I shot him a sheepish smile. “Seems like I’m almost getting you killed a lot. Are you sure you’re not better off without me? You’d surely live a much longerlife.”
August’s expression became edged with so much fury and pain that I caressed hisjaw.
“I didn’t mean to make youangry.”
“There isnoversion of me without you,okay?”
“Okay.”
“It’s you and me, Dimples. Always has been and always willbe.”
Between the feel of his thick, silky flesh, the scent of spice and rain lifting from his skin, and the timbre of his voice, my heart thundered in my chest. He dragged my body away, then thrust into me, causing the pounding to travel lower. As the rain fell harder, it created a cacophony that drowned out everything but the sound of ourhearts.
His lips claimed mine with such violence that his teeth knocked into mine. My legs clenched around him as a thrill began to build in my core, and then a moan tumbled from my mouth straight into his as the sensation overrode my entire system. He pumped harder, and I clawed at his back, the orgasm exploding inside me, striking my veins and muscles, battering my sinews and bones, scorching myskin.
He deepened the kiss, his teeth catching on my bottom lip. As the taste of warmed copper coated my palate, a new wave of pleasure clapped against my thighs and rushed through my limbs, making me gasp hisname.
His rhythm turned brisker, more urgent, rough grunts scraping the walls of his throat, causing the flutter behind my belly button to transform into full-ondrumming.
“Sweetheart,” he rasped a second before my body undidhis.
The water around our bodies rippled, and then it began to glitter as though it were drizzling stars instead of raindrops. It was so beautiful. Everything about that moment was so beautiful. I wanted to immortalize it in my mind for all the years tocome.
Still surfing on the wake of my orgasms, I stroked the nape of his neck, watching his features crinkle and smooth as he poured himself inside ofme.
Our first time had been special, but this time . . . this time had been spectacular. I hoped it had also been good for August. Maybe he’d had better. I grimaced at thethought.
“I have never had better,” he whispered huskily. “Never.”
The blood drained from my face. Had I spoken outloud?
August blinked. And then color leached from his skin as he looked down at the water that still glittered wildly around us.Oh . . .shit.
I blinked, because his mouth hadn’t moved to form the words, and yet somehow, I’d heard them. “Did I—didyou—”
My navel pulsed harder than my core and heart puttogether.
Was the linkback?
I think . . . I think . . .His voice surged inside mymind.
“I can hear you. Why can I hear you?” I asked, barely louder than the plinking raindrops. “Did we just . . . did we justconsolidatethelink?”
Sadness furrowed his brow. “I think—God, I’m so sorry. I know you didn’t want this.” He pressed his forehead against mine, his fingers digging into my thighs. “I’m so sorry,” herepeated.
For a moment, I held perfectly still, absorbing the significance of what had just transpired. Then, without using sound or breath, I said,I’mnot.
He lifted his face offmine.
“Are you sorry,August?”
“No.” His forehead had smoothed. “But I’ve wanted this . . . Well, I’ve wanted this since the tether snapped into place.” He shot me a sheepish smile that made him look more boy than man, but then he shifted a little, and I felt him harden inside me again, reminding me that he was allman.
Myman.
His smile turned devilish as he tugged on the tether, reeling my body in until he was fully sheathed inside.That’s right, sweetheart.Yourman.
I laughed. “I can’t decide if I like this new skill of ours or fearit.”
