Her brow twitched. “We bought the land and the house withyoursavings.”

Perhaps. “But you are the one who makes it a home. Without you…” I buried my face against her neck. “I love you, Blossom.”

Ifelther grin, which shouldn’t be possible, but myKteerknew her well.

Her fingers tightened in my hair, pulling me up to face her. Yep, she was smiling. But her dark eyes had also gone sort of soft, focused on my lips, and my cock leapt in response.

What was that about being calm and at peace? Suddenly, I was thinking about something else entirely.

“Mate,” she whispered, just before she used her grip on my hair to guide her mouth to mine.

Gods below, I wouldneverget tired of hearing that word from Maya.

With myKteerrumbling in my chest, I hefted her and strode toward my favorite part of the porch; an outdoor mattress strewn with pillows and a cozy blanket for the evenings.

I could already smell her arousal as I knelt, laying her reverently down on the canvas. When she began to eagerly pull off her clothing, I knew she wanted this as much as I did.

We rarely made love in our big bed inside;thisis where I wanted to taste my Mate, claim her. Under the spreading limbs of the live oaks, under the sun and the stars, under the eye of everything that was and everything that will be.

“I love you,” I told her again as I joined her on the mattress.

Maya merely hummed in agreement and pushed my shoulder, rolling me over onto my back.

“I want—” I began, ready to insist she allow me to taste her before we began.

“Later!” Her lips were tugged into a frown worthy of a general, but her eyes sparkled wickedly. “It’s my turn to play.”

This was payback for the three orgasms I’d wrung out of her last night while we were supposed to be watching a movie, I wassureof it. “Blossom,” I groaned as her small hands clasped around my cock.

I expected her to stroke me—maybe even take me into her mouth—but she surprised me by swinging one leg over my thighs until she was straddling me. She planted her hands on my chest, lifted her weight on her knees, and scooched forward, until she sat, covering my cock.

I groaned again as she grinned.

My eyes fluttered closed, so I could focus on the sensations. She slid forward, her wet pussy bracketing the underside of my cock, trapping it against my stomach. Each of my ridges was sensitive as fuck, and I could feel her lips fluttering around them.

The noises she made told me I wasn’t wrong; they reached right down to myKteerand made the damn thing howl.

“That’s right, Mate,” I crooned, running my hands up her thighs and her sides to cup her breasts. “Use my cock to make yourself come. So fucking beautiful.”

She froze, and I knew she was moments from exploding. So I was surprised when she suddenly leaned forward, scrambled for my cock, and sank down atop it.

“Yes,” she groaned as her climax burst over her. I loved the way she clamped her thighs around my hips, and rode me, her little rocking movements pulling my ridges through her channel.

So fucking beautiful.

I began to move, loving the way she milked me, loving the way she owned her pleasure, taking what she deserved from me.Each time she rocked forward, I thrust upward, meeting her to sink deep within her. Her inner muscles continued to spasm, and that thought, more than anything else, sent me soaring.

I don’t know how long we rocked together in the ancient, primal rhythm. The noises we were making likely scared the heron off, but I couldn’t care. I was one with my Mate, and she was perfect.

“Memnon,” she gasped, arching against me as I cupped her tits to roll her nipples. I wanted to pull her forward so I could put them in my mouth, but I knew from experience that I wouldn’t be able to sink so deep inside her.

So instead, I dropped one hand to her curls and lifted the other to her braid. I wrapped the plait around my hand, using it to guide her as she bounced atop me, and I planted my heels, flexed my hips, and?—

“Now, Memnon!” she commanded.

I found her clitoris and caught it between my knuckles, causing her to arch against my hold and scream wordlessly, another climax tightening her core, pulling me deeper and deeper…

With a roar, I spilled inside her, filling her with my seed, claiming her, marking her as mine.Mine.