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“You need to rest, goddamnit.” He still won’t look at me.

“I need you. Don’t shut me out. Please.” Wrapping my arms around his waist, I rest my head on his broad back. Inhale his scent. “I don’t care what I saw, Cole. Okay? Because I know the man that you are.”

“I just want you safe.”

“I am safe. With you.” He looked terrifying in that barn. Blue eyes fiery, his massive frame a seething whirlwind of rage and darkness. But I wasn’t afraid of him. I was afraid for whoever was on the receiving end of his wrath.

Cole’s breathing turns ragged. A beat of time passes before he turns around and locks his gaze to mine.

His blue eyes darken with lust. His hands cradle my cheeks. The space between us builds with heat. Hunger. “Delilah.” My name is like a plea cracking in his throat.

I’m stunned when Cole abruptly hits his knees. “I’m sorry,” he husks, wrapping his massive arms around my waist to bury his face in my stomach. “Fuck, darlin’. I’m so sorry.”

I drop my hand to his hair, threading my fingers through his dark strands. I feel faint, dizzy from the emotions pulsing off him.

“I could have lost you,” he grits out against my stomach. “I almost did.”

My eyes flutter shut. “You’ll lose me when I go, but not tonight.” It’s the safest thing to say. To push. To protect. Both of us.

He pulls back, eyes flashing in anger at my words, then stands. “You’re in my veins, Delilah. I won’t get you out. Don’t want to.”

A flat-out fact, and I stare up at him with a dropped jaw.

There’s no doubt in his voice.

Instead, all I hear is a deep and fierce need for me. The same one I feel for him.

I crane my neck, staring up at him, unsure how to interpret the look on his face. A look that terrifies me. A look that has my heart fluttering around inside my chest.

“Weak for you,” he murmurs, stepping into me to intertwine our bodies in a tight embrace. “Darlin’, I’m weak for you.” His jaw sets. “Don’t you know that?”

Breathless and pulsing between my legs, I lock my eyes to his. “Cole…”

I gasp as he pushes himself against me. I feel how badly he wants me. His hard erection strains against the front of his jeans. His intense stare burns. For one long second, I let myself pretend that he’s my man.

Maybe tonight, he is.

Maybe I’ve been pretending that there’s no us. Because he’s here, big arms locked around me, cradling me to his strong chest.

His calloused thumb strokes over the pad of my bottom lip. “You’re better than whiskey. Better than any addiction.” His mouth curves. “You’re my addiction.”

He hauls me to his chest and crushes his lips to mine. Desire crashes over me, piercing the strange veil of darkness enveloping us. I moan, my hands sliding over his wide shoulders and into his hair. His hands cup my cheek, rough and calloused and hot.

Unleashed, Cole’s need consumes me.

We waste no time. Our bodies slam together with such force we could combust. My hands go to his shirt and tear it open. Pearl buttons pop. Fabric slides off his wide shoulders. I take a second to stare, to drink him in.

Good lord, the man’s beautiful. Rugged muscle makes up the perfection that is his massive frame. Black tattoos wrapped around tan, veined forearms. Raw, ruthless intensity emanates from every hard, chiseled angle. And those eyes, an urgent, vibrant blue that only seems to see me.

I move closer, running my hands over the hard angles of his abs. He feels like leather and steel beneath my touch. There’s a whisk of leather as I unbuckle his belt. A clatter as the belt and its large buckle hit the floor. My fingers drift over his full, thick cock.

His head falls back, a rumble leaving his chest.

I stroke, lightly, yet firmly. Over and over, bringing him to the brink, and when he’s almost there, I release his cock, press up on tiptoe and kiss him.

A dark roar of thunder passes over his lips. Savage carnality bleeds from Cole into me.

“Need you, Delilah.” His mouth turns, searching and frantic, sending a hot electric jolt through me. And then I’m in his arms, cradled against the flexing strength of his torso. I whimper, breathing fast, and wrap my legs around his waist.