Page 103 of One Kind Soul

His jaw tensed, his face pained.

“They don’t hurt,” she said softly.

“That’s because you’re a badass.” He pressed light kisses to the marks, then climbed up the length of her, his hand tracing her curves along the way. When he reached her face, he captured her mouth in a kiss that made her forget everything except how perfect they were together.

The rest of their clothes found their way to the floor then Christian kissed, massaged, nipped, caressed everything he could reach. His hands were magic on her exhausted body—a body that came alive a little bit more each time he touched her. By the time his fingers dipped into her core, teasing her, she was ready to do anything to have him fully inside her.

Nicole reciprocated by kneading the muscles in his shoulders as he parked himself between her legs and stroked her with his tongue. She shuddered with each pass and soon she was nothing more than a quivering mass of bones on that bed after an orgasm rocked through her.

“Christian . . . please.” She needed to surround him, have his length deep inside her, make him a part of her that no one could ever take away.

He pushed into her. They both sighed, their reunion so perfect. They hadn’t been apart for that long, but it felt like forever to Nicole.

Especially because she hadn’t expected to ever see Christian again. Thank God she’d read that text from him again after Lynda had been arrested. The one that had said Come home. So . . . that was what she’d done.

How could she have lived without this incredible man in her life? He was everything. No other man had ever come close to meaning this much to her. No other man had made her feel like so much more than what Lynda had made her believe she was. Somehow Christian Henley had charmed his way past all her self-doubt and burrowed directly into her heart—a heart she hadn’t thought would ever work properly.

Christian pumped in and out of her, each thrust leading her farther and farther away from the self-conscious, unsure woman who had thought hiding herself under sweaters was necessary. He made her comfortable being naked, being vulnerable, being exposed.

Being on the brink of screaming his name.

With one more drive into her, Christian did make Nicole shout in ecstasy as she spasmed around him. Every sensation that rippled through her took her higher into the clouds until she quite possibly could float away. Christian gave her wings. He freed her.

He loved her and the chains of her past broke apart. Her sister—who actually wasn’t her sister—held no power over her any longer. From this point forward, Nicole was going to hold her head high. Living a ridiculously happy life was the best way to get back at Lynda anyway.

“I thought we’d never do this again.” Christian eased out of her and rolled to his back beside her. “You’re the first woman to want more than friendship from me and I thought I’d lost you forever, Nixen.”

She gathered him in her arms and kissed him. “I thought our time had come to an end too, Chrissy, but fortunately we were both wrong.” She squeezed him closer. “We’ll always have each other now. Always.”

“Always.” He nipped her bottom lip then scooped her up into his arms.

“Hey!” She giggled. “What’s happening?”

“We’re moving to Stage Two of this reunion.” He walked into the master bathroom and set her down so he could turn on the water in the tub.

“Stage Two? How many stages are there exactly?”

Hot steam curled up from the faucet and Nicole’s entire body was eager to soak in that heat.

“I’m not sure yet. A million maybe.” Christian rummaged around in the closet.

“What are you looking for?” She’d been the one to move bathroom stuff from the barn loft into this bathroom.

He stretched in all his naked glory to look on the top shelf in the closet and Nicole took several moments to appreciate his toned ass, overwhelmed that she could call all that male perfection hers.

“I had a body wash somewhere that could probably produce a nice—if not masculine-scented—bubble bath.”

“Second shelf next to the case of shaving cream,” she said. “By the way, why does one man need a case of shaving cream?”

He found the body wash then turned to face her, a silly grin on his lips. “One man needs a case of shaving cream because shaving cream isn’t only used for shaving.” He arched an eyebrow. “Remind me to show you a video involving balloons and shaving cream from last autumn when we had an apple harvest party at the farm.”

“Okay.”

“This year’s apple harvest party will be bigger and better with you here.” He squeezed some body wash into the hot water and bubbles instantly rose up. “You can help me plan.”

A zip of excitement ran through Nicole at being a part of something important to Christian. “I’d be happy to.”

He rubbed his hands together. “Excellent.” The sparkle in his blue eyes told her he was more than ready for Stage Two of this reunion. “Shall we?” He angled his hand toward the tub then reached over to shut off the water.