Page 105 of Firefly Effect

Lincoln shakes his head, maintaining his smile. “No, sweetie. Carley had to go away a long time ago.”

Lucy frowns. “Where did she go?”

Lincoln nods toward the synchronous lights. “Well, I’m not really sure, but sometimes I like to imagine she’s one of the fireflies, lighting up the sky like she never even left at all.”

It takes a few seconds, and I can almost hear Lucy’s brain trying to imagine exactly what her dad is trying to say, and then a new smile blooms on her face. “I think I see her, Daddy.” She wiggles in his hold until he sets her down, then she sinks to a crouching position and extends her hand to point to a tall blade of grass just as a firefly flashes its light. “Right here,” she whispers. “This is Carley.”

Lincoln sinks down with her to examine the little beetle. “You know, I think you’re right. That is her.”

Lucy clutches his leg. “Can we keep her?”

Lincoln shakes his head slowly. “But then she wouldn’t be able to fly.”

Lucy tilts her head like she’s thinking carefully. “Then maybe we can just come back to see her?”

Lincoln’s arm wraps around Lucy’s body as he nods. “Now that is a perfect idea my little Goose.”

I don’t argue with Lincoln when he says he’s taking me back to his place. Dylan and Gabe agreed to hold off on any questioning until the next day, so we could get home and get some rest.

Lincoln lets Lucy stay up a little bit longer so we can all have a late-night snack, then he gives her a quick wash before tucking her into bed. I’m almost surprised when he walks out of her bedroom and into the kitchen five minutes later, chuckling that she fell asleep mid-sentence.

I look over my shoulder from washing the dishes and smile. “Do you blame her? She had quite the eventful day.”

Lincoln comes up behind me, wraps his arms around my body and nuzzles his mouth in the crook of my neck. “No fucking kidding. A kidnapping, roasting s’mores, firefly watching.”

“Learning about her aunt Carley,” I add.

“Nearly losing her dad to a deranged serial killer.”

I shudder. “Yeah, let’s not add that one to the list. You’ll make me drop a dish.”

He reaches for the plate I’m holding and sets it back in the sink. “Those can wait. You must be exhausted.”

Surprisingly, I’m not tired at all. “Wide awake.” I swivel around and wrap my arms around his neck. “I could desperately use a shower, though.”

Lincoln quirks a lip. “By all means, use mine.” He kisses me softly. “With me in it.” He kisses me again. “And me inside you.”

This time, his mouth stays on mine as he pulls me backward, out of the kitchen, past the living room and den, then down the hall to the bedrooms. I giggle against him when he shuts the door to his room and fumbles for the baby monitor on his nightstand.

There’s something about the fact that Lucy is four years old and he still feels the need to check on her breathing throughout the night that makes me fall so much deeper in love with him than the moment before.

His lips continue to claim mine as we stumble our way into the bathroom. He doesn’t even pull away from me when he reaches behind him to start the shower. The desperation in his hold and in the way his mouth practically suctions to mine is the equivalent of reaching deep down into my soul and stealing it to be his for eternity.

I will happily give it.

Lincoln strips me bare, then he removes all his clothes until our naked bodies are colliding as steam fills the room. When we finally step under the water, I almost expect him to hitch my leg up and take me right then and there. I wouldn’t complain a bit. Apparently, he has other ideas.

He breaks the kiss, causing us both to gasp for air. He’s fully under the water, the stream cascading over him while he fills his hands with soap and proceeds to lather up my chest. He makes excruciatingly slow work over my breasts, kneading them, pinching my nipples, then starts on my back, continuing to my ass, and finally to the space between my thighs.

“So beautiful,” he murmurs when my back is to him. His cock is hard against my back as his tongue darts out against my ear. “Every inch of you.” He snakes his fingers between my legs again, this time with a soap-free hand and begins to toy with my clit. “I just got the shit beat out of me and I don’t feel a single fucking thing when I get to touch you like this.”

My abdomen tightens as I feel him sink to his knees. “Be careful,” I warn, clearly caring more about his injuries than him. “We don’t have to do this now.”

He growls as two fingers push deep inside me. “The fuck we don’t.” Then his tongue darts out against my ass, causing me to jerk, but his fingers have me locked in place as he works me faster. “I almost died tonight,” he reminds me before sliding his tongue to where his hand is. “I want to feel more alive than ever right now, baby girl. Making you come alive right before my very eyes is about to be my salvation.”

Between his tongue and fingers and his dirty words, I’m plummeting to my first orgasm with barely any effort on his part at all. I’ve been so wound up all night that it didn’t take much for Lincoln to unravel me. But he doesn’t stop with one. He never does.

“Hang on to the ledge,” he demands before spreading my legs apart and covering my pussy with his entire mouth.

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