“I wouldn’t be taking off my clothes if I wasn’t sure.”
There was a desperation to their kisses. An urgency to feel more, to touch more, love more than two lovers had ever loved. She clung to him, to his touch, to his every caress, whether soft or hard or painful.
The walls closed around her, and the weight of him made her sad, but she needed to feel his large hands caress the flat bone between her breasts. Feel his mouth pressed against her mouth, kissing her lovingly, soulfully, wholly.
She wrapped her arms around her waist, the bubble of nerves in her stomach bursting. His beautiful eyes trailed over her as if she was precious. A remarkable treasure he wanted to swallow whole, but she wanted more than for him to look at her. She wanted to be touched, touched by him.
She let her arms fall to her sides.
No words were required between them. Not for this.
Why she wanted him now, she couldn’t answer. Whatever it was, she tried to forget and remember at once. He stood in front of her, his knees slightly bent, and his shoes, socks, all his clothing were gone.
She rested her hand on his bare shoulders to steady herself. Her fingers dug into his flesh, and he paused.
“No. It’s okay. I’m fine.”
He stroked her arm, his fingers moving tenderly over her skin; the electricity of his touch soared through her. He touched her throat, and she moaned, for no other reason than the sudden rush of anticipation that filled her chest.
It had been too long.
“Did I ever tell you how much I love your face?”
He moved his hand through her hair and closed his eyes and kissed her. They made love until dawn.
The words she couldn’t utter choked her, and she buried her head against his shoulder.
“I swear to you, Honoree. I will rid myself of Tony Gallo and Archie Graves.” He pressed his lips to her forehead, mouth, throat, and mouth—again. “No matter how long it takes, I will find you because I can’t survive without you. I love you too much.”
* * *
When she awoke, she was in Ezekiel’s arms, her body curled into him, her breath in rhythm with every breath he took.
Ezekiel’s earlier words clung to the soft waves floating around her. He had said he loved her, and she believed him.
“Ezekiel? Are you awake?”
He stirred. “Yes.”
She moved up on the bed, tucking her legs beneath her, and looked at him, her eyes pleading with him. “You should leave with us today. Both you and Jeremiah.”
He stroked her cheek. “I want to, but I can’t.”
“What if I become famous and open my own nightclub? You could stop operating a policy wheel and go back to medical school.”
Ezekiel sat upright in the bed; his muscular arms folded over his broad chest.
“I want to join you in New York, but I don’t know if leaving Chicago is in the cards for me.”
“Why? I don’t understand.”
He kissed her bare shoulder reverently as if to make his words easier to hear. “All the years, I never thought we’d find a way back to each other. My only thought was revenge and Gallo and guilt. How could I deal with the life I’d taken? And for you to want to be with me after that—I never imagined.”
She swung her legs to the floor, grabbing her chemise as she stood. “Then come back to New York with me now. Put the revenge and hate behind you.”
“I can’t. Not yet, but I will, I promise.”
She touched his cheek. “I’ll hold you to it.” She bent forward and kissed him.
