It wasn’t enough but it was what he wanted—what he said he wanted—and it was the only thing she had to give.
“Ah, baby,” he groaned. “You undo me.”
He began to move faster, harder. It was as if her words sent him right over the edge. His control was gone and she reveled in the ferocity of his possession.
She went slick around him and he moved easier, pushing into her until she gasped at his depth.
And then she began to unravel. Everything she’d held so tightly within for so long began to loosen.
It was too much. He’d said she undid him, but in truth she was the one coming completely undone.
She squeezed him tight, never wanting to let go. She wanted to live in this moment where nothing could touch her, where nothing else mattered. It was so easy to forget her life, her circumstances. Because in his arms she was strong. She was worthy.
Gasping his name, she closed her eyes against the sudden surge of tears, but even then she felt them slide hotly down her cheeks. Never had she been so devastated by an orgasm, and it seemed such a tawdry word, completely incapable of describing what was happening.
The world blurred around her. All she could feel was him. Inside her. His mouth on her skin. His cock buried deep. Two halves of a whole.
She floated downward, her body weightless, her mind completely adrift. She wasn’t even sure she was conscious.
And then she became aware of Jace’s weight covering her. He was limp and his chest heaved with exertion, but he felt so good, so solid on top of her. She never wanted him to move.
She pressed her lips to the hollow indention at his collarbone and savored this connection. Savored the feeling of being wanted. Of being cherished and cared for on an emotional level.
He shifted and she started to protest but then she caught sight of his expression and she stopped. He levered up enough that he brought his hand to her face and she realized that her cheeks were wet with her tears.
“Hey,” he said gently. “What’s this?”
She was embarrassed over her reaction. How could she explain the enormity of this feeling? She tried to look away, but he wouldn’t let her. He lowered his head and kissed away the damp trails and then lifted his head to stare into her eyes once more.
“Bethany?”
There was concern in his voice, which made her feel all the more foolish.
“I’m okay,” she choked out.
“Are you?”
“I’ve never been more okay,” she said softly.
He seemed to understand then. He smiled and kissed her again.
“Let me get rid of the condom and then we need to talk,” he said.
Alarmed, she let him roll off her and waited as he discarded the condom. Then he was back on the bed, reaching for her to tuck her into his side.
He stroked through her hair, silent as he held her against him.
“I don’t want anything between us,” he finally said.
Not fully understanding what he meant, she stayed quiet as she waited.
“We need to get you an appointment so we can have tests and then we need to put you on birth control. I don’t want to wear condoms. I want no barrier between us. I’ll, of course, continue to use them until it’s safe, but you’re mine and I want unfettered access to you. All of you. Are you okay with that?”
Even though she knew—he’d certainly made himself clear—hearing that he had every intention of them having sex on a regular basis threw her for a loop. It all sounded so . . . permanent, and she knew a relationship between them could be anything but.
“Baby? Talk to me. You’re too damn quiet. Are you freaked out? Am I moving too fast?”
She nearly laughed. Now he was worried about moving too fast? She didn’t even know he had any concept of moving too fast.
“I don’t have a problem with birth control. But Jace, we have to talk.”
He kissed her, effectively silencing her.
“We don’t need to talk about anything other than getting you what you need. What we need,” he amended. “It’s a fact that you’re going to be in my bed. Eventually my apartment. I’m trying to give you space to work this out. I don’t want to overwhelm you but you need to know that I’m serious about this. And I’m going to fight any statement from you that begins with you not being with me.”
“Wow,” she breathed.
“Anything else you need to say?” he