for love, but it was there. As undeniable as the solid body beneath hers, the rock supporting them both.
Rather than use words she could never take back, she leaned in and told him how she felt with her lips and her eyes and the tears streaming down her face.
By the time she realized what she’d done, it was too late to take back the kiss and the message behind it. With a sigh, she kissed him harder, gave him more, and committed herself without an ounce of regret.
***
“Sweetheart. Leo. God, Leo, let me get a condom. Don’t…” She lifted up, suspended above his cock, and for a few seconds, he was so ready to do it like this and all the consequences be damned.
Hell, who knows?his reckless side chimed in.We could die tomorrow, right?
“I’ll get it.” She stretched, giving him the perfect opportunity to explore her shoulder, her side, her shoulder blade—all the hidden secrets—and yanked at the pouch he’d left by the side of the pool. Hopeful, assuming too much maybe. Whatever. Right now, all he could do was thank God he’d saved these last few condoms after his brief foray into town last year.
“I love how prepared you are,” she said as she ripped open the package.
“Always buy a pack in town.” He shrugged. “Actually forgot that was in my bag, but I’d rather be prepared than left in the cold, you know?”
Biting her lip, she put the condom on the tip of his cock and looked up at him. “You have any idea how sexy that is? A man who’s ready for anything?”
“Uh…” He shook his head and stared down at her hands working the rubber over his stiff dick. “Hm?”
“It’s the hottest thing I’ve ever seen.” She ran one hand down his shaft, then the other, squeezing him tightly. “Wow, Elias.”
With a last look and a shaky breath, she met his gaze again, head-on. “Ready?”
“I’m…veryexcited right now.” He laughed and blew out a hard breath. “Never been readier.”
“Same, Elias.”
“You want this.”
“Oh yes. I want this. I wantyou.”
Everything inside him went warm and liquid.
All he could do was hold her, eyes focused on the top of her head and the soaked, fresh bandage he’d applied, her square shoulders, her smooth arms, those lush hips, straddling him, lined with light, shiny stretch marks that were absolutely perfect, like every other part of her. Flesh and blood, muscle and bone, strong though too vulnerable for his taste. If she were his, he’d encase her in armor, Kevlar, steel, and cushion her with cotton, or silk or whatever was the softest thing in the world.
They breathed for a bit in unison, now that the initial frenzy had died down, and he could’ve sworn he felt the beating of her heart.
Strong and steady and sure. And the longer he looked at her arms, the more details came out—like the pores and tiny hairs. The power in those thighs, the resilience of a woman who’d almost died more than once these last few days. A couple of scars here and there, in varying shades of silver and brown and tan. He wanted the story behind every scar, wanted toknowher—from that little girl who’d wanted more airplanes to the woman she’d become, he wanted to know every little piece of her.
He focused on the bandage on her head again—thought of the scar that would one day be another mark to add to her story. It was healing so fast, she almost didn’t need it wrapped anymore.
She almost didn’t need him.
“Now who’s in his head?” That thin, tensile hand gripped his beard and pulled up—not hard, but enough to sting, to bring him back. “Who’s thinking instead of enjoying this moment? Hm?”
