Riven gasped in a breath of air, head tipped back, eyes squeezed shut as her muscles strained, hands balled into fists.
He nuzzled her neck, bit at her pulse point. “No more teasing, sweetheart.”
She cried out, hips arching, her body convulsing around him as she slipped over the edge, shattered in his arms. He kissed her neck, savoring the increased strum beneath his lips. The woman was more than he’d imagined, and he knew, once he loved her, he’d never be the same.
Never be complete without her in his life.
The thought caught him off-guard, though, it didn’t scare him as much as he’d anticipated. In fact, it felt right. As if that one mission had finally come full circle.
Riven curled against him, breathing through a few more shivers before she finally opened her eyes, stared up at him. A relaxed smile curved her lips. “Maybe it is all about the foreplay.”
He shook his head. “That sounds like a challenge.”
“Get naked, and we can find out.”
He held her gaze as he eased off the bed, stripped off the only swath of clothing between them. His cock sprang free, heavy, hard. Feeling like a damn pipe between his legs.
Riven pushed upright, ran her palms up his thighs, across his ribs, then down. “Christ, McGuire. The things I want to do to you.”
She reached down, ran her closed fist the length of him. “Thinking I can start by returning the favor.”
McGuire tsked, slipped on a condom from his wallet, then took them both back onto the bed, settling between her thighs. “If you’re still motivated, you can play in the shower, after. But for now…” He dipped lower, kissed her. “I need more.”
Riven tugged him down to her, holding his forehead to hers as he tilted his hips, slowly inched inside. Her breath left her on a ragged moan as she wrapped herself around him, kissed him.
Promise.
That’s what she felt like. The glimmer of tomorrow. How his life could be if he played his cards right. Proved he was worthy of the chance she’d given him.
Riven clung to him, meeting each gentle thrust, mouthing his shoulder as he picked up the pace, started rocking the bed. The old frame creaked, tapping out a rhythm against the wall as fire raced beneath his skin, threaten to burn him from the inside out.
She rose with him when he went to his hands, needing the extra leverage to keep moving — push her higher. She whispered his name, the soft sound snapping whatever control he had left.
He paused, wrapped one arm around her back, then dipped his shoulder, rolled them. She caught her balance, her legs straddling him before he pushed up — trapped her between his thighs and chest. Another strangled moan clawed free as she pulsed around him, her head falling back.
That did him in.
Had him hissing out a breath as she eased up, stopped just shy of him slipping out, then slammed back down, pushing him fully inside her before moving again. Repeating everything until her chest heaved from the pressure, her eyes rolling a bit.
He took control, started meeting each thrust, adding an extra kick. Not so hard she shattered, but enough her pulse fluttered, every stroke pushing her closer to the edge. He increased the pace, watched her slowly unravel in his arms as her breath caught, held.
She broke.
Cried his name, the ragged sound taking him with her. He tightened his hold, started pounding into her, one hand fisted in her hair, the other palming her hips. Holding her still until the coil snapped, had him emptying in a series of stabbing thrusts.
He moved through his release, finally dropping his forehead on hers, every nerve singing, his heart so full he thought it would pound out of his chest. Force its way into hers. Riven wrapped her arms around his neck, held him in place, shared every shuddering breath until the fever passed. The air finally settling around them.
His fingers cramped, her hair still gathered in his hand until he eased it free. It took several tries, but he managed. Let his hand fall to the small of her back. His palm moving over all that soft skin.
She shivered, and his heart kicked, bruising his ribs before he eased back, rolled them over again. He smiled down at her as he brushed aside some hair, wondering how he’d ever thought he could survive without her.
Without this.
A soft caress of her thumb along his jaw had him leaning in, capturing her lips in a gentle kiss.
He nuzzled her cheek, humbled by the hint of wetness on her skin. “You okay?”
She snorted, her chin quivering for a moment before she smiled — pushed his hair out of his eyes. “Way past okay. That…”
