A growl erupted from deep within him at that one word, the ounce of begging in her voice. She knew that they should wait until everything was settled. Until there was no March between them. Until they were finished with Society training. Until the world no longer burned. But if they waited, they’d never have time. She was done waiting.

His mouth collided with hers with a ferocity born from primal longing. As if he’d spent all of his energy staying away from her, and now, he could no longer contain himself.

They crashed backward in the hot spring. Her exposed back hammered against the rock wall, cutting into her skin. He bit down on her lip at the same time. Blood welled in her mouth, but the pain was nothing compared to his hands on her skin and his mouth on hers and the feel of him pressing hard against her body. She had waited for this too. Waited in agony for him to see what was right in front of him.

“Gods, I love you,” he said, kissing down her neck.

She dragged her nails along his back, just wanting more, more, more. “Please,” she repeated.

His teeth dragged along her neck, and she shuddered all over. This was what she had been waiting for. The stolen kisses and moments would never be enough. Not from him. His hands slicked under the water across her bare skin. They caressed her hips, angled over her backside, and then slipped under her thighs. He lifted her effortlessly and she wrapped her legs around his waist. Her eyes rounded at the first feel of him pressed so achingly hard against her.

“Ford,” she ground out.

But he was already moving, carrying her across the spring. She could have come apart at any moment. He was her undoing. He always had been. She had given herself up before, but it had been childish obsession. Not what they had. Not what was happening today. Fordham was her one and only. She had learned that the hard way. She refused to surrender this moment.

Fordham laid her backward on the steps of the hot spring. She lay naked against the wet stone for his eyes to rove over her. And he took her in appreciatively, as if she were the most glorious thing he had ever witnessed. She took in her full at the same time, her eyes widening at the sight of him as he came out of the water naked in all of his glory with water streaming down his beautiful body.

He smiled something fierce and primal. “Mine,” he growled, as he pressed a kiss to her swollen lips.

“Yes,” she breathed, beckoning him to her.