In one consuming move, he took her mouth and ground his hips against hers, sealing her vow in the most physical and delicious of ways. Every sensation catapulted her to the very edge, hovering toward a monumental free fall. His kiss. His hard body moving against hers. His iron and velvet length tunneling in and out of her wet sex. No more was this about anticipation or sex. This was about two people becoming one. A joining of heart as well as flesh and vows spoken without a single word.
Groaning into her mouth, he shifted his weight back and slipped his arms beneath her, one banded low on her back and the other behind her shoulders. He straightened, taking her with him as he went so she straddled his hips as he thrust deeper inside her. From this angle and the power behind each buck of his hips, his glans brushed the sweet spot inside her and his pelvis ground unrelentingly against her clit. Lips close to hers and hearts pounding chest to chest, he fisted her hair at the back of her head and growled, “Now. Take it. Come for me. Make me whole.”
She couldn’t have stopped her release if she wanted, not with the feel of him and his sweet words pooling in her heart. Her sex clenched, the intensity behind it drawing pulses from the very soles of her feet and billowing out in all directions. She cried out against his mouth and squeezed her arms around his shoulders, the metal of his tags digging into her flesh even as her core milked his shaft.
His mouth crashed against hers and his hips surged to the hilt, burying himself inside her and pressing his hand at the base of her spine so there was no way to move. No escape from his cock jerking and jetting his release inside her.
No escape.
The idea would have terrified her with Ruslan, but with Knox she welcomed it. Savored the precious shield his claim created. The protection and love that came with it. Because after this, there was no doubt in her mind. Knox loved her. With everything in him—every action since she’d uttered her feelings and shared her past until this beautiful moment—he’d shown it. Given her all of him, heart and soul.
His kiss eased along with his thrusts, what had been wild and desperate before calming to languid, savoring strokes. Keeping one arm cradled around her back, he cupped the side of her face. He rested his forehead against hers, his breaths wafting soft and warm against her face.
She opened her eyes and nearly wept at the vulnerability reflected back at her. Even with his eyes closed, he was completely bared to her, a gift she had no doubt he’d never given anyone in his mostly solitary life. She framed his face with her hands, utterly safe in the knowledge he’d hold her close. “You love me,” she whispered.
His eyes opened. With just the moonlight streaming through the window, they seemed even more lustrous than in the brightest light. A foggy and mystical gray that reflected the magical moment. “If love is the strongest word there is to describe what I’m feeling, then yes. I love you. With everything in me.”
Tears welled from out of nowhere and emotion clogged her throat so thick she could hardly speak. “Thank you for honoring me with that. For giving me you.”
He smiled, the brightness of it outshining the moon and filling her heart to the point it ached. He leaned forward, keeping her supported with one hand even as he caught them both with the other, and eased her to the bed. “Told you I’d give you everything. Not much of a man if I can’t own up to what’s real.”
And just like that, he leveled them out. Eased them into a comfortable space where they could simply enjoy the moment and linger in the delicious afterglow. One forearm anchored in the mattress beside her and his cock still nestled inside her, he smoothed her hair away from her face and traced the line of her jaw. “You want me to clean you up, or are we staying close?”
It was a question they’d experimented in finding the answers to in the week since they’d stopped using condoms, the change in circumstance being one neither of them had any experience in handling before they’d agreed on the deeper intimacy. Sometimes they showered. Sometimes he saw to her. Sometimes they merely let things be what they were.
Tonight she was going for the latter. “I’d rather not be away from you.”
His quick grin warmed her. “No complaints from me.” He rolled them to their sides and his shaft slipped free, drawing a sad whimper past her lips. He drew her leg over his hip and slid his thigh between hers. Every night they fell asleep this way. No matter how they woke, they started nose to nose and chest to chest, their breath mingled as sleep took them. “You going to be able to sleep?”
She took her time studying his face, letting the moment imprint deep on her memory. “With you, I think I can do anything.”
Chapter Thirty-One
Knox stared up at his bedroom ceiling. Since sunrise an hour ago, he’d watched the buttery glow of another summer morning slowly stretch across the white surface, Darya’s comfortable weight and the sweet press of her naked body against his the only thing stilling his need to take action. Not that his mind was inactive. For the first time since he’d brought her home, sleep had eluded him and he hadn’t minded one bit. Some of his best ideas had come to him in the quiet hours before dawn, and right now he needed every slick inspiration his mind could dole out.
Snagging his phone off the nightstand, he checked the time.
7:53 a.m.
Which meant Ninette and Sylvie were probably up and around already, and with a little luck, Danny and Beckett were either back already or at least on their way with news on if anyone was watching Darya’s house.
He slid the phone back against the nightstand’s rich mahogany surface and rolled to his side, wrapping his woman up tight. Another benefit to a sleepless night was watching her sleep. Letting himself drink his fill of her classical face and burn every detail deep. He’d also figured out she liked having someone play with her hair. Whether she’d registered the contact in her sleep or not, he wasn’t sure, but every time he’d taken to slicking his fingers through the silky strands, she’d almost purred and snuggled closer.
He kissed her cheek and muttered low beside her ear, “Morning, angel.”
She stirred and her eyes fluttered open, the striking blue even more impactful with the sun’s soft glow. At first her expression was a little dazed, her features still soft and unmarked by reality, but like everything else about her, her mind caught up quick and her eyes came into focus. “Is everything okay?”
“Perfect.” He rolled her to her back and pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “I need to run some traps I laid out last night, but I didn’t want you to wake up and worry where I’d run off to.”
She traced an arc below one of his eyes. “You didn’t sleep.”
“I didn’t want to. Was too busy enjoying the woman next to me.” He snagged her hand and kissed her palm. “I’ll get my work done a whole lot easier if I know you’re happy and asleep in my bed, though.”
“If I stay, will you promise me you’ll sleep tonight?”
He couldn’t help it. The lure of all the ways they could sexually work his over-thinking brain into off mode made his dick twitch and start to swell. “Oh, I’ll make sure we’re both so exhausted tonight we’ll drop into a coma.”
She smiled at that, one full of teeth and mischief to match his own. “I can work with that plan.”
“Good. Now close your eyes and think about what’s on your wish list for tonight.”
She chuckled low and sultry. “That list keeps getting longer with you.”
Fuck, but he loved this woman. Loved her heart. How sweet she was even to strangers. How easily she not only kept pace with him intellectually, but eagerly met him pound-for-pound with sex. “Make it as long as you want. Not gonna quit until you’re sated, and then I’ll still be ready to start over again from the top.” He slid his nose alongside hers and breathed in her winter rose scent. “Sleep for me, angel.”
Before he could change his mind and indulge himself and his r
eady cock in her sweetness, he rolled out of bed and grabbed his phone as he stood. He snatched his discarded jeans off the floor, tugged them on in short order and padded to the door as quietly as he could. The second he opened it, the rich, nutty scent of coffee and the even better promise of Sylvie’s old-fashioned fried potatoes and bacon assailed him. His stomach growled in appreciation before he’d even shut the door to his suite.
Sure enough, Ninette was perched on a bar stool at the massive island while Sylvie manned the stove. For two women outside their normal environment, they looked right at home, both still fitted out in their TV-watching yoga pant and T-shirt combos. It was Ninette who spied him first, casting an easy good morning grin over her shoulder as she set her oversize coffee mug on the concrete-topped counter. “Look who’s up and smiling like he ate a whole flock of canaries last night.”
Well, hell. Who’d have known he could be twenty-nine years old and still blush like he’d just been caught whacking off to a Penthouse centerfold? He strolled past Ivan manning the screens and laptops lined up on the dining room table. “Hey, man. Anything?”
“Nope. Not a peep,” Ivan said. “Got a call from Danny and Beck about half an hour ago. They’re hittin’ Krispy Kreme on the way back and called the rest of the crew in early. Jace and Axel just pulled into the garage.”
Good news. An earlier meet meant less time to kill keeping Darya distracted. “Thanks, man.” He headed on toward the kitchen and Ninette, who’d yet to take her eyes off him, her focus a little too narrowed for comfort.
She stood just as he reached her and wrapped him up in a familiar hug. “I’d ask if you got any sleep, but my guess is no. So how about I ask if your girl did?”
Knox chuckled and kissed Ninette’s gray head. “She slept hard. Though, I’m hopin’ she gets at least another hour in before she gives in to curiosity and obligation and drags her butt out of bed.”
“She’s a woman, Knox. A smart one who’s just had it made plain she is well and truly taken. Only normal she’d instinctively feel the need to step into her place as woman of the house instead of resting where she should be.” She stepped away, but kept her hands on his shoulders and scanned his bare torso. “I see you’re missing something this morning.”
Knox scoffed and headed for the coffeepot. “Like you haven’t seen the lot of us hangin’ out sans shirts a million times before.”
The odd commentary must have caught Sylvie off guard, too, because she paused in stirring the potatoes long enough to twist and scan him head to toe.
Knox took advantage, leaned in and kissed her cheek. “Mornin’, Ma.”
When he pulled away, she was smirking back at him. “Ninnie wasn’t talkin’ about the shirt, love.” She dipped her head toward his chest and waggled her eyebrows. “She was talkin’ about yer tags.”
Yep. Twenty-nine and both of them could make him feel like he was ten again. He covered the uncomfortable response by tackling the single-brew coffee machine.
Sylvie didn’t seem the least bit troubled by the topic, because she kept going. “Ye know Ninnie and I would be more than happy ta help ye pick out a pretty ring fer the lass.”
“Yeah, I thought we’d start by making it so she could walk out of the house without a psycho catching her before we started planning weddings and babies.”
“Oh, babies!” This from Ninette who’d settled back on her bar stool. “The fact that word even came out of our boy’s mouth says that shopping trip’s not too far away.”
Shit. She was right. Where the fuck had babies come from? Although, picturing Darya’s belly big with his child made him stand up a helluva lot taller and pushed his shoulders back about as far as they’d go. Still, he kept his gaze trained on the coffee machine while it gurgled and churned out the last of his brew.
The loft’s door chunked open, and Jace and Axel ambled in. It took the two of them all of two seconds to scan the open space, clock everyone’s positions and settle in on razzing Knox. “Told ya he’d be up and chompin’ to go,” Axel said over his shoulder to Jace.
Jace aimed an ornery grin at Knox. “Yeah, but if he’s half-dressed it hasn’t been for long, which meant he had a damned good night.”
“I’m in my own place and my woman’s still in my bed,” Knox said over his cup of coffee. “Be glad I put on jeans.”
“Well, there is that.” Axel ambled toward the kitchen while Jace peeled off to check in with Ivan. “Do I smell fried potatoes?”
“And bacon,” Sylvie said. “Biscuits are in the oven, and I’ll whip up the eggs once Danny and Beckett roll in.”
Axel moved into Ninette’s side, wrapped his arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek. “Just like bein’ at home.”
“If my boys are there, it is home,” Ninette said with an easy smile. “But speakin’ of Haven, how’s the rest of the crew?”
“Levi’s on top of the world,” Axel said. “Trevor stopped off at his place and picked up Lady, so adding Ruger and Max in the mix, he’s in dog heaven. Plus, his aunt Vivienne and aunt Gabe have deemed it their duty to spoil him more than normal.”
“As they should,” Sylvie said. “Though, I’ve never met a lad easier to spoil than Levi.”
The grate of wood against the concrete floor drew everyone’s attention to the big dining room table. Ivan stood, shook Jace’s hand and tossed a casual wave to everyone gathered in the kitchen. “I’m gonna head out and bunk down for a few hours. You guys need me before tonight, give me a call and I’ll head over.”
Knox met him halfway to the front door and offered his hand. “Appreciate you pulling a shift on short notice.”
Ivan took it and met his stare head on. “Haven’t gotten to know Darya much yet, but I know you. If she’s yours, she’s worth it.” With that, he tipped his head to the women, opened the door and headed out.
“He’s gonna be a no-brainer.” Jace settled in behind the computers, but rearranged his chair so he could have a straight-on view of the kitchen as well as the laptop screens. He cocked one foot up on the rung of the chair beside him and cranked his head to Knox. “Any idea how far out Danny and Beck are?”
Knox threw the bolt on the front door and padded back to the kitchen. “Ought to be here anytime. Where are Zeke and Trevor?”
“Stayin’ at Haven to keep an eye on things,” Axel said. “We’ve got their proxy, but can call ’em if somethin’ big comes up that needs their input.” Lifting his own coffee mug, he dipped his head in the direction of Knox’s suite. “Darya still out?”
“I hope so.” Knox pulled out a bar stool next to Ninette. “Yesterday was a hell of a day.”
“I take it you shared a few extra details on her new family?” Axel said.
“Enough she gets we can handle what needs to be handled.”
“How’d that go?” Ninette asked.
Knox kept his gaze rooted to the countertop, but he was pretty sure everyone still caught the stupid smile on his face. “She took me like I am.”
“Knew I liked that lass,” Axel said with a chuckle.
Jace’s voice cut from the dining room table. “Danny and Beck just pulled in.”
“Right,” Sylvie said with a nod. “Eggs are goin’ on now.”
Maybe it was the smell of all the food, or the chorus of male voices overpowering the room once Beckett and Danny showed, but about fifteen minutes later Darya wandered out of his suite. Her face was void of makeup—a practice that had taken him about five mornings to convince her he absolutely loved—and she’d thrown on a loose pair of ice-blue cotton pajama bottoms and a white tank. Dangling dead center between her breasts were his tags, right out where God and everyone could see.
Fuck yeah, he was gonna catch all kinds of shit the second his brothers got him alone. Probably three times what Sylvie and Ninette had dished out, but damned if he cared. They looke
d perfect right where they were. Not to mention, they’d serve as a hell of a reminder if she caught some wild idea about running.
The second she got within grabbing distance he pulled her between his thighs and hugged her close. “I take it we were too loud?” he murmured in her ear.
“My thoughts were louder.” She anchored the heels of her palms on his shoulder and leveraged herself enough away she could see his face. “Plus, the food smelled really good, so I gave in.”
“Knox, let go of the lass and let her eat.” Sylvie slid a fully loaded plate next to the one she’d built for Knox along with a napkin rolled around a full set of silverware. “Hop up and let her have your place. You men can eat your food and do your business at the same time.”
Axel grunted, nabbed his plate and coffee mug off the counter. Despite the beleaguered sound, his voice was full of mirth. “Sounds to me like the women want us out of their hair so they can get the play-by-play from last night.” He winked at Darya as he rounded the island then shot Knox a smirk as he headed toward the dining room table where Jace, Danny and Beckett were already situated. “Better hope you gave it your A game, brother.”
Knox palmed her hips and squeezed, tempted to tell the lot of them to go to hell and cart Darya back to his suite. Instead, he lowered his voice just for her. “You good while I talk with the guys?”
Her smile was a sweet one. Soft like her morning kisses and a little bit shy, but void of the worry she’d wrestled the day before. “I’m good. I’ll help your moms with cleanup then spend some time digging into work.”
Work was good. Like him, she was all focus the second she dove into her code. Where they differed was once she walked away from the screen, she could easily detach. He cupped the back of her neck and kissed her, not giving two fucks about the fact that conversation had all but ceased around them. Only when she smiled against his mouth and pushed against his chest did he release her and move away.
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