Page 64 of Shelter for Morgan

She shook her head.

She didn't want to bring 'him' into this.

She was right where she'd always wanted to be.

With Palmer.

He put his hands back on her hips and moved his hands down to her thighs. His hands were gentle and his movements were soothing.

His hands moved back up to her hips and up to her waist, moving up her sides until they were just below her breasts.

She sucked in a breath and his hands moved back down to her waist.

"Oh, I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "You didn't do anything wrong, Morgan."

"Okay. Okay," she nodded, "I'll relax." And then she sucked in a breath and held it in.

"God," he smiled, shaking his head, "I love you."

"You what?"

He didn't looked shocked at his words and he certainly didn't look like he wanted to take them back.

"I love you, Morgan Rafferty." His hands settled on her waist. "You and all of your energy and your worries. I love all of you." He gently rubbed his hands against her hips. "Will you let me show you how much?"

"Yes." She blurted out the word, smiling at him, her whole face lit up. "Yes." She looked around the room and then back at him. "Could we turn off the lights?"

He turned his head, but the only bulb that was on was the one behind them in the area between their bedroom doors at the bathroom.

Then he looked up at her, his eyes focusing on her face. "Do you trust me, Morgan?"

"I trust you," she told him, "I don't trust myself to deal with it... in the light."

"If it makes you more comfortable. Absolutely."

She could hear a tinge of something in his voice. “You don’t want to turn it off?”

He shook his head.

“I’ve thought about this for years,” she couldn’t believe she was telling him all of this. “Dreaming of what you’d look like.”

He watched her, quiet and patient.

“Leave the light on.”

Palmer nodded and instead of reaching for her shirt like she thought he would, he reached for her face.

He drew her down until their lips were scant inches apart.

“Let me love you, Morgan.”

“God, yes…”

She kissed him and he kissed back, hungry and eager.

She could have died in that moment alone and considered herself happy, but it only got better.

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