This … this is the naked, breathtaking, ineffable woman I saw long before she knew it existed within her.

“Touch me …” She pushes my hand where she wants it.

I grin, obliging her.

“Harder …” Her nails indent my skin.

I give it to her harder, mesmerized by this perfect moment.

“Kiss me …” She opens her lust-leaden eyes, gazing down at me.

Per—fection.

I have to keep myself from begging her to marry me. I have to scold myself for trying to imagine what she might look like nine months pregnant with my baby. No woman has ever made me this delirious, and I still have no logical explanation as to what exactly it is about Avery that’s clawed its way into my heart and taken up permanent residence.

“Dammit, Jake … kiss me.” Her impatience sends an extra jolt to my dick.

I sit up, bringing us face to face, and lean in to kiss her.

“Lower …” she rocks her pelvis against mine.

I kiss her neck.

“Lower …” she whispers, guiding my hand to where we are joined. “Kiss me here.”

My gaze flits up to meet hers.

Before I can grin, and believe me, this makes me happier than I’ve ever been in my whole damn life, Avery crashes her mouth to mine. Her hungry mmm brings me to the brink of orgasm, but she pulls away, mumbling against my lips. “What are you waiting for, Matthews?”

Dead.

She just buried me.

Game over.

Avery Montgomery is officially out of my league.

I fold, throwing down a pretty good hand. She just played a royal flush.

My dick will have to wait on standby because I love this woman, and she’s earned this from me.

“Attagirl, Ave.” I grab her waist and lower her back to the mattress.

Her breaths quicken even more when I mark the inside of her thighs with my whiskered jaw as I make my way to fulfill her request. “If you just ask…” her hips jerk “…there’s nothing I wouldn’t give you.”

“You …” Her head falls to the side, fingers in my hair, voice strained with emotion. “I just want you …”

Four in the morning.

My phone rings. Avery jumps. I kiss her head and reach for my phone.

“Hey, Meg.”

“Hey, Jake.” She doesn’t need to say another word. The tone of her voice says it all. “Swarley passed away. We did everything we could to revive him. I’m so sorry.”

I sit up with my legs dangling off the bed, my back to Avery. “Okay.” It’s hard to speak. My throat feels so fucking tight with the words I’m not sure I can relay to Avery and Sydney.

“There’s no need to come now, unless they feel the need to be here. Either way, I’ll be here when they’re ready to come for him.”

“No …” Avery chokes on a sob before I disconnect.