Brothers drift off to their rooms, to their women, to whatever sleep they can grab before tomorrow. The clubhouse settles into that familiar late-night quiet—the creak of old wood, the hum of the refrigerator, the occasional burst of laughter from somewhere down the hall.
Josie is already upstairs when I finish locking up. I find her standing by the window, still wearing the property vest, looking out at the darkness.
“Hey.” I come up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist. “You okay?”
“More than okay.” She leans back against my chest. “Just... taking it in.”
“Having second thoughts?”
“About marrying you?” She turns in my arms, facing me. “Never. But I might be having thoughts about the order of operations.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning—” She rises on her toes, pressing a soft kiss to my lips. “—I think we should consummate the marriage before the wedding.”
“How very untraditional of you,” I gasp in mock horror.
“Objections?”
“Not a one, Counselor.”
I kiss her slow and deep, savoring the knowledge she’s mine.
“Take off the vest,” I murmur against her mouth. “I want to see you.”
She slides it off her shoulders, setting it carefully on the chair. Then, piece by piece, she undresses—shirt, jeans, bra, underwear—until she’s standing before me in nothing but the moonlight.
“Your turn,” she says.
I strip quickly, then take her hand and lead her to the bed.
“Tonight,” I tell her, “I’m going to worship you. Slow and thorough. The way you deserve.”
“Boone—”
“Let me.”
I lay her down against the pillows and take my time kissing every inch of skin. I’m relearning her body, finding the spots that make her gasp, the touches that make her moan, the words that make her shake.
By the time I finally slide inside her, she’s trembling with need.
“Look at me,” I say, holding still despite every instinct screaming at me to move. “Stay with me.”
Her eyes meet mine—dark with desire, soft with love.
I move slowly, deliberately. Deep strokes that drag against every nerve ending, building pleasure like waves rolling toward shore. Her hands grip my shoulders, her legs wrap around me, but neither of us looks away.
“I love you,” I tell her. “Everything I am. Everything I have. It’s yours.”
“I love you too.” She arches into me. “God, Boone, I love you so much.”
The orgasm, when it comes, is slow and deep and endless. She comes with my name on her lips, and I follow seconds later, spilling inside her with a groan that feels like it comes from my soul.
After, we lie tangled together, her head on my chest, my hand tracing patterns on her back.
“That was...” She trails off.
“Yeah.” I press a kiss to her hair. “It was.”
