He started slowly, looking down at her and watching her closely to make sure she was with him before he picked up the pace, driving into her with deep strokes that made her scream from the full-body pleasure that overtook her. “Good?”

“Mmm, more. Faster. Harder.”

He released her hands to put one of his under her, lifting her to him as he possessed her. There was simply no other word for it. She was possessed by him, owned by him and captivated by him in every possible way. Their bodies were slick with sweat as they moved together, breathing hard and racing toward the finish line.

“Come for me,” he said pleadingly. “Laura…” He stroked into her and triggered another release, this one bigger and stronger than the other two put together, taking him with her this time.

Sagging against her, he continued to protect her abdomen until his arms began to tremble from the effort. He rolled to his side, bringing her with him, still embedded in her. “I love you. That was… I don’t even have the words.”

“Astonishing.”

“Yes. Yes, it was. You are astonishing.”

“You’re pretty damned astonishing yourself, and I love you, too.”

“When I’m making love with you, there’s no way I can think about anything but you and me and what we have together.”

“I’ll keep that in mind over the next few days. I see a lot of sex in your future.”

“I like the sound of that.”

She rested her hand on his face and smiled at him. “Anything I can do to help the cause.”

On the way home from the eventful engagement party, Mac and Maddie rode with the windows down in her SUV, letting in the warm summer breeze. “What a crazy-ass stunt on Jim’s part,” Mac said, disgusted by the asshole who’d once been his brother-in-law. “He’s all but ruined any chance he ever had to practice law on this island again.”

“I know. I’m so glad Tiffany isn’t with him anymore, but I hate that he did this to Ashleigh.”

“He never has had the proper respect for either of them, if you ask me.”

“He’s no Mac McCarthy, that’s for sure.”

He reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “That’s nice of you to say, and really, when you think about it, who is?”

Maddie groaned. “I’m not going to dignify that with a response.” She looked over at him and then leaned across the center console to kiss his cheek. “Seriously, though, I mean it. Every day I feel like I hit the jackpot with you, but never more so than when I’m reminded of how awful my sister’s first marriage was.”

“I’m the one who hit the jackpot, babe, and as for Tiffany, at least she’s happy now with Blaine.”