“What the hell are you doing?”
Glancing at Deacon over my shoulder, I replied, “Archer’s somewhere outside. I’m going to scream until he comes, so he can throw you out!”
“I told Archer to hang back and give us some privacy for the night.”
I shook my head. “After what I’ve been through, I’m not going anywhere with you. Not now, not ever again.”
Deacon’s dark eyes narrowed at me. “I’m willing to overlook that little stunt you just pulled because of how hurt you are. But hear me when I say this. Quit fucking playing, Alex.”
“I can assure you that I’m not playing. I’ve not been playing as I wept over you and what we had lost. I won’t put myself through that ever again.”
AjJagged bolt of lightning sliced across the night sky, illuminating Deacon’s face in the dark. Anguish etched across his expression. “Please, Alex, don’t do this.”
“If you care about me, you wouldn’t ask this of me. You wouldn’t want me to live with the daily fear of losing you.”
“I do care about you. And my feelings for you are why I can’t let you go.” He shook his head. “I won’t let you go.”
“You will let me walk away, Deacon.”
He jerked me against him. “I fucking love you too much to let you go, Alexandra.”
I blinked at him. “W-What?”
“You heard me.”
“Say it again,” I demanded.
“I love you.”
Oh God. Was this really happening? As the rain began to beat down on us, I stared up at Deacon in disbelief. “You love me?”
“I fucking do.” Deacon cupped my cheeks. “I’ve never said those words to any other woman but you, Alex. I can’t even begin to imagine a life without you in it.”
Anguish pricked at my heart both at his words and my feelings. “But I have. I’ve had to live without you, and it’s agony.”
“Then you love me,” Deacon countered.
Thunder cracked over our heads, causing me to shudder. “Yes, I love you!”
Deacon’s face lit up. “Fuck Alex, you don’t know how happy it makes me to hear you say that.”
As the shreds of my sanity began to snap, I threw my head back and screamed, “But I hate you too!” Shaking my head manically, I cried, “And I hate myself for still loving you.”
With his arms tightening around me, Deacon murmured into my ear. “I know, babe. I hate myself for hurting you.” His lips kissed a warm trail over my jawline. “If you’ll give me a chance, I swear I’ll spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you.”
“No,” I murmured futily.
With his lips hovering over mine, he whispered, “Just give me a chance.” When I stared up at him, he said in an agonized groan, “Please.”
My traitorous body came alive under his the white-hot intensity of his stare. As an ache burned a wildfire between my legs, all rational thought went out of my mind. In that moment, I wanted nothing more than Deacon’s hands and mouth on my body.
Gripping the back of his head, I jerked his head down to slam my lips against his. Deacon moaned into my mouth, causing a shudder of desire to run through me.
He momentarily lessened his hold on me. His hands came to the lapels of my robe, jerking it open. He tore the silk fabric down my arms to let the material pool at my feet. As he stared at me naked before him, desire blazed in his eyes as white hot as the lightning above us.
“I would die a thousand deaths just to get to see you like this. Just to have another chance to bury my cock deep inside you.”
“Please, Deacon,” I moaned.
