Forcing her lids to lift, she looked down at him, golden head bent over her, ravishing her body with a ferocious eroticism that racked her with convulsions. His lips opened and he sucked her clit hard, plunging his fingers deep into her pussy.
She came, exploding into tiny pieces as she crammed her hand in her mouth to muffle her screams. He kept up the pressure and she jerked with her release. He let her ride out a second tiny orgasm until she collapsed beneath him.
She heard him mutter something under his breath. She watched him with a bone-deep satisfaction as he tore open a condom wrapper, shoved his shorts all the way down, and covered himself. Grasping her ankles, he pushed her legs higher and farther apart until her feet rested on his broad shoulders. Poised at her entrance, he sunk his cock inside her inch by slow inch, watching her face with a shattering intensity that ramped back up her arousal until she felt as if she'd never even had the first two orgasms. Finally, he stopped, breathing hard, buried inside her wet heat.
Sweat dripped from his brow. Their gazes locked, her body not only welcoming him but squeezing him hard, as if frantic to never let him go again. In that moment, her heart burst open, and a gorgeous light flowed into her veins, making tears sting her eyes.
"You've always been mine," he said.
Then he moved. Back and forth, ramming his hips to go stronger, deeper, plunging in and out with a ferocious rhythm that warned her he'd leave nothing of her behind--he'd strip down every wall and rip away every hiding spot, forcing her to surrender completely.
And she did. She gave it all back to him, with the sting of her nails and the bite of her teeth, with the ragged cries of his name and the thrust of her hips. And when they both exploded together, he wrapped his arms tight around her body, sheltering her from her very self, keeping her safe within the circle.
Racked by aftershocks of pleasure, she pressed her head to his shoulder and knew she would never, ever be the same person again.
He tugged the blanket over them, adjusted their position, and soon she was asleep again in his arms.
FOR THE FIRST TIME in his life, Devine was terrified.
He'd been scared before. In the academy, he'd worried he wouldn't be good enough for the force and would never achieve his dream of being a cop. On a drug bust, a guy had pulled a gun and shot at him, and in a flash he wondered if he was going to die. When his brother was in a car crash and his mother had called him to tell him the news, terror had struck deep as he worried if his brother would make it.
But he'd never fallen this hard for a woman and realized she might never be able to give him what he needed.
Now he knew. She was the one for him. The one he'd been waiting for to finally feel complete--just like in those damn chick flicks and romance novels.
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.
There really was such a thing as soul mates and love at first sight. He'd proven it.
Stone would laugh his ass off if he had any idea.
Devine smothered a groan and made coffee while he waited for her to wake up. The puppies were happily playing with some old shoelaces and a bone after eating a crapload of dog food. But they both managed to actually pee outside and Devine almost did a happy dance right there on the public sidewalk. With a little sleep and that small accomplishment, he felt more hopeful he could wrangle this fatherhood thing.
Problem was, he'd do it best with Isabella by his side.
Everything was better with her. After last night, he confirmed the last question hovering in his mind. Had the connection he'd felt during sex been a beautiful dream, or could it be re-created?
The answer cracked him in the head like the barrel of a baseball bat.
No, it hadn't been a dream. Yes, it could be re-created. Yes, it was even better than the first time and gave him a glimpse of what their relationship could grow to become.
Would she give him a chance after this morning?
Or would she walk away again?
He poured himself a mug of coffee and headed toward the back deck. The puppies raced over to follow him, and he opened the sliding doors and stepped outside. The sharp cleanness of fall had closed in. Soon the leaves would turn, offering a blazing palette of golds and reds in the woods behind his house. It was one of his favorite seasons.
He leaned against the railing, took in the scenery, and sipped his coffee.
He could push. Stalk her. But how long could he keep up the pursuit if she was intent on sacrificing him to someone else? Was there a way to convince her she was everything he wanted?
He wished he could talk to someone. Crap--maybe he'd have to trust this awful vulnerability with Stone and hope to God he didn't torture him for the rest of their natural lives.
"Morning."
He turned at the husky voice. Wrapped up in the blanket, she held her own cup of coffee and came to stand beside him. A tentative smile curved her lips. In the streaming morning light, she took his breath away. A smattering of freckles dusted the bridge of her nose. Her bow lips were swollen from his kisses, and her gorgeous skin was unmarred by makeup. Crazy brown curls flew out in every direction. Her dark-blue eyes brimmed with the quiet satisfaction of a woman well loved.
He smiled slowly back. "Morning. I can make you tea. I know you don't like coffee."
"This is good. Sometimes I enjoy a cup here and there. Morning, Han; morning, Leia," she crooned as the pups raced over to give her kisses. She laughed, scratching their bellies, bestowing love, then straightened back up when they ran off to play.
They sipped the hot brew, relaxing into a comfortable silence. "I love the deck. I had no idea you had so much privacy here."
"Yeah, I usually grill and eat out here, and there are about five acres of woods behind that are protected so no one will be able to build. Another reason I bought the property. I hate neighbors on top of me."
"Yeah, it took me forever to warm up to Mrs. Blackfire, but Arilyn seems to have a great relationship with her now, so she rarely bothers me."
"Neighbor from hell?"
"Used to be. Guess everyone has a hidden soft side just ready to be tapped by the right person."
"Guess so."
He reached over and tugg
ed her against him. Then stiffened. "You naked under that blanket?"
"Yep."
He paused. "On purpose?"
"Not really. I couldn't find my clothes."
"Ah shit, I'm sorry. I threw them in the laundry. They should be dry soon."
"Nice plan."
He laughed, stroking her hair. "Cops need to make their own luck sometimes."
"Ah, so you set up your targets, huh?"
"I think that came out wrong." He stared at her for a while. "Isabella?"
"Yeah?"
"I'd really like you to drop that blanket."
He held his breath, knowing he'd pushed. Stupid. He should've been cool and let her lead. Maybe she wanted to talk about what this morning meant. He should've suppressed some of his hunger for her, but it had only grown like a primitive beast looking to devour. He opened his mouth to apologize or something, and then--
She dropped the blanket.
He sucked in his breath. In the light, her body stunned his vision with ripe curves and cherry nipples and a neatly trimmed nest of dark-brown hair in the junction of her thighs. Her gorgeous skin reminded him of a succulent fruit, plump for picking and tasting. The tat scrolled over the top of her right breast only emphasized her earthiness and sensuality. His gaze feasted on every inch, and she allowed him to drink his fill.
"All you had to do was ask, Liam," she said seductively.
His dick was painfully hard, and he barely managed to tug her against him, tip her head back, and kiss her.
Lifting her naked body up into his arms, he stumbled inside, his hands grasping her glorious ass until he got to the middle of the living room and gave up on taking another step, caught in a crazed hunger to mark her right now, right here.
Dropping her to the carpet, insane with need, he ripped down his shorts and fumbled with a condom. He smelled the musky scent of her arousal, saw the wetness on her thighs, and turned wild. Flipping her over until she knelt on all fours in front of him, he cupped the globes of her ass, leaning over to bite and lick, wresting throaty moans and cries from her lips, then plunged into her heat.
He let out a roar as she squeezed him tight. Her wet heat urged him on, and he palmed her breasts, playing with her tight nipples while he fucked her, loved her, claimed her.
His name exploded in the air as she came, and he kept thrusting, savoring every ripple in her body as she shook within his grasp. Finally, his hips rammed home, and he let himself go, throwing his head back as he roared with satisfaction, letting the shocks of pleasure wash over him until he was emptied.