The first thrust inside her stole her breath, the rush of it flooding through her as her body yielded to his. He moved with her, steady and sure, and she matched him without thought, herevery motion guided by need and the bond sparking between them.
The rhythm built, pulling her higher with each moment, until she could hardly cling to the sensation rushing through her. Their breaths mingled, their whispers faded into gasps, and together they rode the wave until it shattered over them, leaving her trembling and lost in the warmth of him.
For a long while, she could only cling to him, her heartbeat racing against his, knowing that whatever storms waited outside these walls, in this moment she was exactly where she wanted to be.
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Chapter Fourteen
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Steam clung to the bathroom mirror as Harlan dragged a hand down his face, water still dripping from his hair. His body was sore from the long, restless night and the aftermath of the attack.
He thought of the SUV, of the cracked windshield, of Billy’s voice weakening in the dark. He thought of the danger still circling them.
And he thought of Laney.
The attack had been pure survival. Ending up in bed with her afterward had felt just as essential, a release they both needed. But the truth was, it hadn’t only been about sex. It had been something else entirely. Something that lodged deep in his chest and refused to let go.
Harlan cursed softly under his breath because he knew the truth he had been dodging. He was in love with her.
And that didn’t fix anything.
It possibly made things worse.
He wanted to believe they could have a future, that the weight of the past wouldn’t crush what they had just begun. But David was there, a shadow in every thought, every glance. David’s death, David’s last words, the promise Harlan had made.And until they found the person behind the attacks, the future was nothing more than a dangerous thought.
He was finishing drying off, but Harlan froze when he saw her. Laney stood in the doorway of the bathroom, hair loose around her face, her eyes locked on him.
The sight of her stole whatever breath he had left.
Laney was dressed, her hair still damp from her shower, and she went straight to him before he could say a word. Her hands came up to his shoulders, and she kissed him with the same certainty she had shown last night.
“I wanted to do that,” she said against his mouth, her voice steady. “Because I figure you’re beating yourself up about us landing in bed. I don’t want that. I needed you, so I don’t want you to have any regrets.”
The words hit hard, leaving no room for argument. She had meant what they did, but she hadn’t said anything about her feelings. That silence told him she was still conflicted, still sorting through the lines between past and present. He couldn’t blame her.
But the ache in his chest tightened all the same.
Before he could respond, she stepped back just a little, her expression shifting to something more serious. “I just got a call from the sheriff. Both Brannigan and Sherry are in for interviews this morning. He figured we’d want to be there.”
The sheriff was right. He did want to be there. Every instinct in him said they shouldn’t miss it.
“Give me a couple of minutes to get dressed,” he told her, forcing himself to push the personal aside. “Then we can leave.”
Laney glanced at her watch and sighed. “I need to get back downstairs with Evie before she comes looking for us.” She touched his arm once more, rubbing it lightly, and then she left the bathroom.
After he gathered in some much needed breath. Harlan dressed quickly, pulling on the clothes Carol had washed and folded for him. They smelled faintly of detergent, grounding him in a way he hadn’t expected. Once he was ready, he headed downstairs.
The kitchen lights were on, the newly installed security blinds pulled tight across the windows, and the strong scent of coffee lingered in the air. Carol stood at the sink rinsing a mug while Laney sat at the table, already back in protective-mother mode. Garrett was on the floor with Evie, crouched beside her as she dressed up a doll in a glittery skirt that clearly had seen better days.
Evie’s laughter stopped the moment she spotted him. She shot to her feet, the doll clutched in one hand, and bolted straight for him.
“Uncle Harley!”
He crouched down, catching her in his arms. She hugged him tight, her little arms locking around his neck, and for the first time in hours he let himself breathe fully.
Carol seemed to read his mind. She set a travel mug of coffee and a plastic-wrapped sandwich on the counter. “Made this for you to go. I figured you two wouldn’t want to sit down long enough to eat when you’re in a hurry to get to the sheriff’s office.”
