Naked Love(69)

“I love you.” He brings our lips to meet in a patient kiss, a slow dance. An unbreakable promise.

Fear and lack of worth bleed from my eyes in big tears. He pulls my body around to face his, losing the towel and pillow seconds before sliding his shirt from my body.

Yeah, something has shifted. The earth tips the other way on its axis and starts spinning in the opposite direction, obliterating my sense of being. Gravity no longer exists in my world.

My back arches, eyelids heavy, body surrenders as he pushes into me. When he stills, stealing my breath on a heavy moan, I force my eyes open.

Intense blues greet me.

My fingers find his hair when he dips his head, leaving a trail of kisses along my jaw as he moves inside of me. It’s familiar. Our bodies connected is familiar and easy and … perfect.

“Oh god … this is it,” I whisper.

He stops. “This is what?”

Our gazes lock. “This is what it feels like to be in love—deeply … uncontrollably … eternally in love.”

Jake’s brow tenses for a moment before the lines vanish and his lips ghost over mine. “Yes.”





CHAPTER TWENTY




Jake


Avery kisses me, curling her fingers in my hair, sliding her tongue against mine. Her long legs wrap around my waist for several minutes while we move together. Then she pushes me onto my back without breaking our connection. Her body moves along mine with uninhibited desire. Taking what she wants with a confidence that’s so beyond sexy, I think I could die. She pleases herself.

Craving me.

Tasting me.

Taking what she wants—what she needs.

Pleasuring herself with my body.

And pleasuring me with her fucking incredible confidence.

This … this is the naked, breathtaking, ineffable woman I saw long before she knew it existed within her.

“Touch me …” She pushes my hand where she wants it.

I grin, obliging her.

“Harder …” Her nails indent my skin.

I give it to her harder, mesmerized by this perfect moment.

“Kiss me …” She opens her lust-leaden eyes, gazing down at me.

Per—fection.

I have to keep myself from begging her to marry me. I have to scold myself for trying to imagine what she might look like nine months pregnant with my baby. No woman has ever made me this delirious, and I still have no logical explanation as to what exactly it is about Avery that’s clawed its way into my heart and taken up permanent residence.

“Dammit, Jake … kiss me.” Her impatience sends an extra jolt to my dick.

I sit up, bringing us face to face, and lean in to kiss her.

“Lower …” she rocks her pelvis against mine.

I kiss her neck.

“Lower …” she whispers, guiding my hand to where we are joined. “Kiss me here.”

My gaze flits up to meet hers.

Before I can grin, and believe me, this makes me happier than I’ve ever been in my whole damn life, Avery crashes her mouth to mine. Her hungry mmm brings me to the brink of orgasm, but she pulls away, mumbling against my lips. “What are you waiting for, Matthews?”

Dead.

She just buried me.

Game over.

Avery Montgomery is officially out of my league.

I fold, throwing down a pretty good hand. She just played a royal flush.

My dick will have to wait on standby because I love this woman, and she’s earned this from me.

“Attagirl, Ave.” I grab her waist and lower her back to the mattress.

Her breaths quicken even more when I mark the inside of her thighs with my whiskered jaw as I make my way to fulfill her request. “If you just ask…” her hips jerk “…there’s nothing I wouldn’t give you.”

“You …” Her head falls to the side, fingers in my hair, voice strained with emotion. “I just want you …”

*

Four in the morning.

My phone rings. Avery jumps. I kiss her head and reach for my phone.

“Hey, Meg.”

“Hey, Jake.” She doesn’t need to say another word. The tone of her voice says it all. “Swarley passed away. We did everything we could to revive him. I’m so sorry.”

I sit up with my legs dangling off the bed, my back to Avery. “Okay.” It’s hard to speak. My throat feels so fucking tight with the words I’m not sure I can relay to Avery and Sydney.

“There’s no need to come now, unless they feel the need to be here. Either way, I’ll be here when they’re ready to come for him.”

“No …” Avery chokes on a sob before I disconnect.

Bad news is a feeling that arrives like an executioner in your chest before the words are ever spoken. It’s a look. A sad smile. It’s an invisible poison. And no words can soften the blow after that first wordless hit.

“Thanks, Meg.” I set my phone down.

“No …” Avery’s forehead and palms press to my back. “Don’t say it … please don’t say it.” Another sob breaks from her chest.

I twist my torso, and she falls into my lap with her hands covering her face.

“I’m sorry, Ave.”

“No, no, no …” Her body shakes as I pull her closer, a ball of brokenness on my lap.