Page 35 of The Mountains Edge

At my mountain man, smiling like I've never seen.

"Happy?" he murmurs.

I rise on tiptoes, bringing our foreheads together. "Perfect."

And it is.

Chapter 17: Marcus

I've been awake for an hour, just watching Daisy sleep in my bed. Her dark hair spills across my pillow, one of my dog tags tangled in her fingers. She must have grabbed it during our last round.

The memory makes me growl softly.

She stirs at the sound, stretching like a cat. The sheet slips, revealing small hickey marks I left on her collarbone. Pride and possession surge through me.

"Creepy." Her voice is sleep rough. "Watching me sleep."

"My bed." I trace her hip. "My view."

"Possessive much?" But she arches into my touch.

"Very." I pull her closer. "Problem with that?"

She kisses my chest, right over my heart. "Not at all."

Sunlight catches the scars on my face. Usually I turn away. But Daisy just traces them with gentle fingers, like she's learning braille.

"Beautiful," she murmurs.

I capture her hand, pressing a kiss to her palm. "Liar."

"Never." She straddles my waist, bringing our bodies flush. "Want me to prove it?"

Christ.

I flip us, pinning her beneath me. She laughs, wrapping those legs around my hips.

"Someone's feeling energetic."

"I’m too tired." I nip her throat. "From you keeping me up all night."

"I wasn't hearing complaints." She rolls her hips, making me groan. "In fact?"

Barking interrupts her. Scout and Luna are apparently done waiting for breakfast.

Daisy sighs. "Your dogs have terrible timing."

"Our dogs."

The words slip out before I can catch them. She goes still beneath me.

"Stay." I ask her. "Not just today."

Her eyes fill. "You asking me to move in straight away?"

"Asking you to stay forever."

She pulls me down, pouring everything into the kiss. I taste salt on her lips.

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