Page 79 of The Drummer's Heart

He still wore his suit, though he’d loosened his tie, and his hair was beautifully disheveled, as if he’d been running his hand through it since we parted.

I entered the room, reaching into my bag. “I, uh, forgot to give you this.”

He took the cake. “Thank you.” It was mostly just a lump inside the napkin. “You came here to give me a smashed-up piece of cake?”

I felt myself blush. “I know how much you love…cake.”

He set it on an end table. “Not as much as I loveyou.”

My heart felt ready to explode. The wordsI love you, toowere at the tip of my tongue, but I didn’t feel brave enough to unleash them yet.

“I’ve been staring at the ceiling, wishing you’d come, but not wanting to cross the line by calling and begging you. I guess wishes do come true sometimes.” He inched forward. “I’ve had that happen more than once today. Anyway, you’re right. I did have a feeling you’d show.”

As he stared down at me, he placed his hand on my chin. Then he took my mouth in his, the long-lost yet familiar tasteconsuming me. I moaned.My Atticus.It had been too damn long since he’d kissed me like this. It was different from our chaste kiss back in New Jersey. That had been controlled.Thiswas completely unbridled, wild, and ravenous. His tongue searched desperately for mine as our bodies pressed together. I knew there was no turning back.

“Don’t fucking leave me tonight,” he rasped. “Stay with me. Be with me. I can’t handle being apart from you.” He moved back to look at me. “It’s what you want, right? That’s why you really came?” His eyes glistened, as if he might cry.

Any potential response was squelched as his lips returned to mine, devouring me before he lowered his mouth to my neck.

I whimpered as he sucked on my skin, my head bending back in sweet surrender. “Atticus…”

“Let me make love to you, Nicole. I need to release this tension inside of me, everything I’ve been bottling up for more than three fucking years. I need to give it back to you tonight.”

I panted, clawing at his back. “Yes…” I managed to say.

Atticus groaned as he kissed me harder. My panties were already completely wet. I could feel how much he wanted me as his erection pressed against me. My knees quivered as the muscles between my legs contracted.

My chest rose and fell as I pulled back for a moment of air and looked up to meet his incendiary stare. I was going to give all of myself to him tonight. I was going to let myself have something I’d wanted for so long and love every minute of it. I wasn’t going to worry about the repercussions. Not until tomorrow, at least.

My husband.

For one night, I’d have my husband back.

My body filled with heat as the space once again closed between us, his lips on mine. Never in my life had I been more ready to be consumed by someone—craving not just sex, but theunmatched connection he and I shared, the way it had always felt like we were one, body and soul, whenever we made love. An experience only possible with him, no one else.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” he mumbled over my mouth. “You’re so fuckingmine.” He hissed. “But you know that, don’t you?” He kissed down my neck to my collarbone as his warm hand slid over my spine.

Atticus worked to unbutton his shirt, but not fast enough for me. I moved his jacket off his shoulders and slid it down to fall to the floor. He unzipped my dress, and it too fell, followed by the remainder of our clothes in quick succession. I’d lost awareness of who was removing what until suddenly we were both almost completely naked.

Atticus shook his head slowly. “So fucking perfect, baby. Fucking hotter than ever.”

His glistening dick bobbed as he removed his boxer briefs, and it was hard not to gawk at his beautiful, thick cock. My mouth watered. I pried my gaze upward, only to find him exploring me with his eyes. As his gaze traveled down from my breasts to my legs, I took in the beautiful ridges of his abs, the ink on his tattooed chest. Not a blemish on his golden skin.

Atticus lifted me and walked us over to the wall. With my back against it, I wrapped my legs around him, ready to accept anything he’d give me.

His eyes lingered on mine for a moment before he took my mouth again. My fingers threaded through his hair, both of us breathless and crazed. I couldn’t explore him fast enough and struggled to control my frenzied need for him.

He flipped us around, carrying me over to the bed before we tumbled to the mattress. With the weight of his body on top of me, I fully surrendered, spreading my legs wide. He looked into my eyes as he thrust into me for the first time. I kept my eyes on him, making an unintelligible sound at the sweet burn of himentering me. I’d been unprepared for the intensity of that first push, having nearly forgotten how he filled me, how amazing it felt to have him inside of me.

What started out slow and easy quickly grew faster. Atticus groaned as he fucked me harder, my worries fading away as we fell into a beautiful rhythm. “You’re mine,” he said as he plowed into me. “I hope this helps you remember you’re still my wife.” Atticus kissed down to my breasts, taking a nipple in his mouth. “God, I’ve missed these tits.” He sucked harder before letting it go. “Missed every inch of you, baby.”

I dug my nails into his back as he pumped in and out, his lips eventually finding mine again.

“Never forget who you belong to,” he growled, pulling out slowly and thrusting hard.

I bucked my hips to meet his while he lowered his mouth to my neck, sucking on the skin there. He eventually kissed his way back up to look me in the eyes. I studied his every expression as I squeezed his muscular back.

“I love the way you look at me when you take my cock,” he breathed. “Like you know I belong to you.”

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