They were a big, heaving pile of sweat on the bed once their climaxes evened out. Ace rolled onto the bed beside her, resting his mouth against her bare shoulder. Emma let her arms fall overhead, lying spread-eagled on the king-sized mattress.
“Oh, God, Emma,” Ace moaned.
She turned her head slightly toward him, then kissed his forehead. She noticed the light speckling of blood on the sheets and felt a rush of warmth.
“So that is how that works, is it?”
Ace glanced down, then brought his fingers to her skin. He wiped away the blood, but a bit more came streaming through.
“Did I hurt you?” he asked mournfully.
Emma burst out laughing, then took his face in her hands. She kissed his lips lightly, then held him there, forehead to his.
“Oh, baby,” she cooed, “you would never hurt me. That was absolutely transcendent.”
His look of concern melted away as he pulled her on top of him. Emma was still dazed from her multiple orgasms, but she was addicted to Ace the same way he was addicted to her. No one ever made her want to go more than one round of mind-bending sex.
“You make me feel superhuman,” he said.
She straddled him, amazed that he had gotten hard again so quickly. She brought his cock to her pussy, then slid it inside. She began riding him, feeling like the queen of the world.
“You are, though,” she said, biting her lip.
“Only with you,” he replied, smiling up at her.
She rode him until they both burst open with even more radiant pleasure. After cleaning up and having a final nightcap, they fell asleep in each other’s arms. The night beyond them sang its dark sweet song, cicadas and grasshoppers alike.
Emma fell asleep, knowing she never needed to be afraid again.
Chapter27
Ace
Ace ran his hands over Emma’s body, watching her skin come alive under his touch. Her cheeks were flushed, and her breathing eased in and out like a strengthening tide. He had never seen anything more beautiful in his life.
He couldn’t believe he’d gotten so lucky. No matter how deep his feelings were, he had never dreamed he could actually be with Emma for so many reasons. The war between the families was nothing compared to his dark, tortured heart.
He didn’t deserve to be loved, and a woman like this was always going to be beyond his reach.
But she does love me.
Ace leaned forward, running his hands across Emma’s stomach and trailing his fingers across her breasts as he kissed her. She writhed and moaned, her hips thrusting against him as she wriggled underneath him.
“I love you,” she whispered, her breath hot from the kiss. Ace closed his eyes as an old wound throbbed in his chest.
“I love you, too,” he whispered back, letting his lips graze her cheek. Even though he still had pain inside … and probably always would … being with Emma had healed him. Ace had faith in the world, finally.
When he pressed his lips to hers, there was far more fire this time. When his hands groped her, Emma gasped and squirmed, opening her thighs, and wrapping them around him. Ace moaned, bracing himself on his arms to drive his hips toward her.
“Yes,” she gasped, thrusting her hips at him even harder. “Yes!”
Ace smiled, pleasure racing down his spine like electricity through his limbs. He teased her pussy with one hand, enjoying how wet and hot she was, before slowly parting those deep, lush lips and thrusting his cock into her.
Emma arched her back, closed her eyes, and cried out as he slid all the way inside her. Her arms and legs tightened around him, and her deepest, lowest muscles responded by gripping him hard. Ace fought to stay still while the pleasure rocketed through Emma, making her every muscle sing with tension.
Ace leaned forward, resting his head on Emma’s shoulder as she thrashed and cried out. He watched her face, taking note of every beautiful expression that passed over her while she was lost in ecstasy.
“Hmm,” she murmured, resting her head on his shoulder. “I think I disappeared there for a moment.”