Page 37 of Destined For Forever

She wanted this. She wanted him.

His lips found the crook of her collarbone, and she looped her arms around his neck suddenly feeling a little shy. Not because she wasn’t confident about her decision, but the gravity of being with a man she’d pined over for a good chunk of her life was a little surreal.

A little… intimidating.

“Still good?” he murmured against her neck, as if sensing the shift in her energy.

“Good doesn’t quite cover it.” She cupped his face in her hands and looked up into his eyes, hoping he couldn’t see quite how fragile her heart was right now.

The smile dropped from his face, a seriousness taking him over. “I want you so bad, Lily. I’ve wanted you so badly for such a long time.”

She buried her face against his neck, unsure of how to react to the words. Because they made her heart sing and her soul sigh and that scratched-up, beat-up, torn-up part of her felt a moment of sweet relief. Instead of responding, she kissed his neck and rolled her hips up against him, to show him what she wanted.

He pushed into her, joining their bodies, and the sensation stole the air from her lungs. A brief flash of discomfort gave way to liquid heat, honeyed and soothing and all-encompassing. She let her eyes flutter shut and gave in to the moment.

“Don’t hide away.” His lips peppered her skin. “Look at me.”

She did, and they moved in time. It was electric. He palmed her breast, his other arm wrapping around her and holding her tightly against him. His touch would be branded onto her skin forever, and the memory of this night would be carved into stone in her mind.

This isn’t forever.

But as her head lolled back against the pillows, her body alight with pleasure, Lily knew she was lying to herself. This meant far more than she could ever have bargained for.

He meant more. So much more.

She grabbed his face in her hands and forced his mouth down to hers, trying to stop herself from blurting out the dangerous thoughts in her head. It couldn’t go anywhere. As soon as the wedding was over, they would go their separate ways.

Their fake relationship would quietly come to an end.

His lips pressed against hers and she urged him on by rocking her hips. Matching him. Challenging him. Finding a rhythm between them that felt more real and perfect than any other moment of her life. They clung to one another—fingers digging into flesh and muscles tightening and mouths gasping. She could feel his orgasm gathering as he gripped her harder. It felt good. So good. His eyes never left hers because Sean didn’t shy away from connection and she loved that about him.

This isn’t love.

But it was something. More than like. More than sex. More than a fake relationship.

“I’m close,” she gasped, bowing against him. “Meet me there.”

When he pushed into her for the last time, seating himself deep, the sensation was like pure sunshine. Like champagne and glitter and all good things. It echoed in her head as she held him close, eyes closed and face pressed against his chest, shock waves of pleasure rippling through her.

Changing her forever.

12

Afterward, Sean coaxed Lily into the shower so they could clean up… and go for round two. Sure, the inn’s rattling pipes probably alerted everyone to what they were up to, but he was never one to care what people thought. Who wanted to waste their life away worrying about stuff like that? Not him.

Besides, he wouldn’t allow a single thing to ruin their night together. Because who knew what would happen in the light of day?

The bathroom was completely fogged as he dried her with a big fluffy towel, her cheeks pink and lips swollen. He couldn’t help kissing her again. They dried off and crawled back into bed, finally sated. Unlike last night, where he’d barely slept because of laying stiff as a board—unable to take his mind off the invisible line drawn between them—she curled into him, face pressed against his chest and arm draped over his midsection.

Strong winds outside made the old building creak and groan, and weak moonlight filtered into their room, causing pale puddles of light to pool on the bed. Lily’s fingertip traced the orca fin on his chest.

“I admire how dedicated to family you are,” she voiced out of nowhere. “Especially since you weren’t given the same dedication from your parents.”

“Should I be insulted that after what we just did, you come out with that?” he teased. It was too dark to see her blush, but Sean would have bet his last five bucks that Lily’s face currently resembled a tomato. “And thank you. Family is important to me.”

“Me, too.”

He detected a note of sadness in her voice, and it tugged at his heartstrings. “You must be happy seeing everyone this weekend.”

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