My mouth went dry, nipples pebbling, and all I could do was nod. His eyes moved lazily to my chest and stayed there for a moment. And then he stood up, pulling me to my feet as he walked me backward, both of us laughing as we tumbled down.

chapter thirty-five

Tuck

I hadn’t known lust like this. I tried to tell myself the arousal coiled around my muscles and pumping through my veins was only natural considering how long I’d been celibate, but I knew very well that was a lie. Sure, that was part of it. But mostly, it was her. No one got me going like Emily. No one brought out my emotions like her. No one else both pressed my buttons and turned me on. No one stirred my soul like the woman beneath me. I wanted her desperately. But I also needed to keep her safe. “Before this goes too far… I need to check for condoms.”

“I have an IUD,” she murmured. And then she pressed against my aching erection, now standing at attention even though I’d climaxed not five minutes before.

I swallowed back a moan. And the knowledge that I didn’t have to worry about coming inside her sent a bolt of excitement through my body. But I took a breath. I didn’t want this to end too soon. Somewhere beyond the lust was this vague fear that we were on borrowed time. Like a shooting star speeding through the galaxy—hot and dazzling—but destined to burn out. Something told me I needed to relish every blazing moment. I barely wanted to blink. I breathed her in as I kissed down her throat, the moment slowing, her muscles softening beneath me.

“It was always leading here with us, wasn’t it?” she asked breathily, her words slurred with passion.

I nuzzled her neck, rubbing my lips over her skin as I brought my hand under her T-shirt and cupped her breast. She moaned softly when I began rubbing my thumb over her nipple. It was always leading here. And I knew she didn’t mean to this ranch house at the end of the world, but here, us, limbs wrapped, mouths melded, moving together.

“Yes,” I confirmed. “Always.”

I pulled her T-shirt over her head, and then stared down at her naked breasts, shimmering in the candlelight. When I met her eyes, they were tender, her lips curved as she watched me, obviously pleased by what she saw on my face. It was always leading here. Yes. The phrase repeated, pounding through my blood. I felt the truth of it to my soul. And you couldn’t fight fate. We’d tried, hadn’t we? And yet here we were. Always meant always.