I can’t keep my distance any longer. I slide my hands up his chest behind his head and force his mouth to mine. I kiss him hard and push my tongue into his mouth. “I thought you were sleeping around,” I breathe out as his mouth attacks mine. He growls and backs me up, sits me on the edge of the bathroom counter.

“I would never . . .”

“I thought you didn’t want us here anymore.”

“I want you with me always. Will, too.” His lips press hard into my neck and my head kicks back as his lips devour my skin and I start to moan.

Sinking my hand between us, I feel him, all of him.

He hisses and his eyes close. “I’m gonna come. I mean it, Doll. It’s like I’m fourteen again. It doesn’t matter how many times I take care of it on my own, it won’t go away. Every night, I’m prayin’ for things I shouldn’t be prayin’ about.”

I smile and lift his face so that his molten eyes meet mine. “Are you waiting for a printed invitation? I’m pretty good at Word. I can draft one up for you, if that’s what it’s going to take. Because clearly, you’ve been oblivious to the fact I’ve been eyeing you like a lollipop for weeks.”

“Such a smartass mouth.” He kisses me again so deep and desperately. His lips brand mine with his name as it expels from my lips. He tangles one hand into my hair, and the other works over mine to jack him off.

He doesn’t last long like he promised, and he comes for way longer than he ever has before. Watching him come and hearing the noises he makes, sends a rush of moisture between my legs.

Afterward, he cleans us up the best he can, and then we’re both smiling and kissing, letting our hands roam where they haven’t roamed in months.

“I haven’t said this for a long time, because I didn’t want you to feel guilty for not sayin’ it back, but I love you. So goddamn much.” He rubs his thumb over my jaw. “I feel it a thousand times a day and it sits on the edge of my lips, and it’s been hell not to tell you how I feel.”

I lay my palm on his cheek. “I love you too, Mav.” Then I repeat his words, because they describe my feelings exactly. “I’ve felt it too, a thousand times a day, and yeah it’s been hell not to tell you these past few months.”

His smile widens. “Months?”

“I mean it. Every word.”

He threads his hands into my hair again and seals his mouth over mine. When he pulls back, his smirk is sexy as hell. “Do you think you could be pregnant? I know there’s a slim chance with everything that happened. But—”

“I don’t know. I guess I could go buy one of those tests.” My good mood waivers. My voice trembles as I think of the only reason why that would be a bad thing. “He used a condom, b—”

“Hey, if you are, it doesn’t matter whether it’s part of both of us, or only a part of you. It’ll be mine either way and I’ll love him or her the same. And I know you will too. So don’t think whatever you’re thinkin’.”

“You say that now, but what if—”

He silences my lips again. “I mean it. Every word.” He wipes away the lone tears on each of my cheeks and smiles again, pecks my lips.

A door slams below us and then Lily’s voice rings out, “Hello? Em, you home? Mav?”

“I’ll go to the store and get a test. I’m sure Lily will stay if you need to head out again.”

He shakes his head, “Nah, no reason to now.” He looks down and grins. “Plus, I promised Will I’d take her for a ride today.”

When I bite my lip, he laughs, and pulls it from my teeth. “Doll, calm down, I’ll go slow like I did last time, and only on these back roads.”

“Okay. Just be careful. I don’t want to have to maim you. I kind of like how sexy you are.” I slip off the counter and kiss him one more time.

When we break apart, he asks, “Do you think I can bribe Will to start sleepin’ in her own room? Maybe I’ll let her open one of her presents early.”

I throw him a cheeky grin. “She’s very bribable.”

His thumb caresses my cheekbone. “Are you sure you’re ready for that?”

“Luce, if your hand was in my panties right now, you would not be asking me that. If you knew how many nights I’ve stayed awake wondering if I should turn around and wake you up with my mouth—”

“Fuck. You’re kiddin’? ” Then he groans and looks down as his erection returns.

A knock on the door a few seconds later has us jumping apart and Mav scrambling for the towel he dropped. I open the door only as much as I dare and slide out of the doorway. As I do, my eyes land on Lily.

“I heard that by the way. Miss wants to be an elementary school teacher,” Lily teases. “What exactly do you plan to teach the little minds of the world? Mmmm . . .”

“Lily, seriously.” I smack her arm. “Where’s Will?”

She waves me off. “Downstairs eating a whole bucket of those mini chocolate chip cookies we got at the mall.”

She turns to head back downstairs, but I lay my hand on her arm. “Uh-mmm . . . I need to go to the store. Now that you’re back, do you want to go with me?”

Her eyes light up. “Of course. Like I’d say no to more shopping.”

“I need to go to the pharmacy. Get a couple of tests.”

Her smile disappears. “The drug store is not what I . . .” Her eyes widen. She clasps her hands over her mouth and gasps. “Are you pregnant?”

“Jeez, Lily. Shhh. What if Will hears you? I don’t know yet, okay? That’s why I need the tests.”

The door opens behind me. Spinning, I come face to face with Mav in dark jeans that hang loosely on him and nothing else. His cologne, a scent that makes my brain fuzzy with thoughts of sex, wafts off of him.

When both Lily and I simply stare for who knows how long, Mav quirks his eyebrow. His lips curl into a smirk. “Somethin’ you need, Doll?”

“Uh-mmm, I’m just going to go down and help Will with those cookies,” Lily says and hustles down the hall.

My eyes fall to Mav’s torso. It doesn’t take them long to latch onto the new tattoo. It has both an image and words circling it. His hand grabs mine and he moves my fingers so they’re touching the black and gold snake, and the red diamond it’s coiled around.

“When did you do this?” My eyes flicker up to his.

“A few days before you were discharged from the hospital.”

‘Why?”

“Because it’s a promise.” When I arch my brow, he explains, “Even though you’re as strong as a Diamond, I’m still always going to be here to protect you.”

I run my fingers over it again. The new tattoo lays on his abdomen in the exact same spot where my bullet scar is on my body. I tilt my head to read the words circling the image. My fingers dance over each word and Mav shudders. I look up to see he has his eyes closed. And God . . . he looks so at peace.

Silently, I read the words.

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 1 Corinthians 13:7

Paying it forward is not always easy. But it’s always worth it.

EMBER

The three of us study the rundown brick building, and for the second time, I question if the old woman was yet again lying through her teeth.

She said that the day after stealing my bag, Ivy tracked her down and demanded it back at knifepoint. I couldn’t help but fight a smile. When Taz threatened to pull out his own knife if she didn’t tell us more about her, she gave me this address, and said she’s followed Ivy here once.

“What was it?” I ask, my eyes studying a few of the broken windows.

Mav, who’s standing next to me with his arm around my waist, shrugs and replies, “Don’t know.”

“Rhines Boxin’ Gym,” Taz mutters as he makes his way past us and heads toward the door. “Shut down a year ago when the owner was robbed and killed. Fuckin’ tragedy. The guy was the best boxin’ coach in the state.” He yanks on the door, but it doesn’t give. After reaching into his pocket and pulling something out, he kneels and works at the lock.