I scooted up the bed until I could recline against the pillows. I spread my legs slowly and cupped my breasts in offering.
If my hands shook, he couldn’t see it in the darkness. I hoped.
He growled and finally took off his pants and boxer briefs the rest of the way and dropped them to the floor. He moved between my splayed legs and gripped my hips, hauling me up against him so I was sitting on his lap. I twined my arms and legs around him, so close we were practically one. My breasts pressed to his chest and his cock bobbed between us, trailing wetness over my flame-hot skin.
“Do you want me to use a condom?”
I eased back to see his face. Somehow I knew that wasn’t a question he’d asked before.
In answer, I kissed him.
He scooped me up in his arms again and surprised me by laying me back into the pillows. And when my leg anchored on his waist, he slipped into me as if we’d both been waiting for this day and could finally exhale.
Finally, finally, he was inside me, filling all the parts of me that had been so achingly empty.
He dropped his forehead to mine and panted against my lips. “Just give me a second to make sure I’m still alive.”
I had to laugh even through my wince as he pulled out and pushed in again, somehow feeling even fuller. I was stuffed to the max, and I couldn’t do anything but whimper for more.
He’d told me to take. I could do nothing but.
When he moved too fast and I grimaced at the bounce of my sore head against the pillows, he reached up to slide his hand into my hair, tenderly cushioning his thrusts. Unwinding me until I trembled around him, my nails searing down his back to dig into his ass.
I didn’t even have the breath to say I wanted more. Yet he took my cues, driving me harder, his wide hand still so carefully holding my head. He kissed me sweetly, his kisses as long as his strokes. My leg started to jerk and he hauled it higher, changing the angle, going so far that I couldn’t hold back my cries. I opened my eyes and found him watching me, a drip of sweat on his lip, and I leaned up to taste it as I clenched him so tightly he could never leave.
“God, Bee.” Tasting my nickname while he pounded into me was impossibly intimate. And I kept right on coming while he reached the end of his control and drained himself into me.
His wild pulses of release made me bite his shoulder, the slice of my teeth only making him come harder.
Even when it was over, he stayed inside me. Neither of us moved. We collapsed in a sweaty pile, trying to get our breath back. Realizing it was pointless and moving together again.
This time, when he filled me, the sensation pushed me into another orgasm, silent but shuddering.
When we were both exhausted, he rolled me into his arms and sheltered me with his body. We didn’t even bother to clean up. Or say anything.
What words were left?
Other than the three most important ones he imprinted with his lips on the back of my neck.
I kissed his forearm, doing the same. And we fell asleep with firelight dancing over us, locked together at last.
Finally.
Sixteen
Waking with Bee in my arms made me thankful to be alive.
Thankful she was alive, and whole, and mostly unhurt after last night’s fall.
I grimaced. I’d had our romantic night all planned out. Cocoas and carols and the tree lighting with our friends, most of whom still did not know about the baby. At least I didn’t think so. I hadn’t managed to invite the guys over yet, but maybe I could do an impromptu thing today while Bee was at her sister’s baby shower. I needed to tell John and August and Moose in person. Taking the coward’s way out and letting the grapevine take care of my dirty work wasn’t fair to my daughter or my friends.
Besides, I’d done the hard part already and told my family and the Ramos family. The rest was cake.
I’d already texted Bonnie about an hour ago to check on my girls. She’d answered immediately, saying they were fine and asleep with full bellies. Then she’d asked the same and I realized I’d never fed Bee last night.
Not in a way that was appropriate to disclose to her mother.
I hated asking Christian to catch more shifts on a holiday weekend, but he claimed he had an extra expense to pay for and appreciated the overtime.