I try to resist. Try to encourage him to pick up the pace.
But as his tantric rhythm propels me higher once more, I surrender to him completely.
My mind.
My body.
And my heart.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
HAYDEN
Something tickles my nose.
Soft. Warm. Faintly floral.
For half a second, I don’t know why my chest feels heavier than usual. Then I look down.
Rowan is curled against me, her cheek resting over my heart, her hair spilled across my shoulder and collarbone.
She’s still here.
She didn’t slip out before dawn.
She didn’t retreat to her own room.
A contented sigh leaves me as I slide my arm more securely around her and pull her closer.
She stirs slightly, her fingers tracing gentle circles on my chest.
“You’re still here,” I murmur, my voice rough with sleep.
“You asked me to stay.” She cranes her head back to meet my eyes. “So I stayed.”
“I’m so glad you did.” I touch my mouth to hers, coaxing her lips to part. She opens for me, and I gently nudge her onto her back, settling between her legs. “Do you know the best part about waking up beside you?”
“What’s that?” She chews on her bottom lip.
“That I get to do this.” I slide into her, and her body eagerly accepts me.
“And I thought you were going to say because then you didn’t have to walk through the house with a raging hard on.”
I chuckle as I bring my lips back to hers. “That, too. But I like this, Rowan.” I circle my hips against her, burying my head in the crook of her neck. “Ireallylike waking up to this.”
She sighs, running her fingers up and down my back.
“I really like waking up to this, too.”
“He’s in a mood,” Margaret warns when I step inside the office later that morning.
This is the last place I want to be today. But the promise of spending the night with Rowan in my arms is enough to make even the worst day seem survivable.
“I figured,” I respond, not even needing to ask who she’s talking about.
I already know.
And I know why, too. Because I skipped the memorial,then ignored all of Robert’s calls. I didn’t want anything to ruin my time with my kids.
