“Why?” he asks, his voice hoarse. “Why would you risk everything for me? I’ve done things, Atlee. Things I’m not proud of.”
“Because that’s what you do when you love someone,” I tell him simply. “You stand by them. You fight for them.”
His hand slides up my back, coming to rest at the nape of my neck. “You’re incredible, you know that?” he murmurs. “Walking right into this mess with your eyes open, choosing to stay when most people would run.”
“I’m not most people,” I remind him with a small smile.
“No,” he agrees, pulling me closer. “You’re certainly not.”
When his lips meet mine, it’s different from the kiss we shared by the car. That was heat and passion. This is deeper, something that feels like a promise. I melt against him, my body molding to his, my fingers threading through his hair.
He tastes both like danger and safety, and I can’t get enough. I press closer, feeling the solid strength of him beneath me, the steady beat of his heart against my chest.
His hands slide under my shirt, warm against my skin, and I shiver at his touch. “Cold?” he asks against my lips.
“No,” I breathe, rocking my hips against his. “Definitely not cold.”
He groans, the sound vibrating through both of us. “We should go inside,” he suggests, though his hands are still moving, exploring the curve of my waist, the dip of my spine. The rough tips of his fingers play over the edges of my shirt.
“Or we could stay right here,” I counter, nipping at his bottom lip. “Under the stars.”
His eyes darken at the suggestion, and I can feel his body’s immediate response beneath me. “Out in the open? Feeling adventurous, aren’t you?”
“There’s no one around for miles,” I remind him, grinding down deliberately. “And I want you, Devlin. Right here, right now.”
That seems to break his restraint. With a growl, he captures my mouth in a searing kiss, his hands now moving with purpose, tugging at my clothing. I return the favor, fumbling with the buttons of his shirt, desperate to feel his skin against mine.
We undress each other with frantic need, pausing only to adjust our position so I’m still straddling him, but now we’re both gloriously naked, the cool night air raising goose bumps on my exposed skin. But I hardly notice the cold, not with the heat building between us, not with Devlin looking at me like I’m the most precious thing he’s ever seen.
“You’re beautiful,” he murmurs, his hands reverently tracing the curves of my body. “So goddamn beautiful.”
I arch into his touch, my head falling back as his mouth finds the sensitive spot where my neck meets my shoulder. “Devlin,” I gasp as his hands and lips continue their exploration, turning me molten from the inside out.
When I can’t take it anymore, I reach between us, guiding him where I need him most. We both moan as our bodies join, his cock pressing inside me.
“Look at me,” he commands softly, and I open my eyes to find him watching me with an intensity that steals my breath. “I need you to know something.”
I still, my heart pounding, waiting.
“I love you too,” he says, the words simple but profound. “God help me, but I do, and it scares the hell out of me, becauseI know Noah and Richard will use it against me. Use you against me.”
I roll my hips slowly, savoring the way his breath catches. “Let them try,” I whisper fiercely. “They can’t break what we’re building together.”
His hands find my hips again, guiding my movements as we find a rhythm together. “You don’t know them,” he warns, even as his body responds to mine. “They’re powerful men with a lot to lose.”
“So are we,” I remind him, leaning forward to kiss him deeply. “We have each other. That’s more powerful than anything they can throw at us.”
He doesn’t argue further, giving himself over to the moment, to us. Our bodies move together on the wooden rocking chair, the motion creating a gentle sway that enhances every sensation. I lose myself in him, in the feel of his hands on my skin, his lips on mine, the way he fills me so completely.
When the tension finally breaks, I have to bury my face in his shoulder to muffle my cries. He follows right behind, his arms tightening around me as he shudders beneath me, my name a whisper on his lips.
We stay like that for a long time, tangled together, our breathing gradually slowing, my head resting on his shoulder. The night has grown colder, but I’m warm in his embrace, content in a way I’ve never known before.
“We should head inside,” he eventually murmurs, pressing a kiss to my temple. “Get you warmed up properly.”
I nod and reluctantly disentangle myself from him. We gather our scattered clothing, helping each other dress with lingering touches and soft kisses, neither of us quite ready to break the connection between us.
As we head toward the door, Devlin suddenly stops, turning to me with a serious expression. “Atlee, I meant what I said.I love you. But I’m worried that all this”—he gestures vaguely, encompassing the situation with Noah and the Morrisons—“is going to put too much pressure on us. On what we’ve found.”
