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“Oh, God! Holt!”

She reached for a pillow and pulled it over her mouth, crossing her arms to secure it as I continued to drive deep inside her. I could feel her imminent release, so I thrust harder, deeper, forcing her over the edge. Her back arched, and she released the pillow and dropped her hands to her side, fisting the sheets in her fingers.

She came and I tried to fight it, but it was futile. With her body spasming around me, she wrapped her arms around my neck, and I felt her breath against my chest as I drove deeper inside her once more, finally giving into my own release.

Overcome with exhaustion, I collapsed on the bed next to her.

Once we’d had a chance to catch our breath, I rolled over and removed the condom, quickly tossing into the trash. I’d just laid my head on the pillow when she inched closer and placed her head on my chest. I started to toy with her hair as I told her, “Damn, I’m going to enjoy making up for lost time with you.”

“You’ll hear no complaining from me.” A sated smile crossed her face as she sighed and said, “That was amazing. Even better than I remembered.”

“Well, get ready. I was just warming up.”

I leaned down and pressed my lips to hers, and we spent the rest of the night tangled in each other’s arms. There werethings that I needed to discuss with her, and I would. But after all we’d been through, we deserved this night together. And consequences be damned, I was going to take it.

And there would be consequences.

Like neither of us could’ve imagined.

14

TALLIE

"Come on, sleepyhead.” Holt nudged me gently. “Got something to show you.”

“Hmmm.” I squinted at the morning light creeping in through the blinds. “What time is it?”

“It’s late.” He pulled on his boots as he snickered, “It’s already six-fifteen.”

“Six-fifteen?” I groaned. “When did you become one of those grandpas who gets up at the crack of dawn?”

“Grandpa?” he scoffed. “I’ve been up an hour watching you sleep. You snore, by the way.”

“I do no such thing.”

“Yeah, you do.” He cocked his brow. “Probably why you’re so tired. Bet you’re gonna need one of those sleep machines.”

“I’m tired because someone kept me up all night.”

I snuggled up next to him, and my entire body tingled when I thought about the night we’d shared. I’d spent so many nights dreaming of being with him again, and they were all wonderful and got me through some hard times. But they didn’t compare to the real thing. Being with him again, feeling his body againstmine, and knowing that this wasn’t just a dream was everything. It was like coming home after years of being so utterly lost.

It gave me hope, and that was something I thought had died when I was torn away from him. But after the night we shared, I dared to believe that we could still have the future we always hoped for—the one that was stolen from us so many years ago.

Holt gave me a sexy smirk as he teased, “Are you complaining?”

“Nope. Not even a little.” I reached over and took hold of his collar, gently tugging him over to me. “In fact, why don’t you get back in this bed and do that thing you did with your thumb again.”

“You liked that, huh?”

“Hm-hmm.”

“Well, be good and get up, and I might do it again later tonight.”

“You’re really gonna make me get out of this bed?”

“Afraid so.”

“Okay. Okay.” I groaned with a stretch before I eased the covers back. “What do you have to show me?”

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