I traced my thumb over her lips.

“Emily told me I should tell you how I feel. That love is always worth the risk.”

I pressed my forehead to hers. “I’ll make it worth it.”

“All you have to do is be you, Ro. And be mine.”

Those words still hitting me in the heart, she stepped back.

“Shower time.”

After she’d disappeared, I locked up the house and turned the lights off.

She was safe. The nightmare of wondering who the saboteur was and when he would strike again was over. I no longer had to be haunted by the thought of Tessa being hurt.

In the bedroom, the lamp on the bedside table was on and I heard the shower running. Stopping in the bathroom doorway, I stared through the foggy glass shower screen. It gave me a hazy view of her slim body.

Shedding my clothes, I stepped into the stall with her.

She turned with a smile. “I don’t smell like smoke anymore.”

I touched the cut on her cheek. I hated seeing it on her skin. Water cascaded over us.

“The fire and kidnapping aside, this has been the best day of my life,” she said.

My eyebrows winged up.

“We’re alive, and you love me.” She pressed a kiss to my chest. “Best day ever.”

I took her mouth with mine.

Then she pulled back. “Are you leaving? I know you love me, but that doesn’t change the logistics of our lives.”

I heard the scared note in her voice. The one born of the little girl learning that her parents were gone forever.

“I’ll have to take work trips, but I’ll always come back. To you. To home.”

As we kissed, she pressed her hands to my chest.

“You need to rest,” I murmured.

“I feel perfectly fine, Ambrose Langston.” Her fingers ran over my abs, and I hissed out a breath. “I’d really like to celebrate being alive and in love.” Her hand curled around my already hard cock.

I swallowed a groan. “Okay, but we’ll take it slow and gentle.”

Her smile was sexy and taunting. “No, we won’t.”

She sank to her knees, her hands pressing into my thighs. She sucked my cock into her mouth and drove me crazy.

“Fairy queen,” I gritted out. I slapped my hands to the tiles and thrust my hips forward.

She sucked me harder.

Now, I groaned, one hand tangling in her wet hair. But I wanted, no, needed, more. I needed all of her. I pulled her up.

“Ro—” Her voice was breathy.

I shut off the shower and boosted her into my arms. She wrapped her legs around my hips.

Striding out of the shower, I made it to the bedroom. I didn’t care that we were wet. Right now, there was only Tessa.

I was holding her, kissing her, needing her.

I was pure need.