In The Darkness (Project Artemis #1)(49)

Nick lifted his head and arched a single dark brow. “I think we should move to somewhere else.”

He looked around the bathroom and smiled as he lifted the two of them out of the tub. “Not that I don’t love some underwater sex, but let’s head for dry land.”

She tightened her thighs against his sides while he walked the two of them across the white marble tile floor of their enormous all-white bathroom and into the bedroom. Whatever he had in mind, she just hoped he hurried up because she had been so close just a few seconds before he decided they needed to change locations.

“Oh, God…hurry, Nick…we don’t have to go exotic here. The bed’s fine,” she whimpered, clinging to him as need made her body ache.

He chuckled and lowered her back down onto the bed. Feeling the blue silk comforter against her skin, she watched his gaze roll over her body until their eyes met and once again, he owned her.

Every part of her, body and soul.

Looking into her eyes, “Tell me what you want, Seph. Let me hear you tell me what you need.”

Reaching out for him, she took his hand in hers and brought it to her neck. Just the touch of his fingers to her skin made her desperately want him inside her.

“Make me yours.”

Those three little words told him everything he needed to know. He slid into her until there was nothing left of him or her. There in the home where they dedicated their lives to helping others, they joined together to form one.

One heart. One soul. One love.

And like every time since they admitted their feelings that night at his apartment all those months ago, she found the protection Nick freely offered something so integral to her life now that she couldn’t imagine living without it.

Or him.

As the two of them rushed toward that delicious sensual edge and toppled over it, he looked down into her eyes with possessiveness that came from claiming her once again.

He pushed back the hair off her face and pressed a gentle kiss onto her forehead. “Now that’s what I call ending the day right.”

Persephone ran her hand over his hand still resting against her neck and looked around. “I just realized that our room isn’t that far away from the rest of the house. Someone might have heard us. Those builders need to get moving on our new room.”

Nick laughed and collapsed onto the bed next to her. “I wouldn’t worry. Between the foosball and pool tables, the big screen TV, and the shooting range, I’m guessing none of the guys were paying attention to anything we’re doing here.”

She thought about it for a few moments and did have to admit they had more than enough to amuse them at the house. But would those things make up for what they gave up?

Rolling over to face Nick, she asked, “Do you think they’re going to miss not being able to be in relationships?”

He smiled broadly and turned his head to look at her. “They’re not going to be monks, Seph. They’ll be with women. You just made it a rule they couldn’t settle down. I think their lives will continue pretty much the way they’ve always been. It’s not like any of them have been tied down before.”

The thought of all that testosterone needing to have an outlet somewhere ran through her mind. She shook her head to get rid of it quickly. “Well, I don’t care what they do as long as they’re here when we need them for an assignment. I do have to admit I hadn’t considered that part of hiring all those men.”

Nick slid his tongue over his lower lip and grinned. “Sex, you mean?”

“Well, yeah,” she admitted, now suddenly unable to think of anything else about the seven men who lived on the other side of the house.

“I don’t think you have to worry. The only man you have to be concerned about here is me, and I’m perfectly happy right where I am.”

Persephone smiled and had to admit how content she was to be there with him. They had been through a nightmare no one else could understand, and they’d come out the other side together.

Now when Persephone closed her eyes at night, the darkness didn’t terrify her because she knew Nick lay there at her side ready to protect her no matter what. He’d been willing to lay down his life to save hers once before. That he’d do it again she had no doubt.

Pressing his forehead to hers, he whispered the words that never failed to make her happier than she’d ever been in her life.

“I love you, Persephone.”

She cradled his face in her hands and looked into his eyes to see the truth they held. “I love you. I owe everything I have to you, Nick. Never forget that.”

What he meant to her went beyond just love. He’d saved her life, and for the rest of hers to honor him, she planned to make it possible that other women would feel the safety and protection she felt every moment since he took her out of that house and gave her back her freedom.

He didn’t believe he’d done anything more than what he should, but that showed how good a man he was. As she’d told him, she didn’t need a saint in her life or in her bed.

She needed him.