Thirty-two

Thirty-two

JACE

I can't take my eyes off Desi. Between the way her lips remain parted as she sleeps and the gentle fluttering of her lashes above her cheeks, I can't look away. I memorize how every slope and curve of her face looks in the silver glow of the moon. The next sunrise I witness will remind me of her red hair wild against a satin pillowcase and the warmth of her skin in the golden rays of the sun. I have a little over twenty-four hours left to carve every detail of this beautiful demon into my brain.

After three movies Desi fell asleep, and I picked her up and put her in bed. It would sound chivalrous to say I didn't want her sleeping on the floor all night, that I did it for the sake of comfort. But the truth is, I wanted her in my bed. When she's gone I want to catch the scent of her in my sheets and remember what her skin felt like while she slept next to me.

I reach out and brush my fingertips over her lips and glide them along her cheek and down her neck. She's so soft. Her eyes open and I'm struck by how green they are when she first wakes up.

"Good morning," I say, my voice hoarse from lack of use.

"Good morning," she replies, easing out of her sleepy haze. "Did you sleep at all?"

I drag my finger down the slope of her nose. "Not a wink." I sigh and lean back against the headboard, fingers absentmindedly running through her hair. "Not to mention, it's your last day, Desi. I couldn't stop thinking about it." Saying it out loud makes it feel like the reality I've always known it would be.

Desi draws her bottom lip between her teeth, and I hate the tears in her eyes as she says, "I know. I don't want to miss a second."

I don't want her to be upset. Not for a moment. We can't waste this day, not when it's all we have left. "I don't plan on it." Twisting around to the nightstand, I pluck a strawberry off the platter I brought from downstairs. "A little bit of breakfast in bed?"

Desi's eyes light up and she parts her plump lips to take the piece of fruit I offer her, and all I can think about is her little gift to me in the tub yesterday. And when she lets out a moan that's borderline erotic, I have to adjust myself over my joggers. "Wow, that's delicious," she exclaims, completely oblivious to the effect she's having on me as she lazily points at the platter and wiggles her fingers until a piece of the red fruit lands in her palm. "Your turn," she murmurs, holding the fruit to my lips.

I take a bite and nod. "It's a good strawberry." I lean in and kiss her lips. It's innocent but the way it makes me feel is anything but. "I like the taste of you better though."

Desi flushes at the compliment, and just like that sets my plans for the day in motion. I can't let her leave without seeing her do that a hundred more times. For today, every smile, every bashful look, every moan of desire will be mine alone.

I cut into the eggs Benedict and hand her the fork. "I was thinking that in a few hours you should take some time to say goodbye to Meredith and prepare as much as you can."

Her happy expression fades into disappointment, and a stabbing pain pierces my chest.

"I just thought you should get it out of the way since I plan on consuming the rest of your evening. I need some time to put a surprise into place," I admit, hoping I can make her smile again.

At the mention of the word surprise, her demeanor perks back up and I thank whatever deity might be watching that her lips turn into a grin. "A surprise, you say? Well, in that case," she says, pretending to get out of bed right away.

"Hey, now, you need to finish your breakfast," I growl, pouncing on her and pulling her against me for at least one more kiss.

The sun is low in the sky when Desi's bedroom door opens and she descends the stairs. I've spent the last few hours pulling some strings and sneaking around the house to get everything just right. It wasn't easy. What does one give a future demon queen to thank her for her friendship? I couldn't let her leave with a cheesy trinket. No, I wanted her last night with me to be an experience she could never have in her realm.

I glance up from my second bowl of peanut butter puff cereal. My anxiety is running high and not even a shot of pure sugar to my veins can set it right. But the sight of Desi in an oversized sweatshirt and leggings seems to do the trick. She looks so innocent with her hair piled on top of her head and crimson curls framing her face. The puffiness around her eyes tells me she's been crying. Saying goodbye to Meredith and packing to leave were difficult for her. I plan on taking her mind off all of that.

"Go put on your boots and meet me in the backyard," I say, moving to the sink to rinse out my bowl.

"Is it time for my surprise?" she calls as she sits on the bench in the foyer, and I can hear her tugging on her waterproof boots, a cute little grunt escaping her before one of her feet slams onto the ground.

I walk into the foyer and lean against the doorway, crossing my arms over my chest and one leg over the other. "It is. Are you having trouble?"

She looks up at me and blows a stray curl off her forehead. "These boots are annoying. Glen bought them for me, and he got them half a size too small. Not to mention these socks I have on are so damn thick," she growls.

I kneel in front of her and pick up her other boot. "Here, little hurricane, let me help you before you tear down the house with your sassy attitude." Picking up her foot, I slide the boot on with very little trouble.

She huffs and watches me closely. "How'd you do that so easily?"

I shrug. "Magic, I guess. You aren't the only one with powers, ya know."

Rolling her eyes, she gets to her feet. "You're such a dork." Leaning into my chest, she takes a deep breath and whispers, "I'm going to miss that so much."

I place my index finger under her chin and lift it. "None of that. Give me tonight. Stay in this moment with me. Understand?"

She nods and tears pool in her eyes. I wipe them away with my thumbs before they can fall down her cheeks. When she's composed, I hold out my hand to her. Her delicate fingers curl around mine, sending a shock wave through my system. The simplest of gestures has my body reacting when Desi is involved.

I lead her back through the house and smirk at the confusion on her face. "This feels . . . odd," she says, watching her shoes leave imprints on the area rug in the living room.

I open the French doors to the back porch and say, "I've trained you well, young Padawan."

She shakes her head and rolls her eyes before she stops in her tracks. Snowflakes drift to the ground and cling to the trees at the edge of the yard. Steam rises from the surface of the pool as the lights gradually change the color of the water. Off in the far corner a fire crackles in a crude fire pit lined with river rocks. The flames reach for the darkening sky while illuminating a cream-colored, A-framed tent.

"What is this?" she asks.

"I figure this might be one of the last times you see snow for a while. And I wanted to give you an experience you can't have at home. We're camping for the evening. Minus the bugs, terrible toilet situation, and bathing with baby wipes."

She turns to face me, and when her eyes meet mine I know for a fact I will never in my life see another shade of green like that. And every time I see anything that even remotely resembles it, I'll think of her, this moment, and a hundred others when she looked at me with this kind of emotion reflected in them.

And for the five thousandth time since I've met Desideria, I wish that I could be what she needs.

"Thank you, Jace. This looks perfect. Come on," she urges, tugging me toward the tent. The snow falls faster, landing in her hair and sticking to her clothing. She holds out her palm and several flakes pepper her skin, melting almost as soon as they land. "It's beautiful."

Her pink tongue slips between her lips, and she turns her head to the gloomy sky. Her arms spread out at her sides like she is going to take flight as she spins in slow circles. I'm captivated by her every movement. Fuck angels; nothing is as beautiful as a demon queen.

When she's captured several snowflakes, she closes her mouth, and her lips form a playful smile. I'd sell my soul to her father just to relive that again.

"Are you ready to go inside?" I ask, tilting my chin at the tent.

She squats down so she can crawl through the tent flap, and I follow. Her round ass shimmies as she moves toward the pile of pillows stacked on a faux fur blanket. Unable to help myself, I slap it as she goes. "Hurry up, sloth queen. It's cold out here."

Desi squeals and kicks at me as she turns around to settle into one of the two large pillows I bought for us to sit on. "Hey! I'll levitate your ass right out of here!" she says, but she's laughing even as she crosses her arms over her chest.

I tie back the flaps of the tent before setting to work with the bag of camping goodies I got for the occasion. She watches me intently as I pull out two metal skewers and a bag of big, fluffy marshmallows. I stab one onto the end of the stick and hand it to her.

"Have you ever made s'mores before?" I ask.

She twists the skewer and stares at the marshmallow, clearly unsure about what to do. "No," she drawls.

I prepare a graham cracker and a slab of chocolate before moving in behind her and scooting us to the edge of the entrance. Extending her arm until the fluffy sugar-filled treat hovers over the fire, I say, "You're going to roast it. Just hold it right above the flames and turn it."

She follows my directions, holding the marshmallow a little too high above the fire. With her focus straight ahead, I drop my lips to her neck and leave a trail of kisses. She is so warm and soft. I could easily spend the rest of the night holding her like this.

"Oh. Oh! Jace, it's on fire!"

Desi swings her flaming marshmallow in front of us, trying to put it out. I grab her wrist and bring the skewer close enough for me to blow it out. She sighs while staring at the burned ball of goo at the end.

I laugh and pluck the marshmallow off the stick and pop it into my mouth, humming as the crispy outside gives way to the warm, soft center. "You had one job, Desideria."

"You distracted me," she says.

I set her up to try again. "It's not my fault that you're irresistible."

"You're pretty irresistible yourself, sir." She takes the skewer from me, and this time, even when I slide my arms around her waist, she keeps her eyes on the fire, rotating the marshmallow and keeping it out of the flames. And when I press my lips to the back of her neck and run my fingertips up and down her spine, she squirms against me and says, "Ya know, you didn't really think this through. We're sort of out here in the open and you're over here turning me on. Now what are we going to do?"

I nip at her earlobe and say, "I thought this through. Don't you think we could have just sat by the fire and done this? The tent does have a purpose. I have every intention of fucking you if that's what you want."

My hand at her waist moves to her thigh, my fingers brushing dangerously close to her center.

She yanks the skewer out of the fire and pulls the marshmallow off, setting it on the plate with the chocolate and graham cracker before spinning to face me. "It's only a tent, Wilder. You know I like to get loud."

I brush away a wild curl that falls over her eye. "Looks like I'm not the only one who put thought into this. I guess you're going to have to keep quiet for me, little hurricane." I take her hand and bring her sticky fingers to my mouth. One by one, I suck them clean while she makes the sweetest sounds. "Can you be quiet for me, Desideria?"

She whimpers and gives me a slow nod, her heavily lidded eyes traveling my body, sending a shiver up and down my spine. "Yes," she breathes as I take the last finger from my mouth.

I pull her to me and my lips meet hers in a searing kiss. Tracing the seam of her mouth, I coax her to open for me. There's no holding back as I'm consumed by the taste of her. She is the warmth of a lazy summer afternoon laced with addicting sweet spice. I can't get enough.

She groans into the kiss as I lay her back and rest my body between her legs. Every curve of her fits perfectly against me. I love the soft give of her stomach and the way her legs wrap around my hips. No other woman will come close to doing what she does to me.

We separate for air, and I kiss the tip of her nose. She stares up at me with long lashes framing her emerald-green eyes. I'm going to miss getting lost in her gaze.

"What?" she asks, her voice raspy with need. "What is it?"

I dip my head, planting kisses down her jawline and on her neck as I struggle with the truth. It's been a long time since I've accepted an absolute about a woman who wasn't just a friend. I've built high, impenetrable walls, guarding every possible way that someone could sneak past them. Desideria has slipped through them all and unleashed the most exquisite chaos inside of me.

My mouth drifts back up to her ear, and I freely give her a truth that rips me open from the inside. "No other woman will ever compare to you. Your humor, your compassion, your loyalty, your beauty, it isn't possible. No one will ever be as stunning as you."

Her brow furrows in disbelief. "Come on, Jace. There are plenty—"

I rest a finger against her lips. Running my hand down the curve of her waist, I say, "This body? These wild curls? All of that is unmatched, yes. But your beauty radiates from in here," I say, flattening a palm against her sternum. "Your heart and soul lured me in. They gave me a safe place to open myself up even if it was only a fraction. Those who know me would say it's impossible for a woman to get through my defenses, and they'd be right. But you aren't just a woman are you, little hurricane?"

She bites her lip, and it sends a stabbing pain through me to see her fighting tears and a smile at the same time. "No, I'm not. And that's part of the problem. I came here with the intention of finding a human who would keep me on my toes, keep me tame. I felt like I was too chaotic, too much, and that I would never find someone whose energy complemented mine. And here you are, encouraging me to let go, be myself, embrace the chaos within even though it's not always comfortable for you. And sometimes, you even join me."

She places her palm on my cheek and runs her thumb over my bottom lip. "Which I know isn't easy. Jace, you've taught me what it means to truly live, and I wish more than anything that I didn't have to say goodbye to you, that I could stay here, in this tent with you, forever. Because I would. I'd give it all up, just to stay in your arms."

Damn, what I wouldn't give for that to be possible.

"Your family is counting on you and the energies who crave your type of chaos need you too. I would never ask you to give up that calling. You were made to be a queen, not a girl who spends her days with a nerd who plays video games and makes cool graphic art."

"I know I have to take my place on the throne, but I just needed you to hear me; if it were possible, it would be enough for me, Jace."

I place two soft kisses on her lips. I hope that those kisses say the words I can't: if my heart were bandaged and on the mend, we wouldn't be saying goodbye right now. We'd be packing our books and movies and clothing in boxes together and despite whatever lingering doubts I might have, I wouldn't be so broken that I couldn't even try.

I've never cursed time the way I do now. "Just tell me I can be enough for you for one more night, Desideria," I whisper against her temple.

She turns her head so she can look at me when she says, "You've always been enough for me, Jace. Even more so tonight."

The force with which I pin her to the soft blanket beneath us leaves her breathless. Taking both of her wrists in one hand, I hold them above her head and whisper, "How do you want me to show you how much I'll miss your presence in my life, Desideria?" I run my free hand down her face, tracing her cheekbone with the utmost reverence. I'm going to worship her like she is my personal savior. Because she is. Desideria has kept me afloat these past months. She has been my life support, my anchor, a new reason for me to live a full life.

"Do you want me to show you by being soft? Vulnerable?" Dipping my head to brush my lips against hers, I murmur, "Treat you like a princess?" She relaxes beneath me as my palm slides down and tightens around her throat. "Or rough? Demanding?" I nip her bottom lip and growl, "Like a queen."

She gasps and wraps her legs around me, pulling me closer. "Like a queen."

"You want me to leave my mark on you, so you never forget?"

"Even if you took me gently, I'd never forget, Jace."

I groan and roll my hips over her, my fingers gripping her throat and wrists tighter like she might slip away. She's so willing to bend to my desires, my willing captive, who craves everything I need to give her.

I release her neck and slide my hand to the hem of her sweatshirt. As my cold fingers brush over her stomach, her skin prickles with goosebumps. Palming her breast, my chilled thumb caresses her nipple.

"Take it off," she gasps, writhing against my hold on her wrists. "Please. I don't want anything between us."

I ease the warm fabric up her torso and watch in awe at how her body responds to the cold air. Sitting back on my legs, I toss her shirt to the side. The light of the fire dances over every soft dip and hill. I return to my task from this morning, sketching every inch of her in my memory. I never want to forget how she looks or the softness of her skin. Her scent will always be my favorite and her taste will leave me forever unsatisfied. She has ruined me to my core, and I've never been so happy to be a mess.

"So fucking beautiful," I whisper.

She sits up and slips her hands under the hem of my T-shirt, and I lift my arms, allowing her to pull it over my head. She doesn't take her eyes off me as she drops it to the ground next to us. Dragging her fingers up my bare chest, she leans forward, planting a kiss on the scar over my heart, the tough skin that has kept everyone from reaching it.

She lifts her eyes to mine and echoes my words. "So fucking beautiful. Every single inch."

I reach just beyond the entrance of the tent and scrape my fingers in the snow. I hold her gaze and bring the ball of ice to the tops of her breasts. She arches into my touch as I drag the ice over her skin. Droplets of water run over her nipples and stream down her stomach, glistening like priceless diamonds against her skin.

"Lie down, Desideria, and let me taste the snow on your body."

She lies back, her hair spilling over her shoulders and onto the pillows. I run my tongue across the swells of her breasts, lapping up the water, down to one hard peak. Her breath catches, a little yelp escaping her throat. I glance up at her and the most wicked thoughts slip inside my head. I know exactly what to do to have her turning to putty in my hands. Sliding one palm up her other breast, I circle her nipple in a slow, tantalizing motion, getting so close, but not quite close enough. She arches her back with each pass of my tongue, offering herself to me. I take and take because she is the only thing I crave.

"Jace," she whines, tangling her hand in my hair and pulling hard. "Please."

I deny her . . . for now. Lifting her leg, I remove her boots and fluffy socks. My fingers drift up her thighs and hook into the waistband of her leggings. It's so tempting to yank them off, but I want to savor the task of undressing her for the final time. Every inch of revealed skin makes my mouth water. I want to lick, suck, and bite until she's left with my mark on her body.

When she's naked, one side of my mouth tilts up. My fingers prickle with the need to touch. I want to make her understand without words the ache I feel seeing her like this. Taking another handful of snow, I press it to her sex. I'm captivated by how it melts against her, following all the lines of her body I want to trace with my tongue.

"That's a pretty sight. So wet and aching for me," I say.

Her neck stretches and her lips part at the frozen sensation. "Jace, that feels so good."

I could do this all night just to hear her moan my name. It's like hearing a song, feminine with a hint of rasp. I'd put it on repeat, losing myself to it over and over again.

"Please, let me make you feel good too," she begs.

I lean over her and brush her hair behind her ears. "All I need is you close and I'm hard. All the other things like kissing"—I press my lips to hers—"and touching"—my fingertips brush the seam of her—"and fucking, I do to watch you get wet. Knowing it's because of me that you're turned on makes me feel good."

She places her hand over her heart and her voice is shaky when she says, "You must feel good a lot then, because I'm always wet when you're around. You've ruined your fair share of my panties, Jace Wilder."

The stroke to my ego is real. Everything I've worked for tonight, she says I do naturally. How can I not be proud of myself? I cock a brow and say, "I guess I'll have to do the chivalrous thing and keep you naked to spare those sexy lace panties."

"That's so kind of you. How can I ever repay you?" she says, batting her eyelashes.

I pull at the rest of my clothes, tossing them haphazardly around the tent. "Get on your hands and knees. Let me see that sexy ass, Desideria."

She doesn't hesitate—no fear at the promise of what's to come and no shame in the vulnerable position we've never tried. There is only complete submission to my demand, and it's the sexiest thing I've ever witnessed.

She kneels with her back to me, and slowly, as if enticing me, she leans over, propping herself on her elbows. Her hair frames her face in crimson waves. She sweeps it over her shoulder and looks back at me. "You want me like this?"

I scoot closer and palm her ass. She presses back into my touch. The hum coming from her lets me know she welcomes it. I place a kiss at the lowest point of her spine.

"I'm going to regret for the rest of my life that I didn't have you like this more often," I say, opening her to me so I can see all the pretty pink parts of her.

I kiss one swell of her ass and then the other, drawing a blissful sound from her. My fingers drift lower until they play at her soaked entrance. I slide one inside and my eyes flutter shut as I'm greeted by her warmth. I bask in the feel of her for a moment before curling my finger and rubbing that sensitive spot inside her that makes her whimper.

"You're so tight like this," I say, kissing the middle of her back.

Needing her to feel me everywhere, I strum her clit a little faster. She presses down, taking my finger deeper. The sight of her like this is breathtaking. Each sound of ecstasy and every roll of her hips is just for me. Without a single word, her body tells me she wants more.

"Do you know how full I can make you feel like this, the depths I could reach inside you? Do you understand how hard I could fuck you?" I ask, wrapping her hair around my hand and pulling.

She is beautiful with her face tilted up and her lips parted. My fingers move faster, and her breath picks up with each thrust.

I lean in, pressing my chest to her back. "I could demand so much out of your body like this," I whisper, and bite the curve where her neck meets her shoulder.

My plans for tonight were sweet, almost innocent. I wanted to treat her with tenderness and give her a romantic experience. She was supposed to walk away with memories framed in rose petals with an amber glow. But she's awakened something carnal inside me and I want to show her passion in its rawest form.

"Show me, Jace. Show me exactly how hard you could take me. Demand anything you want from me because I'll give you anything you desire, every part of me. I'm completely open to you right now. Vulnerable. I'm yours. Take what you want. Because I want it too."

Her words spur me on, coaxing forward an animalistic part of me. I grip her hips, digging my fingertips into her plump flesh. She stops breathing, and I know she's waiting to see what she's unleashed.

I yank her back and her silken center meets my tongue. With one long lick, I'm addicted. I need to feast until I've taken every last drop.

"Jace," she groans, throwing her head back. "I love it when you do this. But you haven't gotten anything yet tonight . . . I haven't touched you, you haven't been inside me . . . this seems unfair."

"I just need one more taste," I say, desperate for her to let me keep my mouth right where it is.

She reaches back and grabs the hair on the top of my head and holds me to her. I moan in appreciation and plunge my tongue deeper inside of her. My fingertips find their way to her clit and rub, her body flexing around me with each tight circle. I don't let up, forcing her closer to the edge until she's in a free fall.

"Yes, Jace. Yes."

I groan as she shatters. She is sweeter than honey straight from the hive, more decadent than the richest chocolate. I lick and suck, taking care not to let a drop go to waste.

Desi rides my mouth until she has given me all she has. Her head falls to the pillows, her breathing labored. But I don't give her a second to recover. I bite her ass and flip her onto her back.

Running the back of my hand over my wet lips, I say, "God, I love seeing you like this, spread out for me with your hair like a flaming halo. It is hard to believe someone so perfect is a demon."

The corners of her lips lift in a wicked smile. "Did you know that the word demon comes from the ancient Greeks—daimōn, which means deity? So really, when you call me demon, you're calling me a goddess."

I move over her and brush my lips against hers, letting her taste how sweet she is on them. "Did you know that is exactly what I think you are? I'm going to worship you, Desideria."

I slide my hand under her thigh and lift her leg, opening her to me. I want to bury myself deep inside her, feel her tight grip on me. Instead, I dip the head of my cock inside of her and pull away. She is aching for me; I can feel it in the way her nails bite into my shoulder and her legs lock around my hips. I want to give in to her desire, but only when she feels like she can't take another breath without me inside her. I repeat my shallow thrust, leaving her with a taste of what's to come.

She moves with me—a sensual roll of her hips enticing me to plunge deeper. It's hard to deny her. It's a pain clawing at my gut. Unable to stand it any longer, I take her hand in mine and lace our fingers. With a thrust so deliberately slow, it might kill us both, I sink into her.

Her lips part and my name flows from them on a heated gasp. "Jace. How is it possible that you fit even more perfectly this time than you did last time?"

I brush my nose against hers and nip at her earlobe before saying, "Because our bodies are in tune with one another now. I know exactly what you need, and you know exactly how to make me hard to the point of no return."

She clenches around me and lifts her hips to meet my measured movements. All the wild tendencies I felt moments ago are tamed for now. It's a euphoric feeling, the way her body grips me, and I don't want to chase it away just yet. Nothing is more important than making sure this beautiful creature below me feels it too.

There are no words, heartfelt declarations, or unbreakable oaths. Nothing that would be enough to make her understand how I feel with her surrendering to me like this. She's everything. The beginning and end. Infinity. Eternity.

Wrapping her legs around me, she pulls me against her, forcing me out of my haze and reminding me that I'm here for her. She grips my hair and brings our mouths together, parting my lips with hers. Her quiet demands taunt the beast inside of me, urging it to come back out and play.

"I was trying to be gentle with you, Desideria, but my body is desperate to be buried deep inside you. I want to fuck you so hard you never forget how good we were together," I say through strained breaths and shaking muscles.

She squeezes my fingers, which are still intertwined with hers, and moves her free hand to my face, gripping my chin and holding it tight so we're eye to eye. "Stop holding back. I've felt your tenderness already. I know what that's like, but I want to feel the other side of that—the raw, unrestrained side." She runs her tongue up my jawline, and I shiver as she says the words I need to hear. "Fuck me hard, Jace. Treat me like a queen."

My mouth covers hers and I grip her hip and pull out of her. She only has a split second to miss the way I fill her when I slam back in. I go so deep that a whimper laced with pain and satisfaction escapes her. Everything stills, and my eyes widen with the fear that I've hurt her.

"Don't stop," she begs against my lips.

I grip the hair at her nape, and my hips move in long, fast thrusts.

She screams my name with absolutely no regard for where we are, that even though we're sheltered by this tent, we're still outside with neighbors on either side. I couldn't care less; I'm in heaven right now. Deep inside her with her hands on my skin and hair, inching closer and closer to the point of no return. The more we connect, both physically and emotionally, the more obvious it is that saying goodbye is going to rip me in two.

The pain that will haunt me tomorrow isn't enough to make me stop. I need this, even if it means living the rest of my life in some incomplete way. At least I had this moment, holding her in my arms, filling her body with mine. For this single night, I know what it is to be completely wanted.

Desi arches her back and rolls her hips with mine. "Jace, I am so close," she whispers. "But I want you to come too. I want you to fall apart inside me."

I groan as my hand slides between us, and my fingers touch her clit, demanding that she give in to the euphoria. She squeezes around me, and I moan before sinking my teeth into the curve of her neck. I pump into her, filling her up as she pulsates around me. Neither one of us holds back, filling the night with the sounds of our bliss. I don't let up on her until she goes slack beneath me. Exhausted, I rest my full weight on her and lower my head to her chest. Her heart thumps against my cheek as I catch my breath.

"No matter how many nights I had you, Desideria, it would never be enough," I say, the words slipping from my mouth before I can stop them. But I don't regret them. They are just more of my truth that I seal with a kiss to her chest.

She runs her fingers through my hair and kisses the crown of my head. "I couldn't have said it better."