She surrounded him. She consumed every single part of him.
Annie.
Her name hovered on his lips, the desire to call out to her stronger than he expected. So many years. So many things he wanted to make up for. He wanted to give her what she needed. Needed to let her know he’d heard her words.
Her names melded into one. “Look at me, Katie.”
Her eyes locked on his. And for a second, the connection he felt arc between them was so intense, so all-consuming, it devoured him. She touched his soul in a way no one before or since her ever had.
He knew she felt it too, could see by the look in her eyes she was as powerless as he against the emotions flowing between them. Tears glinted in her eyes, and he brushed back her hair to focus on her face.
“Only you,” he whispered, pulling her brow against his. “Only this, only us.”
Emotions pulsed through him when her lips slid over his. When she whispered his name. The muscles in his body tensed and he thrust harder, pulling her tight against him.
“Wait for me,” she whispered, kissing him harder, riding faster.
How could he tell her he’d been waiting for her his whole life?
He held back. But when she arched, when she tightened around him and he knew she’d reached the peak, he let go, making sure she went over that edge with him.
Pulse pounding, Ryan wrapped his arms around her and just held on. She fell against his chest, drew unsteady breaths. His lips trembled at her temple. His heart beat frantically against hers. For the first time in forever he felt…whole again.
He closed his eyes. Breathed deep. Hung on to the feeling. But when she turned her face into his shoulder, and he felt the cool tears trickle across his skin, the reality of the moment hit him.
That wasn’t what he’d meant to do. All his careful plans to woo her back had just crashed and burned, all because he hadn’t been able to control his temper. And, judging from the sobs gripping her, that wasn’t what she’d wanted, either.
“I’m sorry. God, I’m sorry. Don’t cry.” He rolled her over, brushed her hair away from her face. “Please don’t cry.”
She covered her face with both hands.
“I’m sorry,” he said again, kissing her cheeks, the corners of her mouth, wanting to do anything to make it up to her. “I’m so sorry. I—”
She pressed her fingers over his lips. “Don’t say it again. I’m not crying because I’m upset.”
He stilled. “You’re not?”
She shook her head, then slowly lowered her other hand and stared up at him. “No.”
“Then why?”
She wiped a hand across her cheek. “Because you said my name. I didn’t realize how much I needed to hear it.”
He thought he’d fallen earlier, but he’d been wrong. Her sweetness overwhelmed him in a way it never had before. How could he love her more now than he had back then? Something about her today touched him in a way Annie never had. He didn’t want to think about the absurdity of what that implied. He only wanted to be with her again, to feel her and know her all over.
“Oh, Katie. Come here.”
He lifted her from the floor, carried her into her bedroom, sat on her bed, and cradled her in his lap. He nuzzled her neck, drew in her scent. Reveled in just being close to her.
“That’s not the way I wanted it for you. Not the first time.”
She rested her head against his neck, clasped her arms around his shoulders. “I’m not complaining.”
She smiled, and he kissed her, softly, gently, wanting her to feel what was in his heart.
She sighed and kissed him back. Her fingers laced through his damp hair to draw him closer.
When he eased back and looked down at her he realized one other thing he’d majorly screwed up on. His eyes slid closed. “Shit. Condoms.”
“What about them?”
“They’re in my pants pocket. After this morning I grabbed some, just in case.”
“Hopeful, were you?”
He opened his eyes, saw the humor glint in hers. She didn’t look upset, if anything she looked…amused. “I…I didn’t mean to—”
Her soft fingers landed on his lips. “Don’t apologize again. You may have started it, but I’m pretty sure I’m the one who finished it. I didn’t give you a chance to say no let alone find a condom.”
She hadn’t, that was true. His lips curled and his blood warmed at the memory.