“Don’t stop,” I moaned.
“Won’t.”Kiss.“But need to be closer.”Kiss.“In you.”His lips trailed down my neck and over my collarbone to my nipple.I clutched him more tightly to me.
“More.”
Steve set me ablaze.Sensation rioted, and I wanted more suction, more of his fingertips drifting along my inner thigh, more of his hard, muscled body shifting over mine.More of his hips wedged between mine.More of the heavy slide of his erection against my plumped lower lips.
More.More.More.
It was my chant as I groaned, and gasped, quivered, then screamed, all while Steve delivered.
He made my back arch off the bed as he pounded into my body.With one finally thrust, he huffed a soft breath and shuddered his release, as I slid, boneless, back to the soft comforter as I came down from an amazing orgasm.
He pressed his pelvis to mine, his lips to my neck where it met my shoulder.
I clasped him to me.
“Thank you.”
He chuckled.“Pretty sure that should be my line.”
I giggled.Damn, I did that a lot with him—this lightness with Steve felt new, like I’d either forgotten how to do or deemed myself too old to enjoy or want these moments of love blossoming deeper.Steve proved me wrong.
His arms were firm as he maneuvered me so I was on my side, facing him.We stared at each other, arms and legs still intertwined.
I blinked back tears.“Thank you for loving me,” I whispered.Overcome, I swallowed.He cradled me and I drew strength from him.Once I could speak again, I said, “Thank you for fighting for us.”
“Ah, beautiful, you did the fighting this go-round.I just made sure the boys were all martialed to our side.”
I smiled through my tears as I tipped my chin up to kiss him again.
“And that means everything.”
“I’m here for you, to stand by you, to fight for you.”He stared into my eyes until I nodded.
He took my mouth in a luxurious kiss.
“Always,” he breathed against my lips.
Chapter14
Jasmine
Steve surprised me.I blinked at him, mouth agape.I blinked, trying to get my eyes to adjust to the dimness in my barn right.Baby Girl, the horse I was training, wandered into her stall, tail swishing.She munched some hay, but she glanced over her shoulder as if waiting for me to answer.
Steve was, too.I gripped the edge of the stall to quell the trembling in my limbs.“What…”
“Marry me,” he said again.A faint flush crept up his cheeks and his hands shook as he clasped mine in his, but his gaze was steady, grounding me.He slowly lowered to one knee as he squeezed my fingers.“Please, Jasmine.Don’t make me wait any longer to call you mine, officially.I…I’ve never wanted something this badly.”He licked his lips.A sheen covered his eyes and his voice filled with emotion.“I’ve never asked a woman to be mine.Never wanted to.”
My breath sped up, and my tummy fluttered.Steve had worshipped Carolina Syad Porter, Nash’s mother, but so had millions of other men.She’d been married when they were together, and he’d been so young.He’d known then that she’d never truly be his.
So this moment was a culmination of a lifetime and yearnings.And he wanted me.To share his life with me.
Warmth flooded my chest.I cupped his cheek.“Yes.”I pushed past my emotion to my make my voice strong, sure.
“Yes, Steve.I’ll marry you.Nothing would make me happier than knowing you’re mine.”I leaned down to kiss him and our lips touched, gently, so beautifully.He wrapped his arms around my waist and rose from his position on the barn floor.
He clasped the back of my head and deepened the kiss as he backed me up against the stall door.
