Locking her legs around him, she met every deep plunge into her core. He set a pace that made the world fade, and she only focused on his eyes.
She dug her heels in and pulled him in closer, needing the release hovering just out of reach. But he caught her hip with one hand and held her exactly where he wanted her.
He skated his lips down her throat to her collarbone and the curve of her shoulder while still setting the same devastating pace.
She opened her mouth to let all her emotions pour out, but he shifted the angle and she lost the words entirely. She found his hair instead, raking through the short strands that Opal had told her curled when he let it grow too long. She wanted to see it, to know every part of him.
“Look at me.”
She did.
His jaw was locked tight, eyes dark as sin, a faint ruddiness climbing his neck that she’d never seen before. He looked undone in a way that matched how she felt, and something about that—about being the one who did that to him—made everything inside her pull taut.
He drove deeper and she gasped, raking her nails down his back. He hissed through his teeth and stopped teasing.
He slid a hand between their bodies and found her aching nubbin. She cried out at the contact, overstimulated and frantic and climbing fast.
“Angelo—” She gasped for air. “I’m—”
His lips pressed to her ear. “I’ve got you, love. Let go.”
She did.
It hit her in waves, each one deeper than the last, and she held on to him through all of it with her face pressed against his neck. Then his own control finally snapped, and she felt him follow her over the edge.
She held on tight, loving how his muscles went rock-hard and his kiss turned so passionate that it brought tears to her eyes.
For a long moment neither of them moved. The room was quiet. His weight warm and solid over her. His heart throbbed against her chest, fast and gradually slowing.
Her own was doing the same. She stared at the ceiling and felt…
Still. In a way she hadn’t in a long time.
He rolled to the side and pulled her with him, tucking her against his chest. She listened to their breathing sync up.
Though he hadn’t said the words back…they were worth waiting for. For now, it was enough that they were together and he cared about her.
FIFTEEN
The plan was in place.
Ash got the text from the team mid-rep, barbell above his chest and sweat slicking his skin. He set the weight down, already moving before he finished reading the message.
His mind was already running through his gear, but he had one more thing on his checklist these days.
Find Ellory.
She was in the computer lab, head down, fingers moving across the keyboard like she could outwork whatever shadows were stealing over them all. The glow of the screen highlighted parts of her face, but he needed to see her eyes.
She didn’t notice he was there until he covered her hand with his.
She jerked her head up, eyes clearing as her concentration broke.
He didn’t say a word, just tugged, and she came—pushing back from the desk and letting him lead her out of the lab and up the stairs at a fast pace.
She knew how to read him, which was a relief since he wasn’t ready to say anything out loud yet.
When they reached his room, he released her hand and moved straight to his go-bag. Muscle memory kicked in for the next steps—unzipping the bag, laying out his gear, checking his weapon.
