"Daddy!" I moan.

That snaps something inside Burke. With a curse, he begins to move, slow and deep. I cling to him, overwhelmed by the pleasure rippling through me.

"You feel so good," Burke rasps, his lips brushing my ear. "So tight and wet for me. I love being inside you, Lydia."

His vulgar praise sends a fresh wave of heat through me. I rock my hips to meet his thrusts, wanting him deeper, harder, faster.

"More," I plead, digging my nails into his back. "Please, Daddy, I need more."

He growls again, the sound primal and possessive. His pace increases, his strokes becoming more forceful. The bed creaks in protest beneath us, the headboard banging against the wall.

I cling to him as ecstasy builds, an unstoppable force that threatens to consume me. The tension coils tighter and tighter within me. Burke senses how close I am and redoubles his efforts.

"Come for me," he orders, his voice rough with passion. "Let go and come for me, Lydia."

His command is my undoing. Pleasure crashes over me in a devastating wave, robbing me of breath and thought. I come apart in his arms, shaking and crying out his name.

Our bodies move as one, a perfect rhythm that drives us both higher and higher.

He follows soon after, gripping my hips hard enough to bruise as he spills inside me with a hoarse shout.

We collapse together, limbs entwined and hearts pounding. He kisses me softly, gently, a tender contrast to our earlier passion.

"I love you," he whispers against my lips.

"I love you too," I breathe.

We lie there for a long moment, limbs entangled, struggling to catch our breath. A deep contentment settles over me, a bone-deep satisfaction I've never known before.

In this moment, all the reasons why this is wrong fade away, leaving only the stunning truth that we belong together. Burke is mine, and I am his, and nothing else matters.

I run my fingers through Burke's damp hair, savoring the feeling of his weight pressing me into the mattress. Our hearts gradually slow, the frantic rhythm easing into a gentle, synchronized beat.

Burke lifts his head to look at me, his eyes soft with affection. "You're incredible," he murmurs, brushing a strand of hair from my face. "So beautiful, so passionate..."

His words make me blush. I pull him down for a kiss, tangling my hands in his hair. "You're not so bad yourself," I tease.

He nips at my lower lip in retaliation, a spark of heat stirring in my belly. I can already feel him hardening against my thigh again, and I rock my hips to increase the friction.

Burke groans, grasping my waist to still my movements. "Easy, girl, or you'll be the death of me."

"But I'm not done with you yet," I protest, scraping my nails down his back.

He shivers, a mix of pleasure and torment flickering across his face. "You're insatiable."

"Only for you." I capture his mouth again, kissing him with a hunger that threatens to consume us both.

Burke surrenders with a sigh, his body responding to my touch. We move together again, slowly at first, then building in urgency and passion.

The pleasure comes more quickly this time, born of intimacy and trust. We know each other's bodies now, how to give the other maximum delight.

The climax hits me by surprise, a wave of rapture that steals my breath. I cry out, clinging to Burke as he follows after, our lovemaking culminating in a perfect, shattering ecstasy.

We collapse in a tangle of limbs, too spent to do more than gaze at each other with dazed wonder.

I nestle against Burke's chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart. His arms are wrapped around me, his body curved protectively over mine. We fit together seamlessly, two halves of a whole.

I trace idle patterns over his skin, marveling at how right this feels. How did I ever think I could stay away from him? We were meant to be together, all obstacles and protests be damned.