“And I promise that as long as I live, you won’t regret being with me. I can’t even suggest that it will be easy, because that’s a huge lie, but I swear that I will always make the shitty lows pale in comparison to the incredible highs. You’re loved, Morgan, whether or not you want to be. But please give me the chance to show you how much.”

My stupid heart picked up. I believed him. He’d mitigate what risk there was, and I’d have to pray it would be enough, because I hadn’t lied—I wouldn’t survive losing him.

“Okay.” A smile curved the corners of my lips. “Show me how much.”

His smile made my own bigger, but I only saw it for a heartbeat before his mouth consumed mine in a kiss that demanded all of my attention. It was all lips and teeth and tongue, and our touches changed from soothing strokes to needy handfuls of hair and clothes.

I broke the kiss with a gasp and yanked my sweatshirt over my head. His eyes darkened as he took in the purple lace that cupped my breasts, and the next kiss was twice as hungry.

My hands worked between us to unzip his flight suit, and I growled in frustration when my fingers found the soft cotton of his T-shirt instead of skin. “How many layers are you wearing?”

He had the nerve to chuckle, but he shifted his fingers from my thigh and cupped my core through my shorts. “Is someone impatient?”

“For someone who promised to show me how much he loved me, you’re sure not showing much.” I cocked an eyebrow and glanced at his torso.

His grin was pure sex, and my body responded with a wave of heat. I was fucking molten.

“God, I love you.” He stole my response with a kiss, and then we were moving. I ground my hips over his, seeking any kind of relief as he carried me up the stairs. He made it to the top before bracing me against the wall and unhooking my bra. I shed it quickly.

He lifted me like I weighed nothing and sucked my nipple into his mouth.

I cried out and arched for more, gripping his shoulders for balance. His lips were soft, his teeth sharp as he raked them over the delicate flesh, then soothed the sting with a flick of his tongue. He gave the other breast the same treatment, and by the time he was finished, I was ready to shove our clothes aside and have him in the hallway.