“That’s exactly where I want you,” he admitted.
“It’s exactly where I want to be.”
He joined her there, pulling her into a long, soft kiss that grew harder and hungrier over time. When they were both breathless with longing, he shrugged off the uniform jacket and began to undo his shirt. Avery kicked off her shoes, reached around and started to undo the fastenings of her gown before she gave a little groan of frustration. “I don’t want to wait,” she told him. “I want you right now.”
She climbed into his lap, helped him off with his shirt and reached for the waistband of his pants. Their hands tangled together as they opened his fly, and Avery tugged up the skirts of her gown, guiding his hand to the discovery of what she wore underneath—
Nothing.
It was Walker’s turn to groan. He grasped her hips, lifted her and hesitated wordlessly.
“Yes,” Avery said. “Please, Walker.”
As she sank down around him, they both gave a low sound of desire, but soon Walker was moving inside her, Avery holding on. There was no time for finesse, no long, slow lovemaking. This was just to take the edge off.
She felt amazing around him, hot and wet, her body designed to strip him of his defenses. He didn’t fight the feelings that overtook him, surrendering to his desire for this woman, eager to show her all the love he had to give to her.
He kept his strokes strong and sure, pleased with the way she moaned in his arms. Avery never held back with him, and her obvious enjoyment stoked his desire even more.
He ran his hands over her, her gown pooled between them. Soon he’d strip it off her, but for now he was content to watch her face as her pleasure built.
She gave a cry, and Walker’s pulse leaped. As Avery’s fingernails dug into his shoulders, he held on, riding out her release, then let himself go in turn, crushing her against him, letting her know how badly he needed her.
When she slumped against his chest, he held her there, breathing hard, already wanting more.
Avery laughed. “Yes,” she said again. “A thousand times yes.”
He fell back on their bed, inched up it until they were lying on it properly, then turned Avery over. “I want to see you,” he told her.
“Sounds perfect.”
She lay still as he carefully undid the fastenings of her beautiful gown and peeled it up and over her head. As she shrugged out of her underthings, he took a good look at the woman he’d just married.
“Beautiful,” he breathed.
Avery stretched luxuriantly, and he took the opportunity that afforded him to get better acquainted with her breasts. Every inch of her was marvelous. As he teased and tasted her, he knew he’d never tire of this. Avery was an unending mystery to explore, and he was determined to spend his days unraveling her.
“Happy?” she asked him, moaning with pleasure under his touch.
“Happy,” he confirmed.
Walker’s touch was everything she’d hoped it would be. Avery knew when he pushed into her again, he’d please her every time they were together. He filled her like no other man had before, coaxing sensations from her that made it all too easy to lose control.
This time she wanted to savor their lovemaking and enjoyed his caresses, moving with him slowly, softly, until he rose above her, his strong arms framing her, his thighs flexing against hers.
Avery opened to him, content to let him take control. She closed her eyes and sent her awareness through her body as he entered her, becoming pure sensation until his every stroke had her tingling to her fingertips.
Walker was magnificent, and each sweep of her fingers down his muscular back increased the tension building inside her. Could she ever get enough of this?
She didn’t think so.
As he increased the pace of his thrusts, her body hummed with pent-up wanting until Avery knew she was close to losing control.
“Avery,” he murmured. She opened her eyes to meet his gaze, seeing so much love there, she thought she might get lost in it. With a final thrust he undid her, and she arched back, waves of release rippling through her over and over again until she didn’t know if she could go on. Walker bucked against her, his muscles a thing of beauty as they tensed and released. She clung to him, riding the wave of his body, then cried out with a second release of her own.
When she finally came to herself again, Walker had spilled over to rest beside her, one leg still flung over hers. His arms held her against him, and he was pressing kisses to her neck and collarbone.
“How will we ever stop?” she asked him.
He gathered her closer. “I don’t know.” He was already coming back to life, already caressing her again.
“I love you,” she told him. “Always will.”
“Love you, too.”
“It was all worth it, wasn’t it?”
He turned over and pulled her on top of him again, pushing up to his elbow to take one of her nipples into his mouth. “I would do it all over again if it meant getting to be with you,” he confirmed.
And then she was lost in him again.
Epilogue
‡
One year later
It’s going to be a busy day,” Riley said to Boone as they snuggled together in bed. He liked this time of day best of all, waking well before sunrise naturally from years of habit. Riley woke early, too. Usually their son, Jason Jericho Rudman, JJ for short, was the first one up, but today he was still sleeping. Boone couldn’t believe that he was over eight months old already. JJ was alert, interested in everything—and fast. Boone was amazed at how much trouble a baby could get into if you turned your back on him.
He was happiest crawling around
