Colters' Daughter (Colters' Legacy #3)(38)

He wanted to wrap her in silk, protect her from every bad thing in the world—including himself.

Slowly, he lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her with all the tenderness he was capable of.

“I’m sorry,” he murmured even as he pushed inside her again. “I was rough with you last night. I should have been more careful this morning. You must be sore.”

She smiled and curled her arms around his neck. She kissed him sweetly, covering each tiny part of his mouth before sliding to his jaw and then to his ear.

He shivered as she nipped delicately at his lobe and then sucked it between her teeth.

“I’m okay,” she whispered into his ear. “I love waking to you inside me. It’s a beautiful way of reminding me I belong to you.”

Dear God. Her words slid over his skin and soaked deep into his heart. His chest ached and became so heavy he could barely breathe.

“I love…you,” he said in a voice he didn’t recognize. “Just you.”

Her eyes widened in shock and then filled with tears. The sight nearly undid him. How could she be so surprised? Had he held back so much? Had she doubted… Stupid question. Of course she had. He hadn’t given her any reason to believe she was anything but a holiday fling.

How he hated what he’d done to her confidence. And he’d done nothing to allay those fears when he’d returned. He hadn’t come back and said, “I love you.” He’d come back and said, “I want you.”

He kissed away the tear that slid over her cheek. “I do love you, dolcezza. I’m sorry this is the first time you’ve heard the words. I’m sorry that this is the first time I’ve given them to you.”

She squeezed him and lifted her hips to take more of him. So characteristic of her. Always giving. Always willing to take more from him.

“I only care that you’ve said them,” she said in an aching voice. “I love you too, Max. So much. I’ve missed you…”

She broke off as another silver trail slid over her cheek. He hushed her with another kiss. “I missed you too, Callie. Never doubt it. Say it again. Let me have the words again.”

“I love you.”

He’d never considered himself an overly emotional man. He was always in complete control of himself and his actions—his reactions. But Callie… That she loved him, that she was willing to forgive, willing to give of herself so freely after the way he’d hurt her.

The knot grew more uncomfortable in his throat. He kissed her again, not knowing what else to do. He couldn’t speak. He didn’t trust himself not to give way to the building tide of emotion in his chest.

Thank God. Thank God she still loved him. That she wasn’t holding back after all he’d done. He couldn’t—wouldn’t allow her to know just how far he’d been willing to go to keep a promise to his family. It would destroy her.

“Are you with me, dolcezza? Are you close? Tell me what you need.”

She sighed again and her smile was so dazzling that it spilled sunshine all over him.

“You, Max. Just you. Love me. I’m always with you.”

Her words unleashed his tightly held control. He thrust deep and started coming before he was even at full depth. She arched into his arms and wrapped her legs tightly around his, their bodies woven together in a beautiful tapestry.

Max and Callie. Callie and Max.

She buried her face in his neck and then sank her teeth into the column of his throat as she came apart. Her body tugged relentlessly at him, pulling him deeper, and then went liquid around him, bathing him in intense, sweet heat.

For the longest time he lay atop her, their legs and bodies meshed together as he pulsed inside her. It was hard not to imagine his seed taking root. For a moment he fantasized about her big and round with his child.

He wanted these things. He wanted her unreservedly. Her submission, her love. He wanted all of her. He wanted children. Lots of girls with her indomitable spirit, her sassy smile and those gorgeous blue eyes. He wanted boys who were as strong and as resilient as she was.

“Are you still on birth control?” he asked a moment later.

“Yes.”

He couldn’t help the stark disappointment that surged through his body.

She pulled away, a frown curving her mouth downward. “Why?”

He smiled then, wanting to ease her worry and not put a damper on what was otherwise an incredible moment for him.

“I just had this image of you. Pregnant with my child. Of feeling your belly, big and round. I liked it. I liked it a lot.”

She relaxed and then grinned. “You’re going to have to wait a while for that, I’m afraid. I have way too much I want to do and see before I start popping out a brood of children.”

He lifted an eyebrow. “A brood?” He was teasing her, because suddenly the idea of being surrounded by a pile of kids was completely pleasing to him.

“I always imagined that I’d have a lot of children,” she said wistfully. “Eventually. Not right away. But when I was ready. I love having a large family. I loved growing up with three older brothers.”

He pushed himself up and off of her, carefully withdrawing from the delicious heat of her body. He settled beside her and pulled her into his arms until their noses nearly touched.

“Tell me of all these things you want to do before you settle down and have babies.”