Page 100 of Sunrise & Serenity

His cock throbs inside me, filling the condom, and all I can think is that I wish there was nothing between us. That he was filling me instead, marking me inside the way no one else ever has.

Above me, Holden’s expression is almost feral as he pumps his hips a few more times, emptying himself fully. It’s enough to trigger a new burst of heat in my core.

But that’s nothing compared to the warmth that spreads through me when his features soften and he covers me with his body again, his voice a low murmur, almost too quiet to hear. “Never knew what I was missing.”

Then his lips move against mine, tender rather than rough, and our fingers thread together.

Somehow, this moment, with Holden surrounding me, feels more right than anything has in a long time.

And I don’t know what to do with that.

CHAPTER 26

HOLDEN

“Iwant to take you somewhere,” I murmur.

Sage snuggles deeper into my arms, eyes still closed. “What time is it?” she asks, her voice husky with sleep.

It’s still dark, but I can tell by the occasional bird call that it won’t be too long until the sun rises. “Early.” I trail my fingers down the smooth skin of her back, doing my best not to let it distract me.

I woke about an hour ago with her soft body curled up beside me and an impulse I hadn’t expected. I’ve been debating it ever since, listening to her breathe like some kind of stalker. All it took was one contented little sound from her, and my mind was made up almost before I realized it.

Her lashes brush my skin as she opens her eyes and angles her face up to mine. Her features are shadowed in the predawn darkness, but I can make out her sleepy eyes and the gentle curve of her mouth. “I’d like to go,” she says.

“You don’t want to know where I want to take you?”

Her lips purse. “You’re not planning to throw me off the side of a mountain, are you?”

“Not anymore.”

She props herself up on one elbow, brows raised. “Oh, I see how it is. You got lucky, and now you want to keep me around.”

Chuckling, I pull her down and kiss her, ignoring whatever’s happening in my chest when I do. I graze my fingers up and down her back and consider tossing out my plans so I can spend the morning making her come instead.

She hums as if she can read my mind. “If there’s somewhere you want to take me, Holden, then I trust that it’s somewhere I’ll want to go.”

There’s that word again. For someone who’s been given plenty of reasons not to trust people to want what’s best for her, she’s still so damn generous with it. The idea that she could be taken advantage of again makes me want to wrap her up in my arms and keep her safe here on the ranch with me forever.

My mind stumbles over that last thought.

Forcing myself to focus, I trace my thumb along her cheekbone. “We have to leave soon if we’re going to get there in time.”

She frowns at the window. “It’s still dark.”

“You said you trusted me.”

“I do.” She sighs. “But I didn’t know you were going to make me leave your warm, cozy bed to go out in the middle of the night.”

Smiling, I shake my head. “Technically, it’s early morning, not the middle of the night.”

“Oh, in that case…” She’s already moving, sliding out of bed, completely naked.

Blood rushes to my dick, making me rethink my decision once again. But if I don’t do this now, it’ll be too easy to talk myself out of it later.

I climb out of bed, watching her as she hunts for her clothes. “Feel free to wear my shirt again.”

She peeks over her shoulder at me. “We might not get far if I do that.”