Page 79 of Dangerous Devotion

“What are you getting at, AJ?”

“I want to know where you are every second. If shit goes sideways, I’m getting you out. That’s why I’m ordering a tracker on you.”

She shook her head. “I’m pretty sure people in arelationshipdon’t order the other to doanything.”

He cut his fingers through his hair—the action harsh, raw. Real. “You’re right. Wrong choice of words. I’m new at this, okay?

“This…” His voice wavered, and he steeled it as he stared down at May. “This momentright here…is why Blackout isn’t allowed to have significant others or family.Thisis why we aren’t allowed to get married or have kids. The team can’t be compromised, the op can’t be compromised. And right this minute, May…I’d give it all up for you.”

Her sharp intake of breath rocked him just as much as the look on her beautiful face.

He sliced his hand through the air. “We’re not supposed to be in a relationship, but everyone else on Blackout seems to be doing it. Look at Con. And almost every member of Alpha is married or has kids.”

Her eyes softened. “You really do want kids?”

He swallowed the burning lump lodged in his throat. “I used to. I might still…”

For a pulsing heartbeat, neither of them spoke.

Then she stepped closer, closing the small gap between them. Bridging it.

“AJ…” Her voice dipped low as the fight in her slipped into something deeper. “You’re right—we’re partners on an op. We’re not supposed to have this.”

His chest felt like it was caving in.

“But I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

“Good.” His voice was a rasp.

“Fine.” Hers wavered with emotion.

Everything about her going into that training was a risk, and she was the one thing he wasn’t willing to lose.

He curled his fingers around her wrist, drawing her up against his body. His lips hovered an inch away. “Tomorrow? The battle begins. But we have tonight.”

* * * * *

AJ crushed his mouth over hers in a hard claiming that shook every nerve in May’s body. Her lower belly flared with heat, and her pussy squeezed with desire.

But the molten passion she had for this man melted any walls left standing around her heart. She threw herself into kissing him back, twining her arms around his neck.

He slid his hands up her torso to cup her breasts. “Take off your dress.”

“Take off your shirt.”

In a flurry, they tore off their clothes at the same time and then threw themselves at each other.

He lifted her. She hooked her thighs around his middle and planted her lips on his strong neck as he carried her a few steps to the bed.

For a long moment, he didn’t lower her to the floor or the mattress. He simply held her, and she wrapped herself around him, fearing that to let him go was to give up moments like these for the rest of her life.

The things he’d said to her, about relationships and significant others and kids…they felt like fiery sparks flying through the air with no place to land but her heart.

She took his mouth for her own and claimed him the same way he claimed her whenever they kissed. Cradling her ass in his hands, he lightly teased a fingertip over the curve, down toward the place she wanted his fingers…his mouth…his cock.

He thrust his tongue into her mouth and rocked his stiff erection against her pussy. A spasm of lust made her clamp her thighs more tightly around him.

Their kiss raged out of control. She sank her fingers into his short hair and flipped her tongue over his in a series of gymnastics she couldn’t wait to mirror in bed.

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