My hips snap forward, driving into her with long powerful strokes that make the headboard bang against the wall. She takes every inch, her nails raking down my back, her moans filling the room. I hitch one of her legs higher, changing the angle, and she cries out as I hit deeper.
"Yes, yes, right there, don't stop..."
I fuck her harder. Faster. Sweat drips down my back and my thighs burn but I don't slow down because she's getting tighter, her pussy fluttering around me, her whole body tensing.
"Come on my cock, sweetheart." I reach between us and rub her clit in fast circles. "Let me feel you come while I'm inside you."
She shatters with my name on her lips. Her pussy clamps down so hard I see stars, and I thrust deep one final time and come with a roar, filling the condom with pulse after pulse while her walls milk me dry.
We collapse together, a tangle of sweaty limbs and pounding hearts. I roll to the side so I don't crush her, pulling her with me, keeping us connected.
“Wow.” She laughs breathlessly. "I don't have words."
"Good. Means I did my job." I kiss her forehead, her cheek, the corner of her mouth. "Give me twenty minutes and we can go again."
Her eyes widen. "Again?"
"Sweetheart, I've got years of bad sex to make up for." I grin at her. "We're just getting started."
Her answering smile is everything.
We stay in bed for the rest of the afternoon. I make her come two more times before we finally drag ourselves to the shower, where I make her come again against the tile wall. By the time we stumble to the kitchen for dinner, she's walking funny and looking at me like I hung the moon.
Not a bad way to spend a Saturday.
I'm grilling steaks while she makes a salad when she says, quietly, "I didn't know it could be like this."
I look over at her. She's wearing my flannel again, legs bare, hair still damp from the shower. She looks thoroughly fucked and completely content.
"Like what?"
"All of it." She gestures vaguely. "The sex, yes, but also... this. Cooking dinner together. Being comfortable. Not walking on eggshells waiting for the next explosion." Her eyes meet mine. "I forgot what it felt like to just... be happy."
I set down the tongs and cross to her. Take her face in my hands and kiss her softly.
"Get used to it," I tell her. "Because I'm going to spend a very long time making sure you stay that way."
She leans into me, her arms wrapping around my waist.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
Whatever comes next, whatever her ex tries to do, I'll handle it.
Because she's mine now.
And I protect what's mine.
CHAPTER SIX
NATALIE
Sunday dinner at the Guardian Peak lodge is chaos in the best possible way.
Vivian commandeers the massive kitchen, directing traffic like a general while her lasagna bubbles in the oven. Sadie bounces between helping and hindering, her constant chatter filling every gap in conversation. The men drift in and out, stealing bites of garlic bread and getting their hands slapped for it.
I'm standing at the counter chopping vegetables for the salad, trying to wrap my head around how I ended up here.
