Page 82 of Recon Rendezvous

She cries out when I hit a spot no one has ever reached deep inside her. “Yes, yours!”

“Fuck, yes.” The relief that flows through me triggers my own orgasm as it flows through my body, lighting up every molecule of my being. I go rigid as spurt after spurt busts from my dick filling the condom. Yet again I regret not being able to truly mark her as mine.

Her legs fall away, and our heaving chests come together as I hold her in my arms.

“Holy shit, babycakes. Did I hurt you?”

“I’m fine,” she pants. “I mean, I came so many times, I almost passed out. That was…”

“Perfect,” we say in unison.

Our lips meet again, drawn like magnets, and my heart nearly skips a beat. What if she’s not ready? How would I go back to before? Before her. Before this. Before I gave her my heart.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

LONDON

Casablancaplays on the gargantuan screen, the bed warm and riddled with my favorite candies, but I only have eyes for the sexy man before me.

“I can’t believe it took me this long to finally get you into a bed. Who knew you’d be such a naughty girl,” he murmurs, and I laugh.

Yes, indeed, we’ve beenintimateeverywhere except a bed at this point. My damn knees haven’t been happy with me for a while.

Propping himself up on his elbow, he looms over me, the movie long forgotten, our gazes locked, as we both search for answers to unasked questions.

“This beautiful face,” he whispers, gaze soft as it trails over me in that way he does, and I can’t resist the shiver that runs through me.

Something about the tone of his voice, the reverence, and this open, vulnerable look in his eyes, makes me stop the quip ready to fall from my lips. Sucking in a deep breath, I try to do the same. Opening that door that’s long been locked just a crack and peering around it, hoping what I find won’t send me running again.

“You think I’m beautiful?” I murmur, my body curling into his, seeking his warmth.

“Where have you been? I think you’re stunning. I have from the moment we met.” His thumb tracks below my right eye as he says, “Your eyes…your eyes are beguiling, absolutely captivating, but I’m drawn to your strength. It’s so damn attractive.” He drops a soft kiss to my cheek then the corner of my mouth before he continues.

“I’ll probably never know all the things you’ve been through, and I want to hear every tale, but you didn’t let it knock you down. You’re here, rebuilding, with a stronger foundation, and I admire the will it took to decide to leave what didn’t serve you and find what does. It brought you to me. I want nothing more than to tell you, I got you, babycakes. Let me take care of you, take care of everything—”

His finger comes to my lips before I can protest. “You’ve got so much fight in you, and I get it. But let me prove to you that I’m different and what we’ll have will work. I’m ready for fairy tales and forevers, London, and tag, you’re it.”

BOOMgoes the door I’ve erected, Xander splintering it with his words, and I’m left feeling exposed and raw.

“X-Xander, I…” I trail off as I try to gather words, any words, to respond to this declaration. I’m swooning but equally terrified by the what ifs. Xander is so entrenched in the lives of everyone I love here, Ty, Eli, not to mention how much the girls love him. If this goes south, it puts them in such a terrible predicament. Besides, I’m just starting over here. It’s too soon for anything serious and with the plans I have, he doesn’t know just how serious he’s talking.

“I can practically see your brain whirling and ticking off reasons to say no,” he says with a tap to my nose. “That’s my fault. I didn’t mean to dump this all in your lap tonight. Let’s just have fun and you can write your pros and cons list later,or whatever it is you do. But whatever you come up with and whenever you’re ready, I’ll be here. I’ve been here. Waiting for you.”

Relief settles over me as my heart beats even faster. This can’t be happening right now. Xander is saying everything, words and sentiments that any person in their right mind would want—Hello, look at him—and I’ve lost the ability to speak and to truly process what’s going on and how I feel.

He rolls away and before I can beg him to come back, he’s there, with something in his hand, and I tilt my head for a better look.

“What’s that?”

“Come here, baby.”

He adjusts the pillows behind his back, and I cuddle into his side, my head on his chest.

“I know I said I brought you here to fuck you under the stars…”

Smiling, I glance up at the sky, twinkling with those very stars. Out here, in the middle of nowhere, away from the lights of the city, it’s remarkable. Everything is so quiet, so slow, that you can simply enjoy being with someone.

“Yeah?”

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