“Morning.” The sleepy rasp of his voice stirred want low in my belly.
I scooted closer and brushed my nose against his. “How did you sleep?”
With a sigh, he wrapped his arms tighter around me. “Not great. I can barely feel my hand.”
“You should’ve moved me.”
He chuckled. “You looked so peaceful. I didn’t want to wake you.”
“Silly.” I traced the length of his jaw before allowing my hand to wander down his chest. Hard grooves and ridges met my fingers, and a delicious shiver rippled through me.
Noc caught my hand with his. “You’ve only just recovered—”
“I’mfine.” I sat up in bed and pulled off the formless shirt I’d been sleeping in. Then, I wrenched the bandage from my side and tossed it to the floor. Noc eyed the yellowing spread of a bruise across my skin. One that should’ve been violet, but thanks to the salve was already close to healing. He pushed away from me, as if the sight wrecked him.
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Since when has sex ever hurt me?”
He shook his head. “You don’t understand, Leena. Ikilledyou. I can’t jeopardize your health. No matter how badly I want you.”
“Stop blaming yourself.” Placing my hands over his, I willed him to hear the truth in my words. “You are not going to hurt me. I am safe, I am healthy, and I love you. I will always love you. And just like you put me back together after Wynn, I will put you back together now.”
Uncertain eyes met mine, and a single tear threatened to spill over onto his cheek. I brushed it away before it could dare mar his expression. He sighed and turned his face so he could kiss my fingers. “You’re too good for me.”
“Not in the slightest.” I entrenched both hands in his hair and tugged. “We almost lost each other yesterday, but we can be together now.”
For the first time since I’d gotten him back, a slight smile pulled at his lips. Still tense, but not as pained. “Promise me you’ll tell me to stop if I hurt you.”
“I will. Now, would you kiss me already?”
Hunger devoured my other senses as he finally slanted his lips across mine. His hands traveled the length of my back, and his fingers teased the curves of my waist. I tilted my head back in a heady moan.
“Gods.” I mumbled. Raking my nails down his back, I remembered what I wanted when I’d first seen his new identity revealed. Bare and spread out beneath me. He nipped at my neck, and I sucked in a breath before pulling him back. “Lie back. Now.”
He complied with nothing more than a raised brow. Yanking the sheets back, I reveled in the sight of him. Hungry to touch, to reaffirm our connection, I dragged my fingers down his body. Memorized every groove and the hard muscles of his stomach. I wanted nothing more than to be with him completely, but I took my time. Stroking the length of his thighs. Appreciating the strenuous muscles of his legs.
His fingers dug into my hips. “You’ll be my undoing.”
“I can live with that.” I stopped teasing then, allowing us to come together and relish in the feel of each other. We traded moans and breaths, a secret language all our own. We’d been through so much, and yet we were still here. Together.
He sat up and caged me in his arms, kissing me so thoroughly my lips bruised. And we tumbled back to the sheets together, a mess of quiet giggles and wanton sighs.
His lips laved my neck. Peppered sweet fire along my collarbone. Wrenched pure ecstasy from my skin. He had the ability to make me feel everything and nothing but him all at once, and it was a pure state of euphoria I never wanted to leave. Our joined bodies, moving together in perfect unison, was the only connection I needed.
“I love you.” His whispered words were full of raw emotion, and my eyes burned.
“I love you too.”
He smiled—a devilish, masculine thing—and then kissed me with enough ferocity that I felt every emotion. Every lingering tendril of doubt and fear and guilt. They eked out of him and I chased them down. Showered them with love. Praised us both for going through such hardships just so we could find ourselves together again.
A flicker of pain, of uncertainty, raced through his eyes. Cupping his face with one hand, I guided his lips to mine in a tender kiss. We would make it through this. Together.
We came undone, foreheads pressed together and eyes conveying emotions too strong for words. All we did was stare at each other. At the beauty we always found in this undeniable connection. Whatever tore us apart, we’d always find a way to put each other back together. It was an unspoken promise between us, but stronger than any vow I’d ever taken in my life.
Finally, he pulled away and the rush of icy air nipped at my skin. He covered me in blankets and then snuggled close, draping a gentle hand over my stomach.
Warmth bloomed at his touch, and I sighed. “See? I’m fine.”
