As his mouth sucked my nipple deep, he freed my hands, and I flopped onto his chest, boneless. We rolled, our skin caked in mud from the lake and the ground we fucked on. It was dirty, primal, and I never wanted it to end. Being with him hurt so good. We cried out in synchronized agony then clung to each other as our breathing slowed. He shifted, so I sprawled halfway on top of him, one filthy leg trapped between his.

“I’ll never fucking get sick of this, babe.”

“Mmm, me neither.” Despite the hard ground. Despite the way my skin itched from dirt, rocks, and leaves. Even knowing I’d have to go back into the water to clean up didn’t extinguish the fire burning in me.

“It’s weird being back,” he said, a trace of sadness sneaking into his tone.

We’d spent months hopping from place to place, meeting new people, experiencing new towns. Every so often, he’d pick up a fight here or there to work off some steam…in addition to what he worked off with me. We’d found our slice of heaven in the simple act of not belonging anywhere. We only belonged to each other.

Maybe someday we’d go back to living the way normal people lived, though our version of normal was pretty damn skewed. Rafe talked about the island frequently, and I knew his desire to return was strong. If either of us had a home, that piece of land was it.

“What did your brother say when you called him?” I asked, lifting my head to meet his eyes.

“He was pissed that I disappeared for a year, to say the least.”

“What about the island?”

“He and Jax are taking care of it. Plans to rebuild are already in progress.”

“Do they need you there for it?”

He didn’t say anything for a moment. “I’m not ready to go back, babe.” He rolled until he propped over me. “I’m content just to stay here with you forever. Let’s just…be.”

“I’m good with that plan.”

“How about a real test? You ready for that?” He gave me a grin that was so full of mischief it made my spine stiffen.

I pointed at the lake. “That was the real test, Rafe. No doubt about it.”

His gaze traveled up and down my body, roving over the dirt on my skin. “But now we’re filthy.”

“We’ve always been filthy.”

“Don’t I know it.” He tweaked my nipple into an aching pebble, renewing the warmth between my thighs. Without warning, he jumped to his feet, and as he hauled me into his arms, I let out a startled cry.

A terrified cry.

“No!” I told him, pounding his chest as he cradled me against him.