of aftershocks as her core locked tight around his shaft and he came seconds before his body pinned hers against the wall and he buried his face in her damp hair.
He slipped his hand over her belly and held her against him. “Damn, honey. You okay?”
She snuggled back into him and reached back and rubbed her hand down his ass and thigh. “I’m really, really good.”
He separated from her, touched her hip to make her turn around while he pulled off the condom, opened the shower door, and tossed it in the trash. Liz settled back against the wall so he could lean in, kiss her, and press his forehead to hers. Eyes locked, he traced a finger along the side of her face. “How’d I get so lucky?”
She smiled and his heart jumped. “I’m very patient.”
He couldn’t help it—he laughed and it filled him with so much love for her he had to kiss her again. “Man, I hit the jackpot.”
She slid her hands over his chest and smiled even bigger. “We both did.”
He hooked his arm around her waist, picked her up off her feet, spun her around, and set her right under the shower spray. Water drenched her to the point she sputtered and smacked his arm to let her go so she could wipe her face. She smiled and laughed and he just took her in.
“Are you trying to drown me?” Not an ounce of reproach filled those words.
He squirted shampoo into his hand. “I love it when you laugh.” He rubbed his hands together, then washed her hair for her, massaging her scalp as she ran the bar of soap over his chest and arms. “I like this.”
“We’re never going to make it to dinner.”
“Sure we will. We’ll just have fun getting there.”
And they did enjoy the rest of their shower, hands sliding over each other, sweet kisses and love bites that drew them closer and erased all the tension from their day.
By the time they dried off, dressed, and were ready to leave they were thinking only about each other and what they anticipated doing after dinner.
They held hands on the long drive into town. He couldn’t help sliding his hand over her knee and up her thigh to get a tempting peek at what she wore under the dress. Black lace. He’d pull it off with his teeth later. But for now, they flirted and seduced each other with long looks, sweet kisses, and tempting strokes.
Nothing intruded on their intimate night. He took her to her favorite Mexican restaurant. They sat close and talked in low tones, except when he made her laugh. Then she let loose and he just wanted to make her do it again.
He stopped on the way home at the bakery she loved. Minutes from closing, he managed to snag the last piece of her favorite triple chocolate cake. She fed him bites on the long drive and they demolished it well before they made it to the ranch driveway.
The lights were out but the sky sparkled with a trillion stars. They stood in the drive with their heads tilted back looking up at heaven. Then he looked at her and knew he’d found his heaven on earth.
He took her up to their room, undressed her slowly, enjoying all that creamy skin encased in black lace as long as he could endure it, before he laid her on the sheets and made love to her like it was the first, last, everything.
With her head on his chest, he held her close as the night waned and the quiet surrounded them and left him with an overwhelming feeling of contentment.
“I love you,” she whispered, but he felt so much more than her simple words, because he felt the wonder of what they’d shared tonight and how it engulfed and connected them in an awe-inspiring way.
“I love you.” He gave the words back to her, feeling them as wholly as she did.
He had the woman of his dreams in his arms and a future he couldn’t wait to happen.
He thanked God, the universe, and her for giving him this.
No one would ever come between them. No one would ever take her from him. He’d do everything in his power to make her life as happy as they’d been tonight and more. He wanted her to have everything. He wanted everything with her.
And anyone who tried to take that from them better watch out.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Tate woke up to a blustery cold Monday