His Southern Temptation - By Robin Covington Page 0,74

a sigh shuddering in his chest.

“What about Hawaii?”

“I’m not going. Mother is going to let me borrow against the equity in the house. She even called my father to get him to agree. It isn’t ideal, but it will work and you can still buy Promised Land.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’ve never been more certain.” She squeezed her eyes shut, pushing back the tears that burned her eyes. It was no use because when she opened them, Lucky was still a little blurry. “How could I hold back when you laid down everything for me?”

“I’m all in, baby. The one thing I will do above anything else is make sure you know it every second, every minute, every fucking hour of your life. It’s what I’m meant to do.” Lucky cupped his hand behind her head, tugging her so close his warm breath barely had enough room to pass between their lips. “I’ve tried not to push, but I need the words, Taylor. Please.”

She could give him the words. She’d been heading to this place her entire life, and now that she was here there was no fear, no worry, no hesitation.

“I love you, have always loved you, and always will.” She stroked a finger across his stubble, the fine hair gleaming gold in the sunlight and rasping pleasantly against her skin. “If anyone can beat the odds, we can.”

The next moment Taylor was crushed against his chest with his mouth devouring hers in a desperate tangle of lips and tongues. This wasn’t like any kiss they’d shared before. This one was bursting with happiness, joy—the kind you feel when you realize how close you were to losing it all. God, he tasted so good, and the feel of his hard muscles under her searching hands fueled her desire.

She sighed and rolled her head back as Lucky took advantage of her invitation and pressed hot, openmouthed kisses along the exposed column of her neck.

I missed you.

I love you.

They whispered words of love and need before Lucky’s lips coasted across her cheek and reclaimed her mouth in a kiss that was gentler, sweeter, with a promise of the memories they would make together.

Lucky lifted his head, looking down at her with eyes filled with desire, heat, and the love she still didn’t understand. Didn’t think she’d ever deserve.

Releasing her, he reached into his pocket, pulling out a small velvet box with a jeweler’s imprint on the top. Lucky opened the box and removed a ring with shaky fingers. Unsteady herself, Taylor looked down as he slid the ring on her finger, raised her hand to his lips, and pressed a soft kiss. “Marry me, Mary-Taylor Elliott. I love you. I want to have babies with you. I want to grow old with you. I want to be your husband, your man. Marry me.”

“Yes.” Taylor wiped away the tears spilling onto her cheeks while she laughed. The joy in her heart bloomed and spilled over like the wild roses covering the meadow just beyond the lake.

Fingers shaking with need fumbled as they removed clothing, opened buttons, and coasted over skin hot to the touch. Mouths tasted, teeth nipped, and lips sought out places that begged for attention after too long apart from each other. Lucky pushed her to the ground as his mouth traveled over her collarbone and down to nuzzle between her breasts. Her entire body was electrified, and her back arched when his mouth closed over her ultra-sensitized nipple and sucked it deeply into the hot cavity.

Taylor’s mind went blank as her body tensed with the desire pulsing through it. She was so hungry for him. With a ragged breath, she pleaded. “Lucky, please. I need you.”

Lucky lifted his head to gaze into her eyes, a muscle ticked in his jaw, and his eyes blazed with a heat that matched her own. He groaned as she shifted their bodies so that the tip of his erection prodded the entrance of her hot, slippery core. Closing his eyes tightly, he pushed inside her with a thrust that made her gasp with the toe-curling pleasure.

His eyes opened and the fiery passion there was mixed with a tenderness that felt like a free fall off the peaks of the surrounding mountains. “Taylor. I love you so much. You own me.”

With a low moan, his body thrust against her, sliding in and out—as his mouth claimed hers and their tongues parried and fought for dominance. Taylor arched to meet his every thrust, pulling him deeper and