Chapters (27)
Her head fell back as she slowly took him in, gripping him like a tight, hot velvet fist.
Nothing in his life could compare to this. Nothing. “God, Syd, I missed you. I missed this.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck, pressed her breasts to his chest and settled into a rhythm that had him fighting off a fast finish.
He looked up, met her gaze and was floored by what he saw there—love and trust and peace. “Kiss me.”
Her mouth came down on his, slick and warm and tasting of strawberry lip balm. If she continued to rub her tongue against his that way, she would finish him off.
“Luke,” she whispered against his lips, “I’m going to. . . Oh.” Her head fell to his shoulder, and she came apart.
He held off as long as he could, riding the waves of her release. When he finally let go, he exploded, coming harder than he had since the last time with her. While sex with other women had been satisfying, sex with Syd was a religious experience, and he wanted to worship her for the rest of his life.
A sniffling sound caught his attention.
“Syd, baby, look at me.” With his hands on her face, he forced her to meet his gaze. The tears in her eyes broke his heart. “Did I hurt you?”
“No, no,” she said. “I’m sorry. I’m fine. Really.”
Except she didn’t look fine. Not at all. “Talk to me.”
She shook her head, and tears spilled down her cheeks. “I don’t know why I’m crying. I’m so happy to be here with you. I couldn’t have done this with anyone but you. I hope you know that.”
He knew she meant it as a compliment, but the comment filled him with fear. “I don’t want to be your bridge guy.”
Her brows furrowed. “What does that mean?”
“If you’re on your way somewhere else—”
“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. No one I’d rather be with.”
“For now.”
“For as long as it works for both of us.”
“And then what?”
“I don’t know that, and neither do you.”
“Don’t tell me what I know,” he said, his tone harsher than he’d intended.
“Are we really doing this? After we just made love?”
Her eyes filled again, and that broke him. He lifted her off him and arranged her so her head was on his chest and his arms were wrapped around her. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that. It’s just the thought of losing you—again—makes me crazy.”
“I’m here, Luke. I’m not going anywhere for a while yet.”
He wondered if she remembered saying those exact words to him once before.