The tears started again. “It felt like my heart and stomach were tearing apart.”
He scooped her up into his arms, sat on the bed with her on his lap, and hugged her to his chest. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”
“I’m sorry, too, daddy.” She peeked up at him. “Do you want me to go now?”
He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You’re never going anywhere, baby.”
“But I can tell you’re mad at me.”
“I’m not mad. I am a little disappointed that you didn’t trust me enough, but I get it. We haven’t been together all that long, and the conversation you overheard was pretty harsh.”
He pushed the clothes and bags off the bed and laid her down. Then he lay beside her and cupped her cheek. “I’m sorry you were hurt.”
She reached out and cupped his cheek. “I’m
sorry you were, too.”
He bent and pressed a kiss to her lips. Like every other time, their passion quickly grew out of control.
“I need to be in you,” he said gruffly against her neck.
“I need that, too, daddy.”
He stripped them both, pushed her legs open, and slammed into her, making them both groan. He set his forehead against hers.
“You’re never getting away from me, baby. You’re my life, and my obsession, and I can’t live without you.”
“I love you, daddy.”
He smiled gently and used his thumb to wipe a tear from her cheek. “I love you, too.” He pressed another kiss to her lips and started to move in and out of her.
“Please, daddy. Harder.”
He slid an arm under her hips to tilt her in a way that would enable him to go deeper at the same time he cupped the back of her head.
“Don’t close your eyes,” he said with a growl. He pounded into her for a few long minutes, knowing he wouldn’t last much longer. “Baby, I want you to come.”
She immediately stiffened, bowed off the mattress, and screamed.
His groan mixed with hers, filling the room with the song of their passion.
He balanced himself on his elbows as he tried to level out his breathing and gain the strength needed to move to her side.
She sighed when he pulled out of her and then wrapped her in his arms. He pulled up the blanket to cover them.
“We’ll rest for a bit. I just need to hold you.”
She kissed his chest. “I need it, too, daddy.”
He listened to her breathing even out and then closed his eyes. He assumed she got little to no sleep like he did the night before. He was exhausted, but she was back where she belonged.
His life was back on track. As long as he had her, he didn’t need anything else.
Chapter Twenty
“Daddy, can I call Aleena?”
“Yeah, baby. I’ll be in the kitchen.”