It was easy to lift her and turn, settling her into the center of the bed. I stood and set my gun on her nightstand—no kids around for it to be an issue—took off my utility belt, and laid it on top of her dresser. Then I stripped down to my boxers and climbed in beside her, pulled the blankets over us before hooking my arm around her waist and settling her close. I wasn’t satisfied until my arm was her pillow and she was tucked up against my side. One of her legs was over mine.

I sighed. Hard.

Fuck yes.

The room was bright with the midday sun, but I didn’t give a shit. I was too tired to care, and besides, I had my girl in my arms.

“Sleep, baby girl. I’ve got you.”

SARAH

The sound of my shower woke me. I rolled over, my arm reaching out to where Huck had slept. His spot was warm, meaning he hadn’t been up for long. Wiping my eyes, I glanced at the bedside clock. We’d slept for hours. Together.

Just slept.

Being in his arms had been… heaven. I’d felt small and precious. Cared for. Protected. Safe. His dark scent clung to my sheets, and I lifted the pillow he’d used and breathed him in.

Huck.

He was here. He’d come to me when I needed him most. How had he known? How had he just… been there?

I realized it didn’t matter. He was naked and in my shower. Using my rose-scented soap. The corner of my mouth tipped up at the thought of a guy as big and brawny as Huck smelling like me. That made me think of the other night when we’d been in his bed. When, while he hadn’t been stripped bare, he’d been so attentive. I’d left him with a throbbing hard-on and probably a horrible case of blue balls. That had been my plan. To make him realize how much he’d hurt me.

But in reality he hadn’t. He wasn’t the one who’d hurt me.

It had been my dad.

I sat up and pushed my messy hair out of my face.

I’d gone to Huck’s bed wanting revenge. While I’d responded to his touch, consented to it all, it had been given for a purpose. But Huck had been into it. He’d craved me. Gotten hard and eager enough to let me handcuff him to his headboard because he wanted me. He’d eaten me out because my pleasure had been his sole goal.

Huck Manning still desired me as much as I desired him. It was time to make a decision about what I truly wanted from Huck. I’d had six years thinking the worst of him but only a short time to know the truth. I wasn’t who I’d been back then. Neither was Huck. I didn’t really know much about this older version of him.

But I knew him.