Page 78 of Hold the Line

She sucked in a breath and slowly released it. “You said they poured every scrap of good into her, but I have to tell you, honey, they poured it into you too. You both got all the little bits of goodness they had in them and turned them into something even greater.”

“I don’t know about that.”

“I do,” she said firmly. “Would I ever lie to you?”

“No.” I didn’t have to think about that, not for a second.

She pulled back, a cute little crease between her brows. “Then believe me.”

The corner of my mouth hitched. I couldn’t help it. No matter what my mood was or how lost I was in my head, seeing my sweet Phoebe get stern made me smile.

“Guess I have no choice.”

Later that night, after we’d showered together for the first time and made love—slower, but I still didn’t last nearly as long as I would have liked—we were in her bed, trying this sleepover thing again.

Phoebe was on her side with me curled around her back, stroking the silk covering her soft stomach. She’d fallen asleep a while ago. I’d tried, but I was too restless to let go. As much as I didn’t want to, I’d have to go back to my place to get some rest. I couldn’t go to work without sleep, but shutting down wasn’t happening like this.

My sigh must’ve woken her. Or maybe it was me shifting against her plump ass. She turned her head, blinking at me. “Deacon?”

“Go back to sleep.” I kissed her shoulder. “I’m probably going to have to head upstairs soon.”

She latched onto my hand, and her brows dropped. “You can’t fall asleep?”

“No, not sure I can.” I blew out a heavy breath. “I want to stay here, baby, but I can’t get settled enough to drift off.”

She snuggled against me, her ass nestling closer. I was hard but not really turned on. My body was having a natural reaction to hers—something I had no control over. Not when it came to Phoebe.

“Can we try something?” she asked. “If it doesn’t work, I won’t be upset if you go back to your place.”

“Yeah.” I closed my eyes, pressing my face into her hair. “I’ll try anything.”

She lifted her top leg and arched her spine. “Put yourself inside me.”

“Phoebe, I—”

“Not sex, Deke. Just plant yourself inside me.” She twisted her neck to meet my sharp gaze. “I don’t know if it will help, but it might, so let’s try?”

After a beat, I nodded. “Okay.” I had a hard time believing this would work. Then again, being inside this woman was the most right thing in the world, so there was a chance she was onto something.

I gathered the back of her nightgown, lifting it to expose her round backside, then I freed my cock and pressed into her. Her warmth enveloped me as I slid between her folds and found her entrance. She stayed still as I pushed inside, slow and easy, until I made it all the way in.

She let out a sweet exhale and lowered her leg, relaxing into me. “There,” she whispered. “That’s better.”

Surprisingly, it was. As we lay in her soft bed, her warm body aligned with mine, joined in the most intimate way, something clicked within me. Like a light switch finally shutting off. My heart slowed, matching her steady, even breathing.

I curled my arm around her middle, and she laid hers on top, her fingers sliding between mine. I stared at the back of her head, waiting for the restlessness to return, but the longer I stared, the heavier my eyelids became.

I felt the moment she drifted back to sleep. Her entire body sank into the mattress, and she brought me with her. Little by little, muscle by muscle, I unfurled.

Before I knew it, my eyes were closing too. Drifting off to sleep, the safest I’d ever felt in my entire life, buried deep inside my woman.

Chapter Thirty-three

Phoebe

Twoweeksslippedbyin a blink. There was work and family and evenings with Deacon. We’d had dinner with the Spellmans, then another with just Hailey. On the days she worked, Deacon made an effort to get to Sugar Rush early enough to talk to her before her shift ended.

The difference in him since he’d reunited with his sister had come in increments. The first day, I wasn’t sure he believed it would stick, but when he’d shown up at Sugar Rush, Hailey had walked right up to him and hugged him.

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