Page 72 of Cruel Ice

He tore open the condom. She helped him roll it into place. Mostly just so she could stroke him and tease him and torment him more. But the time for torment was over. He pushed her onto the mattress. Captured her hands and caged them the way he’d done earlier. But this time was different.

Her hips arched toward him, and his dick knew the way home. He plunged all the way in one powerful stroke, and she lifted from the bed with a gasp of his name. Declan leaned forward. Licked her tight nipples through the t-shirt. Licked and bit even as he thrust. Over and over. Deep and hard. Relentless.

She was so wet and eager. Still so sensitive from his mouth, and when she started to come again—third time is the charm, sweetheart—he stopped holding back. His drives were deep and plunging. Claiming and consuming. His hands touched her everywhere. His mouth locked to her throat, and he sucked the skin. He would leave a mark.

Marley.Mine.

He came inside her.

Declan’s armwas curled around her. Her ass was snuggled back against him. His chest was to her spine. Who would havethought this could be the most comfortable position in the world?

Sleep pulled at her. But she needed to say a few things. Important things. Things like…Hi, Declan. So…I’m worried I might be falling in love with you.

And it wasn’t just about confusing great sex with love. Not that she’d had a whole lot of great sex until Declan. But a woman could tell the difference between pleasure—even really amazing, heaven-touching pleasure—and love.

Love was scary and consuming and deep, and it made you do all sorts of reckless, wild things…

Like seduce a billionaire megalomaniac in his office when you have zero seduction experience.But, even before that…when she’d been in that alley and realized Declan might get shot, the fear that she’d felt had floored her. It hadn’t just been about protecting her client. Ha. Not even close. Her lunge to cover him had been instinctive because…

No one can hurt Declan.Not her Declan.

She swallowed. He’d turned off the lamp again.Afterhe’d brought a soft, warm cloth and gently cleaned her. A faint smile had curved his lips when he got a look at the t-shirt she wore. An old college shirt. Faded and worn. She’d found it in the back of his closet. She’d raked past all the too expensive items and picked this one.

No real reason why. But…

It made her feel warm. She could swear she smelled his scent on it.

You need to say something. You can’t just hide in his arms forever and pretend danger isn’t coming.“Probably won’t always be like this.” The husky words came from her, and really, they had not been what she meant to say. “I’m sure we won’t always make love this many times a night.”Make love.That washow she thought of it. He probably didn’t. That was okay. She knew exactly what she was doing.

I’m falling in love with Declan Flynn.

“You’re right.” An easy agreement. She felt him brush a kiss against the back of her head. “It will probably be more.”

Her eyes widened, then she laughed because he was joking, wasn’t he?

“I love the sound of your laugh. It’s like a little light.” Gruff. “When so much is dark.”

Holy crap, that was poetic. Poetic from Declan? The man had layers. She rolled into his arms. His features were so shadowed and dark. “Are you always so, um, quick to rise? Because I didn’t think most men?—”

“There is no always. This is how I am with you. The way I am with you is different than the way I am with everyone else in this world.”

She suddenly realized he was not just talking about sex. This felt deeper. “Declan?”

“You’re going to marry me.”

Back to that, were they? “Declan…”

“James is already sharing the news with certain media sources. By morning, the world will think that Declan Flynn fell madly in love with the woman who pulled him from hell. He proposed, she accepted, and they are going to spend the rest of their lives in married bliss.”

“He’salreadysharing the news?”

“I was talking to him downstairs before I returned to you.”

So that was where he’d vanished to—a meeting with James.

“You and I talked about the cover before. Your original idea, remember, love?”

Love.A pang shot through her. One she pushed aside, for the moment, so she could focus on the engagement and cover story. The fact that she’d told a few EMTs they were engaged was goingto haunt her forever. “We don’t need a pretend story. Unless…” Her fingers skated over his chest. Paused over his heart. Such a powerful chest. Such a strong, driving heartbeat. Wait, was his heartbeat a little fast? “Declan? Are you spreading the story to draw out the person who took you? Is he already here in Chicago? Do you know something I don’t?” Her hand pressed a bit harder against him. “Don’t hold back on me. Remember the whole talk about not sidelining your PI?” Did she need to go over things again?

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