place. It’s not safe out here.”
“Don’t you realize I’m not safe there either?” I throw my hands up.
His gaze drifts down to where I have my towel tied over my breasts, then he meets my gaze again. “Come here.” He says it with command, but also a gentleness that soothes my worried heart.
I sigh and step toward him.
He reaches out and grabs the towel, pulling it away and tossing it to the floor. Running his hands along my hips, he looks up at me, then kisses my stomach, his lips leaving a trail of fire as they drift lower.
“Lucius.” I try to step back, but he holds me in place.
“If you run from me, I’ll follow you.” He kisses my pussy, his touch so soft, almost reverent. “I’ll find you, Evie. Every time. I warned you what would happen. Remember?” He delves his tongue between my lips, and I shiver, my nipples tightening almost painfully.
I remember. He said forever. “Yes.”
“I meant every word.” Another lick.
I grab his hair.
“I know you’ve probably been thinking of a million reasons why this can’t happen. Maybe you think I’m playing you to save Magnolia. Or maybe something equally wrong—like trying to find the Acquisition assholes. Those things are just bonuses. In the grand scheme, they will fall into place with or without the two of us being right here, right now. But you and me?” He kisses me again, open-mouthed, his tongue sliding farther along my clit. “We’re real. No lies, no reasons to be together except for one.” He leans back and looks up at me. “Now sit on my face so I can prove how much I love you.”
“Oh my god.” I groan as he lies back and pulls me with him, settling me on top of him.
“More.” He mumbles against me as he licks and sucks all the right places.
I move my hips, already chasing my orgasm as his magic tongue caresses me, his fingers digging into my hips as he pulls me down onto him. I push back a little.
“Evie, if you don’t smother me to death, I don’t want you on top of me.” He yanks my hips down, the contact so intense that I squeal as his tongue sets my body on fire. It’s electric, all-consuming. I grind against him shamelessly, my body taking over as I work my pussy all over his mouth.
He doesn’t stop, his tongue focusing just right, my clit throbbing then getting that magical feeling of being so hot and tender. And then I explode, my orgasm shooting up high into the sky, shattering, and raining down like sparks. I come hard, my body surrendering as Lucius plays me with his tongue, his mouth. He gives me everything, and I take it, rolling my hips until the orgasm finally recedes.
I climb off him and flop onto the bed.
He licks his lips, his mouth still wet.
“I guess you love me a lot?” I can’t help but smile.
“Enough to die happily right between your thighs.”
He takes my hand and puts it over his heart. “I can’t get enough of you. I already want more.”
“If you do that again, I’m going to be the one who dies.” I bury my face in the bed.
“I’ll have to mark it on the itinerary for later. In the meantime, what do we have planned? I mean, I’ll be taking the iPad, of course. But other than that, what’s doing?”
“I’m not giving you the iPad.” I turn my head so I can look at him.
“Why not?”
“Because in case you’ve forgotten, your brother came over to your place with his ass in a twist about me. Apparently, it led to you breaking a rib or two.” I point at his side. “And if I just give up that computer, what’s to stop him from wiping me out?”
“Sin will come around.”
I blow a hair out of my face. “That’s cute. Brotherly support and all. But I’m not risking my life on your warm assessment of your cold, calculating brother.”
“Is that all you’re worried about?” He rolls over again, and we’re face to face.
“Yes. I mean, I’m also worried that you’re just saying all these wonderful words and doing these things that, quite frankly, are likely illegal, to my body so that I’ll back away from Magnolia. And I know you want to start fresh, like we don’t have this immense, tragic history, but I don’t know if that’s really possible. Can two people who are so damaged ever make something like this work?”
“I