They reached the edge at the exact moment, as if this had already been written in the history books. When she came down, he pushed up and the pressure was too much to contain, so he held her above and pumped hard into her, loving every gasp of pleasure he created until the gasps stopped and the breathing became labored.
“Let go, babe,” she said, and his heart boomed at the forbidden term of affection. If she noticed the slip, he wasn’t going to say a word—or maybe it was because she was too busy coming. And she came hard, milking him and sending him shooting off into oblivion.
When he came back to reality, they were a tangled heap on the chair, her arms slack around his waist, her head in the curve of his neck. His arms were around her back, making gentle passes up and down her spine. He couldn’t stand if his life depended on it, then again he wasn’t looking to go anywhere fast.
He wanted to stay like this forever. Now he just needed to figure out how to make that happen.
Rhett woke to an empty bed. He reached his hand over to feel the sheets. Still warm, which meant she’d spent the night, she just didn’t want him to know.
That made him smile.
She couldn’t have gotten far, so he threw on a pair of jeans and went in search of his wavering bachelorette. He found her with her arms wrapped around her middle, looking out the window, her body language dialed to devastated.
He walked up behind her and slid his arms around her. She didn’t flinch, which meant she knew he was there.
“It’s morning,” was all she said. “I fell asleep again and broke rule five.” She rested her head back against his chest. “Your arms are like my kryptonite, rendering me stupid whenever I’m in the vicinity of those biceps.”
He flexed and she gave a little laugh, but it was fleeting. And that broke his heart. Last night was the best thing to ever happen to him and it had left her distraught.
“You okay?”
She looked over her shoulder and he could tell she’d been crying. Crying! Jesus, if he’d stuck to the rules she wouldn’t be upset.
It was understandable why she wanted to stick to the rules, she didn’t want to crash and burn. Neither did he, but he was willing to risk it. And while she had every reason to be scared, they were already well past some silly set of rules. He wanted to put a spotlight on their fledgling relationship, but he wanted her by his side and in his life.
“Not really,” she answered.
“You want to talk about it?”
She shook her head, so he rested his chin on her shoulder, both of them looking out onto the manicured lawn and dogwood-lined drive, while the sun rose over the green hills in the distance. Neither spoke. But the silence was deafening. He didn’t know how long they stood like that, only that he waited for her to make the first move. When she leaned further back into him and rested her hands over his, pulling his arms tighter around her middle, it gave him hope.
“I heard back from Susan at the magazine,” she said so softly he barely heard. But the emotion he was able to catch didn’t bode well for her dream and that broke his heart. “She emailed me.”
“And?”
“And they want me.” She sniffled.
He turned her in his arms, but he had to tilt his head down to meet her gaze. “That’s great! Isn’t it?” Then her body sank in on itself like it was the worst thing possible.
“It’s everything.” Her eyes were teary, her nose red, and he wanted to sweep her up into his arms. “There’s a condition.”
“What’s that?” What possible condition could have her this upset?
“They want you in the article. And a photo of you in the music room. I have no idea how they even knew that this was your house.” She looked at him, her eyes wide with worry. “I swear I didn’t tell anyone. I’d never do that to you. I know how much you value your privacy. But they won’t run the article without you in it.”
“Okay, so I give them a few shots of me in the house. Maybe in my new bed,” he teased.
“I’m being serious.”
“So am I.” He nuzzled her cheek.
“I won’t use your name like everyone else does,” she whispered.
“It’s not using if I agree.”
“Then everyone will know where you live.”
“The inspector knows. Big Pete and all his ninety-seven minions know. Escrow closed. I give it a week before the media figures it out and everyone knows where I live. And why shouldn’t you get your work celebrated just because some asshole bought your house out from under you?”
