Page 41 of Chasing the Wild
I was home. I was with Sam. And this time, I wasn't leaving.
Ever.
Chapter 13
Sam
I carried Jess up to my loft, my heart pounding with need and relief and overwhelming love.
She'd come back. She'd chosen me. And now she was finally where she belonged.
I laid her on my bed—our bed now—and just looked at her for a moment. Three weeks of hell, and she was here. Real. Mine.
"Sam," she whispered, reaching for me.
"Hold on." I stepped back, my eyes traveling over her. "I've been dreaming about this. About you in my bed. Let me look."
She flushed but didn't cover herself, and I felt something fierce and possessive surge through me. This woman. This brave, stubborn, incredible woman had driven across the country for me.
Had chosen me.
"You're wearing too many clothes," I said huskily.
"So are you."
"We'll fix that." I pulled my shirt over my head, watching her eyes darken as she took me in. "But first, I need you to understand something."
"What?" Her voice was breathless.
"Last time, we were desperate. Scared. Running on adrenaline and fear of losing each other." I moved closer, settling one knee on the bed. "This time? I'm taking my time. This time I'm going to worship every inch of you. Make you come so many times you forget your own name. Prove to you in every way possible that you're mine and I'm never letting you go."
She shivered. "That sounds like a threat."
"It's a promise." I leaned over her, bracing my hands on either side of her head. "Last time I claimed you. This time I'm keeping you. You understand the difference?"
"Tell me."
"Claiming is about taking. Keeping is about holding." I pressed a kiss to her temple. "About proving every single day that you made the right choice. That I'm worth staying for." Another kiss to her jaw. "That this—us—is real."
"I already know it's real," she breathed.
"Good. Then you won't mind me spending the next few hours reminding you." I pulled back to start unbuttoning her shirt, taking my time with each button. "Because I've got three weeks of missing you to make up for. And I plan on being very thorough about it."
Her breath hitched. "How thorough?"
"Very." I slipped the shirt off her shoulders, revealing the simple bra underneath. Not the expensive lingerie from before—just practical cotton. And somehow that made it even more perfect. "You came back to me. Gave up everything for me. The least I can do is make sure you never regret it."
"I won't regret it."
"I know." I unhooked her bra, freeing her breasts. "But I'm going to make damn sure anyway."
Then I lowered my mouth to her skin, and the conversation ended.
I kissed her slowly, deeply, pouring three weeks of longing and pain and love into it. She responded with equal intensity, her hands fisting in my shirt, pulling me closer.
"Need you," she gasped against my mouth. "Need to feel you. Need to know this is real."
"It's real, baby. So fucking real." I started unbuttoning her shirt with shaking hands. "And I'm going to spend the next several hours proving it."
