The pain of the past week disappeared as her heart filled her chest. She pushed forward to back them into the gazebo. He pulled her back with him until he sat on the bench.

Standing between his legs, she stared down in wonder at the love in his eyes. This amazing man loved her. The feelings inside her were so overwhelming, so pure.

“I love you, Chase.” She brushed the hair away from his face and kissed his forehead. “I love you so much.”

He captured her face with his hands and brought his lips to hers, but he didn’t kiss her. Her eyes opened and stared into green as pure and deep as the leaves of the forest surrounding them. “I love you.”

A spear of heat hit her core. He brushed his lips over hers, a gentle back and forth motion. So slowly it was driving her insane. She straddled his lap, placing her knees on the cushioned bench beside his hips. His erection pressed against the juncture of her thighs.

The rich smell of him assaulted her nose, filling her with need, but he kept up his relentless brushing never deepening the kiss and not allowing her to. She rubbed her breasts against the hardness of his chest.

Her brain suffered meltdown as the heat between them intensified, but he did no more than brush his mouth over hers. A low rumble started in the back of her throat as the pressure continued to build within. Her clothes were too tight, and there were way too many layers between their bodies.

She stepped back from the bench. His eyes were glazed as he watched her, but he didn’t pull her back to him. Kicking off her sandals, she jerked off her pajama top and shimmied out of her jeans and underwear.

His eyes took in her body, but she was beyond being embarrassed. Her body was on fire, and she needed him. She stalked toward him. She yanked his shirt out of his pants and up. He held his arms up for her to get the shirt off, but didn’t help or say anything.

When her breast brushed against his cheek, his mouth closed over her hardened nipple. She froze as the pulling reached down to her center. Her core pulsed in time with his gentle suction. She caught her bottom lip between her teeth to keep from exploding.

She ripped the shirt the rest of the way off and flung it to the side. Her naked flesh slid against his, warm and moist. He smiled up at her with passion-laden eyes, but he made no move to take over. She wrapped her arms around his chest and pulled him up to stand with her.

Her body pressed into his as she popped open his jean button. Her knuckles brushed against his stomach causing shivers of anticipation to course through her.

She lowered his jeans and his boxer briefs and pushed him back on the bench. She knelt at his feet and pulled the jeans and underwear off the rest of the way.

Crawling her way back up onto his lap, she straddled his hips again. This time nothing blocked her flesh from his and she groaned deep in her throat as the velvet softness of his erection pressed against her stomach.

It’d been too long. A week of longing to be with him. A week of feeling horrible for the things she’d said to him.

Her mouth lowered and captured his. His hands remained at his sides. She would go insane if he didn’t touch her soon. Her body was fevered and pulsated with desire.

She slid along him. Her tongue parted his lips and sought his. Her core pulsed with its emptiness as he parried with his tongue.

He leaned over and grabbed a condom from his discarded pants. She guided him to her throbbing center.

Gripping his shoulders, she lowered herself fully on him. Her lips parted and a sigh of relief passed out of them. His mouth captured hers and his hands found her hips.

He didn’t move her, just held her. She slid up excruciatingly slowly enjoying the friction of his flesh on hers before lowering herself again. She repeated the process and Chase groaned.

His mouth moved with the desperation she felt and his hands took over her rhythm, sending her soaring higher until all that existed was the pulsating within her. His flesh against hers. His mouth on hers.

Her body clenched around him and her mouth opened in a silent scream. His fingers convulsed on her hips as their bodies continued to strain together. Her fingernails dug into his shoulders as her body rocked into another orgasm.

She could feel his answering pulse within her. He held her body still as he found his own release. Wrapped around him, she opened her eyes and looked down into his.

“I love you.” Her voice trembled and was weak, but very, very satisfied.

He brushed her hair away from her face and kissed her softly. “I have never loved anyone the way I do you.”

Chase still couldn’t believe Natalie was here, asleep in his bed. He trailed a lazy finger down her back, from her shoulder to her waist where the sheet rested.

He’d been in misery the entire time he was in Ontario, but he couldn’t have stayed here. Being close to her was torture. Knowing she was only a car drive away had almost crushed him since she’d made it clear she wasn’t willing to be in the spotlight.

She didn’t know what she was getting into. She hadn’t begun to be pursued by the paparazzi. As an ex-lover she’d been interesting, but to be his girlfriend meant a whole new level of scrutiny. Her nose crinkled in her sleep. He gently brushed her hair off her face.

Would they be able to see what he saw when he was with her? Beautiful, intelligent eyes. A smile that made his heart swell every time she gave him one. When she looked at him, he knew he could do anything, be anyone.

When he’d been gone, he’d lost the peace that seemed to settle over him when she was near. What had changed? Did he really want to question why she was here? Wasn’t it enough that she was? That was it, wasn’t it? How long could she handle the pressure? How long before she left him for good? How long would love be enough to hold her to him? Would he ever be sure she was here to stay?

He couldn’t know, but he didn’t want to go back to the way things were before. He didn’t want the superficial Hollywood romances. He wanted Natalie.

His fingers tangled in her shoulder-length hair. He leaned down and kissed the pale skin of her shoulder. When he lifted his head, he caught the slight smile on her lips before it disappeared again.

His hand trailed down her spine while he kept careful watch on her face. The little minx was pretending to sleep. His hand didn’t stop at the sheet, but continued under and over the curve of her buttocks.

When his hand slipped between her thighs and cupped her, a moan escaped her lips. Gently he stroked her as his other hand wrapped under her to lift her rear up. She rocked against his hand.

The flush of arousal coated her but she kept her eyes closed. Would anyone know the secret beauty who shared his bed? This wonderful creature who dominated his thoughts. Her lips parted.

He grabbed a condom off the nightstand and shifted on the bed until he was behind her raised hips. He replaced his hand with his erection and pulled her up against his body.

“Good morning, sleepy,” he whispered huskily in her ear.

Her arm draped up over his shoulder to clutch his neck as he rocked gently against her. “Morning.”

His arm crossed her chest, holding her to him as his other hand found the moist center of her. His fingers slid over her as he continued to rock inside her.

She shattered all around him. Her body shook as she came hard. Her sex clamped down on him. He lost control as his body shuddered in hers.

He lowered them to the bed still inside her, cradling her against his body.

“Definitely a good morning.” Her voice was soft as she stretched against him. She gently turned into him to face him. Her eyes reflected his satisfaction.

“Let’s go out to breakfast.” If this was going to work in the real world, she had to get used to going and being seen. That part of his life wouldn’t change.