Her own was low and husky when she replied. "Better than I've ever been – I may have died and gone to heaven."

"No!" he pulled back and drove deep and hard, knocking the air out of her. "Don't ever say that, Lil’ Bit. You're not allowed to die for at least another hundred years. We've found each other now. I don't want to lose you." His breathing was labored as he slid slowly in and out as he spoke.

It was hard to concentrate on his words, but she could feel the intensity of them.

She met his gaze in the mirror and could see the intensity of his feelings there. She reached between her legs to stroke his balls, and he threw his head back and drove faster.

"I don't plan to die on you anytime soon," she gasped. "So how about you promise to keep taking me to heaven like this?"

His eyes shone with humor as he nodded. "I promise."

She clung to the dresser when he reached around to tease between her legs. She writhed, trying to escape his touch, but he was insistent. Within seconds she felt like she was flying away, carried on the wings of an orgasm that was powerful enough to sweep Ford up with her. She felt as though their bodies melded into one when he cried her name as he let go, his head thrown back, his fingers gripping her hips as he held her to him and filled her. All she could do was give herself up to him and ride the wave.

When he finally stilled, he stroked his hands over her back, making her inner muscles flutter around him in delicious aftershocks.

When they'd both recovered a little, he asked, "Was that okay for you?"

"Oh, you adorable man!" He straightened up, looking puzzled and she felt the loss of him inside her.

"Is that a bad thing?" he asked.

"No!" She turned around to face him and for the first time found herself at eye level. "It's a wonderful thing – you're a wonderful thing. In fact, you're the most wonderful thing that's ever happened to me and I –"

To her surprise, he cut her off by putting his finger over her lips. He lifted her off the box as if she weighed nothing and took her back to bed, where he sat with her on his lap.

"Didn't mean to be an asshole there, but I need to tell you something first."

She was a little disappointed that she hadn't gotten to finish but this seemed important, so …

He kissed the tip of her nose. "Like everything else, this comes with the caveat that if it's too much too soon …"

It was her turn to interrupt him this time. "It won't be."

"I love you, Amelia."

She wrapped her arms around him, needing to feel his skin against hers. "I love you, too. That's what I was about to say!"

He chuckled. "I thought it was, and I wanted to say it first."

She cocked her head with a smile. "You wanted to beat me to it?"

"Hell no! Not like that. I didn't want you to wonder if maybe you were setting yourself up for rejection." He ran his hand over her hair. "And I've been bursting with it ever since …"

"Ever since I gave myself away when I said that Delta loves you, too?"

He smiled. "That made me feel like it wouldn't be crazy to tell you already."

"Definitely not crazy."

He ran his hand up and down her back. "It feels so good to say it – I want to say it again. I love you, Lil’ Bit."

She chuckled. "I love you a whole lot."

He narrowed his eyes at her. "You know I don't mean that I only love you a little bit, right?"

"Of course I do, but you're too easy to tease."

His eyebrows came together and for a moment she wondered if she'd upset him for real. But then he laughed, and she relaxed.