“You like that?” He blew on her damp flesh, cursing under his breath when she lifted her hips, rubbing herself against his stomach.

Fingers threading through his hair, she pulled the strands at the same time, holding him to her. “Harder,” she whimpered.

He did as she asked, sucking harder and tugging gently until her hips were thrusting against him. “You want to come, sweetheart?”

“Yes. Please, Deacon.”

He’d gotten a glimpse of her like this, so beautifully vulnerable, unguarded, when he’d made love to her in the garage, but he’d never seen her this way, this open, this free of restraint. She took his breath away, humbled him. “You’re so beautiful.” He dragged her shirt up and over her head, needing her completely bared to him, then slid her panties down her legs. She reared up, tugged at the buttons of his shirt, and he took over, yanking it over his head, then made quick work of the rest of his clothes.

When he covered her again, he groaned at the feel of her bare skin against his. Her legs wrapped around his hips, and she ground against him. Jesus. He was hanging on by a goddamned thread.

Sliding a hand up the side of her neck, fingers sinking into her dark, silky hair, he took her mouth, kissing her like he’d wanted to the minute she walked into the garage. She returned his kiss, wild and hungry, rubbing herself against him, gasping into his mouth. Alex was almost frantic in her need, desperate for him. He loved it, loved her like this. Loved her. And as much as he wanted to hold her down, take charge, pound out all the frustration, the hurt he’d caused her, he knew what she needed.

Wrapping his arms around her, he rolled to his back. Her hands immediately went to his cock, fisting him, positioning herself over him. “That’s it, Alex, take it.” Her hands landed on his shoulders, and she sank down hard. Jesus, she was slick and hot, and wrapped around him so tight he was close to losing it. Flinging her head back, she cried out, hips undulating in a way that made him hiss through gritted teeth. “Take what you need, baby. I’m all yours. I’ve always been yours.”

The tears had slowed, but another sob broke past her swollen lips. Her fingers flexed, nails biting into his skin when she ground down hard, making them both moan. Then her eyes finally opened, those sexy, exotic eyes still glistening from her tears holding his. She didn’t speak, just held his gaze as she moved on top of him, taking what she needed.

The woman was beautiful. Completely bare. Dark hair, wild around her shoulders. She took his breath away. But it was her eyes that held him transfixed—they hid nothing, gave him everything, showed him everything. He slid his hands up her thighs, gripped her hips, and thrust up into her. “Say you’re mine, Alex. Say it.”

Her movements grew frantic, her breathing erratic, skin flushed with her fast-approaching climax. He felt her tighten around him and slid his thumb up and over her clit, massaging the tight bud. “I’m not going anywhere, sweetheart. Ever. I promise you that.”

Her lips trembled.

“Say it,” he whispered.

“Yours. I’m yours,” she cried, then threw her head back, screaming his name as she came.

He didn’t take his eyes off her, not when his balls drew tight, and not when his own release tore through him, turning him into nothing but a gasping, shaking mess beneath her.

He didn’t know how long they lay there afterward, her body draped over his, her breath tickling his throat with every exhale. He threaded his fingers though her hair and waited. Waited for her to process everything he’d said, to allow it to sink in. He wasn’t going anywhere. Alex was his.

Finally she lifted her head and looked down at him. “So, you and me, huh?”

He couldn’t read her expression. “Yep.”

“No arrangement, no blackmail. Just…you and me.”

“Uh-huh.”

She lowered her head back to his chest, quiet again. After several minutes, he gave her hair a tug. “You got something to add to that?” His heart felt like it was pounding in his throat, damn near choking him.

When she lifted up again, she was grinning. “Oh, did I forget something?”

“You damn well know you did.” He gave her ass a light slap.

She tapped her finger against her lip. “Let me see. Oh, I know… Yes, Deacon, you are a stud machine in the sack.” Her grin got wider. “Better?”

“Don’t mess with me, woman, not after the last couple days. Now say it, or I’ll be forced to punish you.” He flipped her onto her back and stared down at her. “I need to hear you say the words.” He knew he sounded desperate, needy as hell, but that was because he was.

Her grin faded, and her eyes grew serious. She cupped his face in her hands and held his gaze. “Deacon West, I have loved you since I was fourteen years old. That has never changed, can never change. I will always love you. Always.”

He sucked in a breath. “Jesus.” Then, groaning, he buried his face against her throat. She rubbed his back while he pulled himself together enough to talk. But when he lifted up again, he couldn’t find the words. There weren’t any to express what he felt in that moment, so he kissed her, pouring everything he felt into that kiss. And when she wrapped her legs around his hips, urging him to take her again, he didn’t think he had ever been—could ever be—happier. He sank inside her and made love to his woman, reassuring her, loving her the way he knew she needed.

“You and me,” he whispered into her hair.

Epilogue

Four months later

Alex’s bare skin felt flushed, and not just from the sun’s heat beating down. Deacon kissed his way up to the sensitive skin below her ear. “You hungry?”

She brushed her fingers through his hair, away from his forehead, and grinned. “Starving.”

“I better feed you then.” Taking her hands, he helped her into a sitting position on the hood of his father’s Pontiac, his thighs still between hers. He took a step back, then stopped, head tilting to the side. “Wait, don’t move…just, stay like that for a second.”

“Why?” She darted a glance down at herself. “Is there a bug on me or something?”

He shook his head, laughter dancing in his gorgeous green eyes. “No. I’m memorizing the way you look right now, locking it away in my mind. Recently fucked, sitting on the hood of the Pontiac, sun lighting up that amazing golden skin, while the breeze ruffles your hair.” He rubbed his hand over his mouth. “Beautiful doesn’t cut it, Alex.”

She swallowed hard, emotion clogging her throat. “You don’t look too shabby yourself, Mr. CEO.” Bare chest, jeans still undone, sweat glistening his skin, hair mussed from her fingers tugging on it. “Like someone just rocked your world,” she teased.

Deacon had surprised her when she woke, telling her they were going on a picnic. As soon as he’d driven Jacob’s old car out of the garage, she knew what he had in mind. The fantasy he’d told her about four months ago. It felt like such a long time ago now, when she’d been so afraid of her feelings, afraid to love him. But Deke made it easy. The guy wasn’t hard to love.

“You rock my world every damn day just by being in it.” He moved back in close, tugged down her skirt, and lifted her to the ground. Then, taking her hand, he led her over to the picnic blanket he had laid out by the lake. The area was completely secluded, idyllic, peaceful.

She stood there and looked out across the water. “It’s so beautiful.”

His fingers slipped around hers. “Yeah, I’ve never seen anything more stunning.”

She turned back. His voice had gone incredibly deep, and he was staring up at her, already kneeling on the blanket. She tried to climb down beside him, but he stopped her. “Just stand there for me.”