Page 88 of Everlasting Love

“Hey,” I say, grinning up at him.

I push myself up and press a kiss to his lips. He weaves his fingers into my tangled hair and holds me in place as he deepens our connection. I melt into him, my body liquifying when his other hand digs into my hip and pulls me across his body until I’m sprawled over him. His hard length presses against my thigh, and I shift so I can feel it against my clit and rub myself against him. Both of us moan, and I adjust myself so the head of his cock is notched against my opening, then pushmyself upright so I can slide down his hard length. That curve of his dick that I admired the first time I saw it is as perfect as I thought it would be. As he bottoms out deep inside me, I drop my head back on my shoulders, soaking up the fullness. “I love having you inside me,” I whisper as I drop my gaze back to Shane’s.

His fingers dig into my hips, and he pushes up. “I want to live inside you, Violet. Never let you go.” His hands trail up to my waist and higher still until his large palms span my rib cage beneath my breasts. “You feel so damn hot and tight around my cock,” he grumbles as his thumbs swipe over the droop of my breasts and he cups each boob. He pushes them together, then sits up to bury his face between the soft mounds. “I love your tits. They’re perfect.”They’re not really but I’m glad he thinks so. He squeezes my nipples, then dips down to suck each one into his hot mouth in turn, lavishing them with attention. Tracing his hands down my body and around my waist, he grabs the globes of my ass and squeezes. “And your sexy ass. Feel how perfect it fits in my hands. Made for me.” He grips each cheek, pulls them apart, and pushes roughly into me.Oh my God!A moan slips past my lips. Sliding his hands down my taut thighs, he groans. “And your fucking legs. These legs of yours make me so hard. So damn strong and sexy.” Groaning, he nips my nipple and slides one hand around to my clit.

I rock over him slowly, swiveling my hips as I slide my fingers through his hair, gripping the short strands to help ground me. A pink hue paints the wall behind Shane as we move together, creating a beautiful rhythm that builds us both toward our release. Our lips meet in a sensual kiss as a sheen of sweat coats our bodies. The slickness blends where our flesh meets while our breaths combine and his thumb circles my clit tightly, taking me ever closer to the edge. Never before have I felt so close, so intune with another human being as I do with Shane. Being with him feels different now.

Deeper.

Like we’re more connected.

He’s bound me to him with his soft heart, strong moral compass, and stoic determination.

He makes me feel safe and cared for.

Appreciated and admired.

Respected and desired.

He lifts me from him with ease and flips me onto my back, then climbs over my body and presses himself inside while he licks and sucks on my neck, paying extra attention to that spot just below my ear. His mouth always feels amazing on me but this morning there’s the additional sensation of his morning scruff as it scrapes along my sensitive flesh. I’m engulfed beneath his huge body and it feels as though nothing else exists except for him and me. A long moan escapes me as he hammers into me over and over, shunting me toward the end of the bed until my head hangs over the edge and my hair drags on the carpet. I wrap my arms and legs around him, digging my short nails into his shoulders and he grunts. Tingles erupt along my limbs, sending waves of sparks through my body, building in strength until they crash at the apex of my thighs. My body tightens and my breath stalls in my lungs. Sparks fill my vision and I shatter, falling … forever falling into oblivion.

His cock grows thicker, and I feel it pulse inside of me, sending tiny shockwaves through my core. A deep groan escapes his lips and he wraps his arms around me, holding me tight. It almost feels like he’s trying to merge us into one as he fills me with his release. I gasp in a breath, filling my lungs with Shane’s sexy scent. He drops his forehead to mine and we both spend a few moments breathing heavily as our hearts pound against each other. Once our bodies have calmed a little, he pushes up on hiselbows and cups my face, taking his weight with him and I miss him immediately. When I try to pull him back down, he holds strong meaning I have no hope of getting him to do what I want. Sliding his nose along mine, he murmurs, “I don’t want to crush you.”

Without breaking our connection, he rolls so I’m on top of him and slides us down the bed. “What about me crushing you?” I giggle.

“Not possible.” He scoffs. I drop my head to his chest, nuzzling into his neck as he strokes his fingers slowly through my hair. I’m surprised his fingers aren’t getting caught in a million tangles after the night we shared. “I want to watch the sunrise with you,” he whispers roughly and when I look up at him, I see a hint of nervousness in his eyes and I sense this is important to him.

I nod. “Okay.”

He gently slides out of me and I roll to my back. Climbing out of bed, Shane grabs a wad of tissues and comes back to clean me up, then helps me to stand on shaky legs. He collects my robe from the floor and slips it over my shoulders. “You might need something warmer,” he whispers as he kisses my shoulder.

“Probably.”

“I’ll meet you downstairs.”

He gives me one last heated kiss, and I head to my bedroom to put on warmer clothes. I change quickly, not wanting to miss a moment of watching the sunrise with Shane. When I make it to the kitchen, he’s already boiled the kettle and has my tea steeping in my favorite cup, making me smile. While he finishes making his drink, I grab a blanket from the back of the couch and head to the back porch. The pink hue across the sky has been joined by a soft orange slash that adds a touch of warmth to the early morning horizon and I inhale a deep breath of the fresh morning air, absorbing the negative ions created by the storm.

I hear the back door open and close and feel Shane at my back as he passes my tea to me over my shoulder. One solid arm wraps around my shoulders from behind and he tugs me into his body. We stand in silence as the colors of the sky change, casting the garden in different hues.

“I’ve avoided watching the sunrise since I returned.” I hold still even though I have a million questions running through my mind.Why would he avoid it? Why does he want to see it this morning? What’s changed for him?“It reminds me it’s a new day. A day that Wyatt doesn’t get to spend with his family. Another day that I’m still here while he isn’t. But my feelings surrounding the dawn are slowly changing.” He kisses the top of my head. “And it’s because of you and Jasmine.” I melt into his body when his hold around my shoulders tightens. “I met Wyatt at Basic when we were screened for the Rangers together. We were inseparable. Our backgrounds were so similar, it was uncanny. The only difference was he was already married with a baby and he wanted to serve his country to make the world safer for his wife and son.” My heart pounds in my ears and the need to turn and comfort him is overwhelming but I keep as still as possible so he keeps sharing. “The attack that caused all of my wounds, stole Wyatt from us. He was closer to the blast. Didn’t stand a chance. I was unconscious while my friend died and I could do nothing to help him.” His voice sounds distant, lost.

I place my tea on the railing and spin in Shane’s hold, no longer able to hear the pain in his voice without comforting him. Wrapping my arms around his middle, I bury my face in his chest, feeling his heart thumping steadily against my cheek. I soak in his warmth and vitality—grateful that he’s still here but sick to my stomach that he lost a good friend. That Hope and Evan lost someone incredibly important in their lives. I absorb the pain dripping from him, trying to soak it up and take it from him. He’s been carrying this burden, this sadness for sucha long time and it’s time he had someone help him share the load. I don’t want to give him false platitudes becausesorryfeels grossly inadequate for what he’s experienced. So I say nothing. I only hold him—hoping he takes what little strength I can offer him.

Just when I think he’s not going to say anything more, he sighs. “I’ve tried my best to be available to Hope and Evan, but I can’t replace what they lost. I’ve done my best to step in wherever I could but now that Hope’s asked me to stay away I feel lost and inadequate.” He kisses the top of my head and I tighten my hold on him, then look up at his face. The tortured expression catches me off-guard. “I don’t know how to help them from a distance. I feel as though I’ve broken my promise to Wyatt.”

“I don’t think she sees it that way. Hope seems like a strong, independent woman. I can’t imagine it would be easy for her to ask for help. And maybe she worries that they’re stopping you from having your own life and moving forward.”

Shane rubs his hand down my back and cups my ass. “She is. So fucking strong, but she doesn’t see it in herself.” He squeezes my ass again and tugs the bottom half of me against him so we’re touching at every available inch. He dips down, and I press up on my toes to meet him partway. Our lips meet in a tender kiss of support and understanding.

The back door bangs open. “Mommy? Shane?” Jasmine’s sweet morning voice breaks our moment and she walks toward us. Wrapping her arms around both of us, she squeezes us together in a group hug. Without letting go of me, Shane bends down to collect my daughter and bring her into our embrace. Her arms wrap around our necks, and she presses a kiss to each of our cheeks. “I love you, Mommy.” Kiss. “I love you, Shane.” Kiss.

“We love you, too, Angel,” Shane responds.

Jasmine’s eyes widen and a wide grin splits her face. “Youreallylove me?”

Shane’s eyebrows dip over his chocolate irises. “Of course. I’ve told you before.” He rubs his nose across hers. “I love youandyour mom.” His words make my heart melt into a puddle at my feet. He’s shown me time and again that he loves Jasmine and he’s told her that he loves her, but I think it’s finally sinking in that this man … this stoic man actuallydoeslove us.

“Does that mean you’re my daddy now?” I’m not surprised by her question and hold my breath waiting to hear his response.

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