Page 49 of Saved from Deception

Then I explode. Fireworks. A supernova. Flashes of white across my vision. My body more alive than I knew it could be. And my chest, my heart—so full, so sure without the words to explain it. I convulse around Rylan, and he thrusts one more time before igniting along with me.

I had no idea it could be like this.

Rylan rolls over, tugging me onto his chest, his arms wrapping around me. I’m draped over him, head tucked under his head, his skin damp and warm under mine. His heart is thundering fast and loud, mine following right behind.

Just this.

All of the other crap was worth it for this moment.

My emotions are so thick. So intense. So close to the surface, I almost blurt out something I should not be thinking. Instead, I blurt out something nonsensical. “Of all the places I’ve been, this is my favorite.”

A hand strokes my back, from my nape to the base of my spine, lingering. “Where is your favorite place?”

I press a kiss to his chest. “With you.”

“Charlie.”

Oh crap. Was that weird? Too much?

Rylan kisses my head, his breath soft on my hair. “This is my favorite place, too.”

“Are you doing okay?”

We’re sitting on the couch in my new apartment, Rylan’s arm looped around my back. He’s gazing down at me with obvious concern, which is understandable, considering I turned into a crying mess during the last meeting with his team.

My answering smile feels more like a grimace, but I think I sound pretty convincing. “I’m fine. Really.”

“Charlie,” he says, looking even more worried now. “You don’t have to pretend anything with me.”

“Okay.” He wants honesty? “I feel like my stomach is going to launch itself out of my body. And like I might pass out. Or scream. But other than that, I’m fine.”

His face pinches, eyes shadowing. “Charlie. Ah, hun.”

And now I feel guilty. It’s not Rylan’s fault I’m stressed about this meeting. He’s been nothing but supportive. It’s just that we had such a great morning—not just making love for the first time, but the second and third, too.

And only a few hours later, we’re gathered in my apartment for an impromptu meeting with Cole, to find out why this Morgan Ives has it out for me.

“Sorry,” I say softly, leaning my head on his shoulder. “I shouldn’t have said that.”

Tugging me closer, he presses a kiss to my forehead. “No. Don’t apologize. I want you to tell me how you’re feeling. If I don’t know, I can’t help you.”

“I don’t know why I’m feeling so unsettled.” I draw little circles on Rylan’s leg, the contact with him and the repetitive motion soothing me. “I should be happy. She’s in jail, and now I’ll find out why she did everything. But…”

“It could have been random,” Rylan offers. “A case of mistaken identity. Some crazy reason we couldn’t imagine. But whatever the reason, we’ll deal with it.”

“Cole didn’t give you a hint when he texted?”

“No. But he was on a conference call with a potential client when he got the information from his contact in the FBI. So he couldn’t have said anything. But Cole said he’d be done with the call by four, and it’s nearly then.”

My stomach does a lopsided flip. “I just have this bad feeling about it.”

“It’s going to be okay.” Rylan taps my chin, gently nudging me to look at him. His eyes are soft and filled with something that makes my heart lift. “I have your six. You know what that means, right?”

“Yeah.” The corner of my mouth tugs up. “I Googled it after the first time you said it. It means you have my back.”

“I do. No matter what.” He starts to say something else when the doorbell chimes, and he gets up, giving me a reassuring smile instead. “It’ll be fine, hun. They got the person behind this, Tex and Beth are removing the videos, it’s all going to work out.”

A few minutes later, when Cole is sitting in the chair across from me with a very somber look on his face, I’m not so sure about that.

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