head fall back against the pillow.
Sex with Cullen had always been incredible, but this was something else.
It was as if he had finally realized the power he held over her.
Her whole body sparked with pleasure.
She spread her legs, feeling her hips trembling already, overcome with need.
“Jess,” he sighed and pressed his lips to her sex.
Jessica lost track of her sounds as he alternately teased and nearly sated her need with his cruel mouth.
The pleasure was building in her, threatening to demolish her.
She expected him to pull back, but instead he redoubled his efforts and she felt herself fly apart.
He fed on her until the last tremors were gone, then he kissed his way up her belly, her breasts, her neck.
She smiled up at him.
His mouth was glistening with her moisture, but she didn’t care.
She pressed her lips to his and wrapped her legs around his waist.
“More?” he growled.
“More,” she agreed, lifting her hips. “Please.”
Then he was inside her, filling her, every thrust spiraling her closer and closer to finding ecstasy again.
He gazed down at her, his jaw set, eyes glowing with love and desperate need.
“Please,” she whimpered, not even sure what she was asking for.
He slid a hand between them and circled her clitoris firmly.
Jessica shivered once, and then her climax made her feel like she was flying.
“Oh, Jess,” he groaned.
She felt him fill her, his pleasure accentuating hers, until they both lay gasping in the night air.
“Wow,” she whispered.
Then he was kissing her cheeks, her eyelids, her forehead.
“I love you Jessica Bell,” he told her.
“I love you, too,” she whispered.
“Please don’t ever leave me again,” he murmured. “I don’t think I’ll survive it.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” she told him.
“And if I mess up, you’ll set me straight?” he asked, a note of genuine concern in his deep voice.
He meant what he said. He wanted her to help him make the right choices moving forward.
“If you mess up, I will set you straight, Cullen Ward,” she promised. “Whether you like it or not.”
“If you’re doing it, I’m sure I’ll like it,” he told her, arching an eyebrow.
She laughed and pulled him close.
Exactly where he belonged.
24
Jessica
Jessica watched as Cullen carried a bucket of fish over to the naiad, his expression filled with the sweetest anticipation.
The last few months back in Rosethorn Valley had been nothing short of miraculous.
And Cullen had been living up to his new title.
The naiad, who looked for the most part like a gaunt old woman, smiled at Cullen shyly with rows of too-sharp teeth. She knew he was going to bring her fresh fish because he did so every week, when they came through the veil to the midnight loop to check on the magical creatures. Cullen had insisted on it, once he realized it was possible.
On the opposite side of the midnight garden, a huge black horse nudged Tristan’s hip from behind with a velvety muzzle.
“Kelpie,” Tristan cried, laughing and offering the horse an uncooked steak.
The big equine took the offering between his front teeth and galloped downhill toward the creek where he would transform and eat his treat.
Sara and Tabitha were politely admiring the Gan Ceanach’s muscles as he primped and posed. Admiration seemed to sustain him more than food, so the friends tried to help as best they could.
Miranda and Bron stood at the edge of the trees, where Miranda bent to deposit a large platter of meat.
Bron lifted his hands to his mouth and called out a long note, to alert the fachan that its meal was here.
It was still strange to believe that beautiful woman, who was fast becoming a close friend, was the baby Jessica had been willing to cut out her soul to surrender.
But every day it felt a little less strange.
Jessica had even met Miranda’s parents. Of course they couldn’t know who she really was, so Miranda had just introduced her as a friend from work.
She was happy to learn that the Cannons were incredible, loving people, who were clearly besotted with their daughter.
Sometimes things worked out the way they were meant to. Strange, bittersweet, and just right.
“Are you okay?” Cullen asked quietly as he put his arms around her from behind.
He could see she was looking down at Miranda and Bron.
She wondered if his guilt would ever be assuaged.
Then she remembered that the pain of all that had happened was what had brought them to where they were right now.
Cullen was trying hard to be a good man.
Miranda had turned his fortune into a way to spread that