Chapter 13

A marylis walked into his place, dumped her overnight bag at the front door, and turned to face him. He’d barely dropped his keys on the side table when she launched herself into his arms. “Are you sure I can’t stay here?” She placed her hands on either side of his face and kissed him with such longing and passion that she felt his knees buckle.

She didn’t know about him, but she needed this. She needed to know that those close calls were over and that she was safe and that he was here with her—as he’d been every step of the way. She didn’t know when she’d started to care but suspected when he’d first walked into her office. So capable. So in command. Who knew power was so sexy? And so was self-confidence. Something he had in spades.

The room tilted as she was lifted and suddenly found herself carried down the hallway to a bedroom, where she was placed gently onto a huge bed. She scrambled to her knees and laughed when she saw him pulling his T-shirt over his head. She was stripped in seconds and kneeling on the bed, wearing just her tiny thong.

He froze, a look of wonder on his face. “Oh dear God,” he whispered, almost in prayer.

She grinned and cupped her breasts. “Like what you see?”

“Love it, but love what’s inside that beautiful packaging even more,” he whispered, as he slowly knelt on the bed beside her, reaching around her, sliding his hands down her back to cup her butt and to pull her tightly against his erection. “And that packaging is something else too…”

She laughed and collapsed backward, pulling him on top of her. “We need this,” she stated, without giving him any chance to argue, although arguing was the last thing on his mind. She planted another deep tongue-warring kiss on him before he took over and kissed her with a tongue-plunging movement that matched his hips, sending her temperature soaring. She didn’t want it to go too fast, but she’d been the driving force behind this so…

Opening her thighs, she cried out as he slid to her entrance and stalled there, as she lay trembling,… waiting. When he held back, she wrapped her legs around his hips and plunged upward, crying out as he went deep inside her.

He froze.

“I’m fine,” she cried out. “I’m fine. God, don’t stop.”

He lowered his head and buried his face in her hair, then slid his hands down her back to hold her hips and started to move.

She cried out in joy. She cried in tears. Then she cried out as her climax ripped through her. She sagged back to the bed, and he pumped once, twice, then roared as he spent himself deep inside her. Finally he stretched out beside her, tucking her up close. She loved hearing his ragged breathing, his gasps for air. His massive chest rose unevenly beneath her ear.

“Dear Lord, you’re killing me,” he murmured.

“I don’t think you’re that delicate,” she noted, chuckling, lifting to look up at him, “but I didn’t want that to be over so quickly.”

“Neither did I,” he admitted. “Give me a minute.”

“And we can go again?” she asked, with a grin of delight. She laughed when he nodded. She relaxed back down, absolutely loving where they were at, all the peace, quiet, and loving togetherness. It didn’t get better than this.

After a moment, opening his eyes, Tristan tucked her closer beside him and whispered, “I don’t know about you, but I think this little road trip to the safe house has been pretty great so far,” he teased.

She sighed. “I just… I don’t want to leave everything behind. Like you.”

“I will come and visit,” he shared. “I just don’t know how often I’ll get that opportunity.”

“Plus, who knows what else will happen between now and then?”

“Nothing that’ll put you in danger,” he declared. “Not again.”

She reached up and kissed him deeply, adding, “That’s all fine, but what about you? No point in looking after me if it means you’re not there at the end of the day.”

He rolled over, pulled her up close again, and whispered, “I’ll be there.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“Promise?”

He chuckled. “I promise.”

And she knew such a promise was silly, but somehow it still made her feel so much better. She nodded. “In that case,” she murmured, as she rolled over slowly, now sitting astride him. “Maybe we have a few more minutes before we start this next stage of our lives.”

He reached up, cupping her breasts, and murmured, “I like the sound of that, but this is just a prelude. The next stage of our lives will be you and me together.” He hesitated. “If that’s okay with you?”

“It’s better than okay,” she declared, looking at him in delight. “It’s absolutely perfect. I can’t think of anything I would like better.” She leaned over and kissed him. “Just in case you’re in doubt…” She lowered her head again, making sure no doubts were left,… for either of them.