“Are you thinking of Tremblay? Or Herbert?” The strange question pierced through her lust-fogged senses, cold washing over her even as the sudden loss of him made her gasp. He lifted her from the saddle in those strong arms as though she weighed nothing and turned her to face him, eyes scouring hers. “Are you?”

What kind of a question is that, she wanted to retort, but somewhere deep, she recognized the shine of despair in those golden eyes as if it had torn him apart to ask. To expose himself thus…to be so vulnerable. This proud, hard man who had never bent before anyone.

“No,” she answered honestly. “I only think of you.”

His reply was to ease between her spread legs and push back into her, but the stark gratitude in his eyes was worth the bit of honesty. They both groaned at the fit from the new angle, and her eyes fluttered shut when he hit a particular spot inside of her that made her vision go white. “Open your eyes, Bronwyn. Look at me.”

She did. His eyes blazed gold as they held hers. He was so handsome, it made her heart hurt. She loved his face. All harsh lines and slanted hollows, heavy slashes of brows, bold nose, prominent cheekbones, and that lush mouth that was so spare with sweetness unless she was tasting it. She loved all of him, and he could never know how weak she was when it came to him. If he asked her to marry him now, she wouldn’t prevaricate. Bronwyn felt him where they were joined, and she felt him moving in her heart and under her skin.

His stare drilled into hers, taking something from her soul that she wasn’t sure she was willing to share. Not yet.

Something inside of her gathered and built, even as his control started to become ragged. He kissed her, his mouth claiming hers as if there wasn’t a part of her he meant to leave unconquered. They might still be fully clothed, but every single important part of them was bare. “Stay with me, Bronwyn. Choose me. Please.”

The whisper lanced through her, making tears prick her eyes. “I can’t… You know—”

“I love you.”

Bronwyn’s world exploded in a shower of fireworks so bright that her body felt like it would bow in half from the force of it. She squeezed her eyes shut, muffling her cries with her own hand. Valentine rode her through it, strokes changing to something slow and delicious as the pleasure rolled and ebbed through her. Dear God, had she imagined what he’d said? Had he said it in a mindless haze?

His pace slowed and he withdrew from her, while supporting her boneless body against his. Confused, she glanced down at his obviously unsatisfied state and blushed. “You didn’t… You haven’t…”