Page 97 of Feverburn

I hooked my leg around his body, my heel digging into a firm cheek.With one hand, he brushed his cock against me, sliding inside without pretense. We both groaned. That feeling alone was so good. So fucking good.

From there, he held me close, our chests pressed as we moved together in sweet kisses that morphed into intense eye contact. It was the most intimate moment of my life with him deep inside me while also seeing deep inside my soul. His thumb brushed my cheek while he stared. I brought my hand to the same place on his face, his scruff rough against my palm.

His face twitched as he swallowed hard. I nodded, sharing the same unsaid sentiment. This was making love. We were desperately, deeply in love.

Two souls, two bodies, but one undeniable connection. A cosmic contract.

“Baby, I love you,” he said, eyes searching.

“I love you, too.”

From there, we moved together in the night, just him and I.

Flesh and breath, and utter bliss.

Chapter Thirty-Nine

Time with Rosie was theperfectbalm for my soul after the draining, smutty summit. Begrudgingly, I had to return to work and the real world.

I was on edge the entire morning. My run didn’t clear my mind. My coffee didn’t wake me up. But besides that, something was off…I could sense it. A charged thickness clung to the air, like right before a thunderstorm. I chalked it up to being emotionally exhausted.

Then it was undeniable, like a cat scratch at the back of my neck.

I could feel Rosie across the street, and something was wrong. An incessant knot deep in mygutskept twisting, paired with all the hairs on my body standing up and a buzzing in my ears. I left my office to find Kizzy pacing back and forth in front of the windows, low whines squeaking in his throat.

I couldn’t continue like this. Something was wrong with my woman.

It was a bright October day with tourists lining Main Street and packing the coffee shop. I was taller than everyone else, so it was easy to scan the room. When I didn’t see the tell-tale auburn gloss of hair bobbing around, my ears hummed even louder.

I waded through people to get to the front counter to ask Dani if she had seen Rosie. She was taking an order, so she shot me an annoyed look and shook her head. I went to Kaylee’s side of the shop and spotted her laughing with a group of middle-aged women.I couldn’t get past a crowded aisle of people hunched over, staring at jewelry and making crystal singing bowls ring annoyingly in the air.

“Kaylee!”I semi-yelled to get her attention.“Where’s Rosie?”

Kaylee shrugged and pointed to the wall they shared.“Isn’t she at the bar?”

I shook my head, my stomach constricting tighter. I damn near manhandled some people to get out of the crystal shop. Once in the café, all shreds of my patience frayed. I pushed past people standing in line to order and went to her empty office. The women’s restroom was empty. Before I could even search the men’s, the door opened with an old guy exiting, ruling out her presence.

Iignoredworried looks from Dani and Azalea as I darted into the walk-in refrigerator, my reality freezing in pure horror.

Rosie lay contorted on the ground with a puddle of crimson seeping out between her legs, staining her tights and dress. I blinked hard as I got to my knees, hoping my vision would clear to a different sight. When I lifted her, she was limp andblazinghot to the touch.

“Help!”I bellowed, knowing no one could hear me over the clamor of the busy shop.

As I lifted her on my lap, blooddripped down my thigh, warm and too fresh. Her weight, which was so easy for me to hold before, was different, heavy with unconsciousness.“Rosie, baby, wake up.”I pushed my lips against her throat and forehead, hoping it was a simple fix like she passed out and forgot to put a tampon in.

I shook her in my arms, fighting to ignore the sickening slump of her neck that made her head bob back over my forearm. Her eyes didn’t open. Her breathing didn’t change.

I stood, picking her up like a bride, bloodtrickling against me. Walking out of the refrigerator, I knew I was only in there for mere seconds, but it felt like an eternity. I had passed the threshold ofterrorwith theloveof my life lifeless in my arms.

Azalea and Dani took one look at me and scrambled.

“What did you do to her?” Dani cried.

“Nothing!” I hissed. “Call 911! Get out of my way!” I roared, maneuvering around the counter.

Azalea tried herbestto clear the crowd as I shoved past people who saw thebloodnow dripping down my arms. People gasped, leaning away from me. Edging closer to the thick of the crowd, I hollered again,“Someone call 911. We need Life Flight!”People parted like a sea of stupidity, and Rosie’s boots clobbered those who didn’t.

Someone held open the door for me with a phone to their ear. I was torn between walking to my truck or waiting in the street. The clinic in town where my sister was a nurse wouldn’t be able to handle this. On some level, I knew that. I also knew the next decent hospital was four towns over.

---