My inner thighs quivered as I watched him tear open the foil, heard it crinkle before it hit the floor. I’d barely recovered from my epic orgasm, and I could already feel the slick tension building inside me again as Roane rolled on protection.

Then, as if I weighed nothing, he gripped me under the arms and slid my body up and across the bed before climbing over me.

I panted for air as he hovered above me, eyes locked with mine. Then he lowered his head and kissed me. Slow, deep, seductive. Mesmerizing. Spellbinding kisses that took me somewhere else. We were wrapped in a cocoon of heat, the air in the stuffy bedroom thick with it, with our musk and the scent of sex.

There was nothing for it but to give in to the heat, to build it until it was a fire that set us ablaze.

As I wrapped my legs around Roane’s hips and he pushed inside me, that’s what we did. We stoked the fire with every stroke, every gasp, until I was mindless with how this felt. The entire time he held me in his gaze, keeping us connected. A man had never looked so deep into my eyes during sex, and it was intense.

It was lovemaking.

For the first time in my life, that burning desire exploded inside me at the same time as his. I’d never come at the same time as a partner before, and as Roane buried his head in my throat, groaning and shuddering through his release, and as I shook against him with mine, I realized nothing had ever compared.

He’d ruined me.

Eighteen

There was no breeze coming in through the wood-framed windows Roane had pushed up to allow fresh air in. Yet it gave the illusion of cooling us as we lay sprawled atop his bed, naked, sunlight gleaming off our sweat-slicked skin.

The crisp hairs on his calves tickled me as he curled his left leg around my right. Our heads were turned toward each other on the pillows—we gazed into each other’s eyes while we held hands. Our fingers locked and unlocked as our hands flexed against each other until I smoothed out his palm with mine and began to trace the calluses that had created hard curves at the base of his fingers.

This was thrill and contentment entwined as one, and it made me so hopeful I could almost cry from the sweet ache of it.

“I don’t even care it’s like an oven in here,” I whispered, “I could stay here forever.” It was true. I’d never felt so comfortable being completely naked with a man, but Roane made me feel that way. He made me feel like he truly adored every inch of me.

“Me too.” He sighed. “Although I suppose I should really nip downstairs to check on Shadow and grab us each a glass of water.”

My grip on him tightened even though I knew he should check on Shadow. Roane smiled at my reflexive move, and as he sat up, he brought my hand to his lips and kissed my knuckles. “I’ll be quick.”

After we’d made love, Roane was ready to go again impressively quickly. The man had the stamina of a twenty-year-old. Not that I was complaining. Especially when he kept his promise and took me less than tenderly the second time. It had been rough, hard, and he talked dirty.

I shivered at the memory as Roane got off the bed and strode out of the room.

God, I had to write an ode to that man’s muscular ass.

Wiping sweat off the back of my nape, I grimaced and slumped into the pillow beneath me. We really needed to shower, but there was something thrilling about lying completely naked in the middle of the day with Roane.

He wasn’t long in returning with two glasses of water in hand. I took one from him and greedily gulped it down, having underestimated how parched I was. Wiping my lips, I asked, “Is Shadow okay?”

“He’s found a cool spot in the shadow of the kitchen. He didn’t want to be disturbed. This weather makes him sleepy.” Roane grinned, returning to the bed.

“It usually makes me sleepy.” My lips trembled with amusement. “Not today.”

“I noticed. Thank fuck for summer days.” He looked more than a little pleased with himself.

I rolled my eyes. “I couldn’t help myself. You were all sweaty and hot, the latter both literally and figuratively. It was too much for one woman to take.”

We were quiet a moment as Roane emptied his glass of water and then lay back down beside me. I shimmied toward him, and he lifted his arm, inviting me to curl against him. Resting my head on his strong chest, feeling his heart thud beneath me, I took a deep breath. He smelled of musk and citrus, sweat and sex . . . and me.