His eyes darken, and a low, guttural sound escapes him, one of pure male satisfaction.
He kisses me harder now, his control fraying. I cling to him, my body instinctively meeting his, my hips lifting in rhythm.
Tex groans, jaw clenched. “That’s it,” he rasps. “Just like that.”
Heat builds in my core again, fast and fierce. My nails dig into his shoulders, leaving tiny crescents.
Tex anchors my hips, holding me steady as he moves deeper. The pleasure sharpens, becoming bright and relentless.
I gasp, my head tipping back. “Tex?—”
He kisses my throat. “I’m here. Right here, darlin’.”
My body tightens as I spiral toward the edge. My climax hits me suddenly like a wave, ripping through me, and I cry out.
Tex’s body goes rigid over mine. His breath stutters. Then he breaks, groaning my name harshly, burying his face in my neck as he comes.
For a moment, all I can feel is his weight and his heat, his breath against my skin as the aftershocks roll through my body.
He lifts his head, his eyes wild yet soft. “Shit, Jane. That was…”
I smile, kissing his mouth softly. “Yeah.”
He gently pulls out and disposes of the condom quickly. After cleaning me tenderly with a warm washcloth, he returns to the bed as if he can’t bear to be away from me.
Pulling me into his arms, he tucks my head under his chin and wraps the blanket around us.
I blink, disoriented. My body feels loose, warm, and boneless. My mind is quiet for once—truly quiet, not just distracted.
Tex strokes his fingers through my hair slowly, soothingly.
“Do you hurt?” he murmurs.
“No.” I shake my head. “Just... overwhelmed.”
He huffs a quiet breath. “Me too. Because you’re here. With me.”
I blink back tears. This softness after the intensity is almost worse; it makes everything feel real.
I shift in his arms, gazing up at him. He seems different now, less controlled, as if the careful lines of his world have shifted to make room for me.
And that terrifies me. He could destroy me if he decides to leave.
The fear that has lingered at the edges of my consciousness, the fear I’ve been trying to outrun since I first allowed myself to want this, finally catches up.
“Please don’t let me be a mistake.”
Tex goes completely still. His eyes lock onto mine, fierce and certain. “You’re the best damn thing that’s ever happened to me, Jane. I choose you. Every day. Every time.”
And for the first time in my life, I believe a man when he says he chose me on purpose.
Chapter 17
Tex
Two engines turn over almost in unison—one an old diesel with a rough, uneven idle that speaks to years of hard use. Ranch truck.
The sound cuts through Havenridge’s morning calm, too loud and immediately wrong. Trucks like that don’t come up this road by accident.
