Chapter Thirty-Three

By the time the front door closed behind Heston and Tuesday, Shane was totally focused on Everlee. She was chewing her bottom lip. Something was still bothering her.

He held out a hand. "Come with me?"

"I saw you kiss her," she told the floor.

Ah, so that's what's been bugging you. That silly kiss. "You mean Tuesday? In the hospital hallway? Yes, she kissed me," he confirmed without hesitation.

"Wanna explain?"

"Nope," Shane replied, popping the ‘P' as he leaned over and snagged one arm around Everlee's waist, the other under her knees. "I've never lied to you. Not starting now. You saw what you saw, babe, but it was just Tuesday's way of saying thanks and goodbye. She's a hugger."

"And a kisser," Everlee grumbled. Her arms were around his neck, but hurt still shimmered in her eyes.

"And Heston was right there with us. Bet you didn't see him, though, did you? Couldn't have. He was beside your open door, and trust me, he didn't even try to kiss me."

Everlee let loose a half-hearted giggle. By then they were in her room and Shane was standing over her bed. He rested her backside on the edge of the matching nightstand while he tossed her rose-colored quilt and white sheets aside. Then he sat Everlee with her back to her pillow and told her, "You also noticed I didn't kiss her back, right? A kiss on the cheek is nothing. I didn't even do that. And, oh yeah, I'm sleeping with you from now on, babe. Got a problem with that?"

She was looking up at him by then. "You're right. I didn't see Heston and I do know you didn't encourage Tuesday. And that kiss was pretty tame."

"No big deal. I love you, Everlee. No one else. It's you and me from now on. Only us. Can you handle that?"

"Yes," she whispered. Her big brown eyes were wide with anticipation, and if she licked her lips one more time, he was going to need a cold shower to slow the freight train in his blood.

"Good. Take off your clothes."

Of course, she challenged him with a snappy, "You first, big guy."

Shane complied quickly. No reason not to. Her bossy expression changed to surprise when he yanked his t-shirt over his head and tossed it into her face. She caught it, and just like he expected, threw it back at him. He let it drop to the floor because he liked that her gaze was fastened on his chest. By then, he'd unbuckled his belt, but let it hang loose. He unsnapped his jeans next, and her lips formed a silent O. But when he dropped his pants to the floor and kicked them aside, her eyes lit up. She liked what she saw and he loved that she was looking.

"Keep going," she whispered hoarsely. Those coffee-colored baby browns were dewy, as they should've been. He was no small man and his body was pointing at her, making his intentions clear.

"Yes, ma'am." He shucked the briefs off and told her, "Your turn, babe."

But the moment she doffed her shirt, he changed his mind. "Belay that order, LT. My present. I get to unwrap you."

Sticking a knee into the mattress alongside her, he swung his other leg over her hips and pushed her shoulders gently back to her pillow. Her skin was golden against the white sheets, her hair a luscious coppery color that begged a man to run his fingers through it—just because he could. His bigger, wider body blanketed hers, letting her take just enough of his weight to know she'd soon be all his.

"You're my lucky penny," he whispered, his fingertips threading through those silky locks.

"Just worth one cent?" she teased.

"Just worth everything. Just mine," he breathed. The pads of his fingers slipped over her scalp. She shivered. Her body arched into him. It was time.

Nimbly, Shane climbed off the bed, slipped her out of her clothes, and tossed them to who-cared-where. Back on top, he pressed her into the mattress. But his blood was running hot, too hot, and he was fighting his cock for control. Pesky thing tended to take over, and it had been a damned long time since he'd been in bed with a woman he truly cared for. He was already leaking pre-cum like a damned teenager, and it was all he could do to calmly slide his hands over her silky-smooth skin.

He'd barely slid a hand around her and unsnapped her bra when she took hold of him. His woman had a firm grip. A determined grip. Fuck. He closed his eyes to control his body's natural drive to divide, thrust, and conquer. That might be the quickest way to get this job done, but Shane wanted more than just slam, bam, thank-you, ma'am. He wanted to take his time making love with the daring woman beneath him, the one who seemed to think she always had to be in control. He wanted to taste all of her secrets, to discover her ticklish spots, and to sink into her slowly. If it took all night, this first time would be about making love.

He wasn't having much success slowing that freight train down, though. Her busy hand was working wonders on his cock with that perfect up-and-down push and pull, the slick pad of her thumb busily flicking over the sensitive tip. Heat snapped up his spine like tiny bolts of lightning. Shane cringed. This was happening too soon. Too fast.

"You keep that up and I won't last," he told her in no uncertain terms, his voice deep and raspy.

"Too bad, soldier," she growled. "My bed. I'm the boss of you."

Ah, how he loved a good challenge. With a mighty heave-ho, Shane had her topside, straddling him, her knees beside his hips, and her busy hands now flat on his chest to keep her balance. Whether she knew it or not, she was now in the prime position of control. But he suspected her past sexual experiences hadn't anything to do with feminine control or pleasure or, hell, probably not even orgasms.

"Not fair," she grumbled, wiggling those full hips like she knew what she was doing.

"Marine, ma'am!" he snapped with true Devil Dog arrogance. "Not soldier. Soldiers are Army. Get it right. If you're gonna be in command, you damned well better know who you're ordering around."

"Is that a fact?" she drawled. But her face had lit up with a fiery glow that honestly, looked like the sun had just broken through those castle walls and that moat full of alligators she'd built inside.

"Damned straight! Now stop moving your ass, LT," he ordered gruffly, slapping one hand on her bare ass and sliding down over their bellies and between their bodies. "First things first," he told her with belligerent certainty, his thumb already working on her soaking wet clit, his fingers mapping the dripping cleft between her spread legs. Her breath hitched. She was so slick and damned warm. Tempting. Luscious.

"I won't last long, but you'll damned well be ready when we do this. We, understand? Not just you doing me, but… We. Do. This. Together. Got it, LT?"

"Yesssss, sssssir," she hissed, panting like a beautiful beast, her knees squeezing his ribs tighter with every unrelenting flick of his thumbnail. Her eyes were closed, but her voice was soft and sexy like the kitten he knew she could be. Yeah, right. A saber-toothed kitten with nine-inch claws.

With a sexy moan, she arched her belly and those succulent, full breasts fell forward and she all but stuck them in his face. Shane closed the distance, opened his mouth wide, and sucked her breast into his mouth as far back as he could, and—

Fuck! He was in over-stimulation heaven. Suffocating maybe, with his nostrils buried against her soft, fragrant skin, her diamond-hard nipple at the back of his throat. But a man should die surrounded by the woman he adored. Just like this. With his mouth and his hands full. But that truly wasn't enough, not for her, not for him.

Shane let her breast loose with a slathering wet pop and ordered her to, "Kiss me. Now, babe. Hurry your ass up, Air Force! Move it, move it, move it!"

"I'm moving it, already!" she declared with attitude, grinding her core onto his hand as she tipped onto his belly and…

This. Yes, this. He fuckin' loved the irritation grumbling up her throat even as she obeyed him. Him, a lower ranking nobody. She was irritated because he'd wrested control of their lovemaking from her? Too bad. She thought she could order him around? Maybe later. Not now. Not with her moaning like she was, not with her gyrating her hips and grinding her core against his hand. If that was her way of punishing him? Guess again, babe.

With a grin, Shane closed his eyes and inhaled her sweet breath and her lips. Ev's fingertips slipped from his chest over his head, into his hair. She grabbed a handful and tugged. The kiss turned feral. He kept his hands right where they were, one still on her ass, the other poised between her legs, not willing to sacrifice a second of prime real estate. Or that plump lower lip of hers. He bit down on it, ever so slightly. Just enough to sting. She tugged his hair harder, forcing his head into the pillow.

Just like he wanted. While she kissed and nibbled, he inserted one long finger into her and scraped a fingernail over that ridged erogenous zone just inside. Instantly, the kiss was over. She arched upright, and those perfect feminine muscles squeezed down on his hand like a clamp. Her head fell back. A throaty, sensual growl purred out of Everlee. Her sinuous arms lifted over her head. Her fingers delved into her hair, ruffling all that bronzed beauty while, at the same time, exposing full, blushing breasts that bounced like clumps of ripe, coppery-tipped grapes.

Shane blinked up at the golden, naked goddess straddling him. She was perfect, a combination of honey-flavored skin punctuated with diamond-hard nipples of russet and wine, and messy hair that matched. Honey and sass, that's what Everlee was. Right then, he had a perfect view of his woman. From the crisp, reddish-brown curls where his thumb still played, up her centerline, to the sweaty valley between her plump breasts, up farther to the strong column of her stubborn neck. Moaning like the sex goddess she was, Everlee cupped her breasts together, opened her hazy eyes and looked down at him. Her tongue took a succulent lap around those perfect, kiss-swollen lips.

Made Shane hard as fuck. His cock thickened with more blood. He replaced his fingers with what Everlee wanted. What she needed. What he needed to give her. And Shane lost control. Not that he'd ever really had it. Not with this impish dominatrix sitting on him like she was. Where she was. Not with all that heat in her sultry brown eyes. This was her pouring herself into him. Giving up her control.

Yeah, right. There was no tempting, teasing preamble to what he did next. Just snapped his hips forward and—

"Fuck. Yeah, Ev," he hissed as her heat enveloped him. Her core clenched tight, gripping his cock in a wondrous stranglehold. Then tighter. And tighter still. With every thrust, he met eager, slippery anticipation that held him fast.

A delightful, incoherent grumble wound up Everlee's throat, vibrating through his cock. Shane set a faster rhythm, thinking he could climax with her. With every beat of his heart, he pounded forward or pulled backward, in sync with Ev's body slamming down on him. With her legs growing tighter at his hips. With her body stiffening.

"Shane!" she growled.

And yeah, of course, she came first. That seemed to be the theme of their relationship. She needed to be first. Always. And it was no big thing for Shane to allow her the win. If it truly was a win. Everlee's need to be smarter, to run faster and farther had driven her all her life. So, yeah. Shane didn't hesitate making the sacrifice. Anything to make her happy. To please her. Anything.

"I see you, Everlee," he whispered, breathing hard as he took hold of her pretty face and brought her within kissing distance.

He shouldn't have looked up when she opened her eyes. Her pupils were blown, reducing the brown irises to thin rings at the edges of—forever. Her luscious body literally writhed against his. She was a woman undone.

Shane's entire body stiffened at the sight of the wanton creature in his arms. The final rush of blood burned up his spine. He stuck his heels into the mattress for better leverage. Then…

"Fuck, yes!" Shane slammed himself upward into Everlee. Into home and forever. Into her slick, wet heat and her clenching grip that refused to let him go. Finally. He closed his eyes and gave himself over to this, his one and only second chance. To warmth and love and laughter. To trust and joy. To Everlee.

The muscles inside her body were still strong. Very strong. They fluttered like tiny determined fingers around his cock, tugging, jerking the last of his orgasm out of him. He let her win again. She stiffened and came. Then again. Each time, she whimpered through the pleasure while her body undulated against his, teasing him for another round.

He stilled, his hands now clamped on Everlee's ass, holding her fast to him, his cock deep inside of her and already twitching like a needy addict who needed the fix only she could give him.

What a rush. What an eye-opening revelation. Her body was slick with sweat, and damned if another swell of wicked aftershocks didn't wash over his cock, still clenching, still holding him inside where he wished he could stay forever. He was the weakest man on Earth, and damned glad of it. Women's bodies were amazing. So much better than any man's. But Ev's was downright splendid.

Shane couldn't refuse the smile that blossomed over his face, hell, over his entire body. He nearly laughed, the pleasure was so intense. So pure. But instead, tears flooded his eyes. He wrapped his arms around the woman who'd just saved him. Who loved him in spite of himself. The woman he would gladly give his life for. "I love you, Everlee Yeager," he whispered into her ear. "So much. It feels like I've known you forever, babe."

Heavy breathing was the only answer Shane got. He swiped a quick hand over his face so she'd never know what a wuss she'd just made love with.

"You had enough?" he asked quietly, his fingers smoothing over the bottom swells of her ass, then petting designs of infinity symbols up her back.

"I never…" she whimpered into his neck. "Never… Not once..."

Shane kept silent. Verbal expression was hard for Everlee. It took her longer than others to understand her feelings enough to translate them into words. He moved one hand up to the back of her neck and held on.

"Till now… That was…" She sniffed through her nose. "Jiminy… Chrissssstmasssss. That… was… so… so…" Her belly expanded, pushing against his. "That was so good I can barely talk."

"I see that," he whispered. "No rush, Ev. Take your time. I'm not going anywhere."

Then Everlee made it better. She eased back on her haunches and said, "You're so big, Shane, and thick and…" She licked her lips. "Wow. I had no idea making love could be so…" She blinked and her brows lifted nearly to her hairline. "So wonderful." Like the spontaneous, petulant woman she could be, Everlee collapsed on his chest and into his arms with an exaggerated sigh. Then she wiggled under his chin.

Shane took a deep breath of forever. There was a time he'd honestly believed he'd never be happy again. Never know this kind of peace. Never have the family he'd so desperately craved as a stupid, young man. Now he knew better.

They stayed tangled and sweaty together, the sheets somewhere on the floor. Shane tugged the comforter up and over them. "Time for a nap," he whispered to his sleeping beauty.

"I'm not ready for kids yet, are you?"

Not what Shane expected, but he should've known. Everlee's mind worked differently than his. "Eventually. Not twelve, but it's no fun being an only child. Maybe a couple. Four's a nice even number."

"Good answer," she huffed. "Four, yeah, Shane. I can see us with four babies."

"Well, not all at the same time," he replied softly. "But one at a time shouldn't be difficult."

Her body melted into his. She was warm and she was safe. Tomorrow would come and she might not remember this conversation, but Shane would remind her when he slipped the diamond currently tucked in the side pocket of his gear bag on her finger. Because he was marrying Everlee. He was keeping her. He took a deep breath, his nose in her hair and an ocean of contentment in his heart.

It was just the way things were. Bad things, like car accidents and murders, happened to good people. The rich got richer and the poor got poorer. People were born and people died. Some of those people were saints and some were devils. All in all, not a bad celestial plan for mankind. Not when Shane ended up with his arms around the woman he adored. Everlee would certainly give him a run for his money, but he wasn't worried. She was his everything, his angel. His reason for living. Everlee might never see herself that way, but he figured he had a lifetime to bring her around to his way of thinking.

For the first time in a long while, Shane closed his eyes and succumbed to a night of peaceful dreams. They were the real deal, the present and his future. The nightmares he'd once had were simply ghosts from a past no one could change. Dreams trumped nightmares every time. They were the stuff of life and love, of families and forever, and…

Of Everlee.