Cupping his jaw, she whispered his name, and then he was inside her. Their bodies moved together as if they’d been built for each other, hips surging and retreating in sync. She never wanted this to end. His weight holding her down, how he looked at her when he brushed the hair from her face, his hand reaching for and gripping hers tightly on the pillow beside her head. It all combined as wordless pleas and demands that tumbled from her lips.

“I’ve got you,” he said. “I promise.”

The sweet words uttered so roughly cascaded through her. Arching up, she came, shuddering into him. Somehow, she managed to open her eyes because she didn’t want to miss a single second.

His head was back, the cords of his neck taut, his entire body strung tightly, his hands gripping hers hard as he finally let himself come, her name on his lips.

* * * *

Diego came awake the next morning to find Daisy sprawled across him, one leg thrown over his, her arm heavy across his abs, a hand gripping his biceps, face pressed into his chest. Her hair was all up in his face, and he was pretty sure she was drooling on him a little bit.

Carefully, he slid out from under her. Still deeply asleep, she murmured her displeasure and snuggled into the spot he’d vacated, never waking up.

He had a ridiculously primal response, knowing that he’d put her into a near coma. With a smile he couldn’t tame, he made coffee and whipped up some bacon and eggs. Breakfast of champions.

Daisy still hadn’t so much as budged by the time he finished, so he leaned against the counter and drank his coffee, content to just watch her sleep.

On the counter at his side, her smartphone screen lit up as an email came in. Another guy, a better guy, would’ve probably looked away. And Diego started to, but the subject line caught his eye: Daisy’s and Poppy’s Grand NYC Venture.

And…because of the way she had her settings, he could see the first two lines of the email.

Hey hon! I put together the budget we talked about for the new business AND I found a few places right here in NYC that are actually available and almost, sort of, in our budget. Both attached, hurry up and move back!

Diego had to set his mug of hot coffee down before he dropped it. Her phone went dark, but he didn’t need to see the email again. Last night, she’d said things. Like the soft, sweetly uttered, “I missed you…” and, “I want you to stay…”

What the hell had that been about if she’d known she was moving back to New York?

It was such a terrible, awful instant replay of what had happened the first time they’d been together. Once again, he’d fallen in love with her. And once again, it’d thrown his world into turmoil. Love always did. It took all the power from him and gave it to someone whose decisions could affect his life in a negative way. Like his dad. Like Rocco. Like Daisy—for the second time.