Shock vibrated through her at the agony, the pure emotion that filled his voice before he kissed her as though he were dying for her.
Deep, drugging, his arms surrounded her, enfolded her as he held her to him, his lips slanting over hers as his tongue licked at hers.
The remnants of her gown were dealt with quickly, the material falling at her bare feet as he shrugged his jacket from his shoulders.
Suddenly hungry for the feel of him, Tehya pulled at the buttons of his shirt, several snapping free and falling forgotten on the floor until she could spread the edges apart, her fingers finding warm, hard flesh.
Hunger rose between them like an inferno, blazing across their flesh, searing their emotions as they hurriedly undressed each other.
Tehya breathed out roughly as she felt him lift her, the strength in his arms making her feel dainty, helpless, and protected as he laid her back in the middle of the bed.
Reaching for him, Tehya drew him to her, her breath hitching in her chest; the overwhelming feeling of complete absorption coming from him was intoxicating.
It was different. Each touch was laced with something that hadn’t been there before. A tender possessiveness he had kept leashed until now.
His fingertips stroked along her breasts, following the curve, feathering against her nipples and tightening them further as she arched to him.
His lips sipped at hers, strong teeth nipping, catching her lower lip and worrying it before his tongue stroked over it with a hungry lick.
Broken moans filled the air as he came over her, strong knees pressing between her thighs as his lips released hers and moved down the line of her throat, following the taut arch until he laid quick, heated kisses on her breast.
His tongue licked over a tight nipple as he moved between her thighs, his fingers stroking over the wet curves of her pussy before they parted the sensitive folds.
“Jordan.” Desperation filled her as she felt the thick, broad width of his cock press against her. “Jordan, please.”
Heat speared through her, circling her clit before whipping through her body, as he began to penetrate her with tight, slow, shallow thrusts.
His lips lifted from her nipple and moved back to her face.
“Look at me, Tey,” he groaned, his voice tight, heavy with hunger. “Let me see your eyes, baby.”
Her lashes lifted, lips parting at the brilliance in his eyes.
“No illusion,” he whispered then, his tone tight, guttural. “I love you, Tehya.”
She froze beneath him.
“What did you say?”
His fingers stroked down her side to her thigh before his hand cupped beneath her knee and lifted her leg higher, over his head, he seated himself deeper inside her.
Stretching, burning, pleasure rippled through her flesh in a wave of such intense sensation she cried out with it. Arching, her legs lifting, arms holding him closer, Tehya held his gaze and let herself be taken by him.
However he wanted to take her.
With his body. His hands. With deep drugging kisses as her lashes feathered over her cheeks and she lost herself to each sensation.
The hard, powerful thrusts of his hips, the wicked, heavy strength of his cock impaling her, taking her, marking her in ways she couldn’t have imagined she could ever be marked.
There, in the darkness, their moans rising, heat building between them until felt herself exploding in such intense ecstasy that she could only cry out his name and hold tighter to him.
“I love you, Tey,” he groaned at her ear as he fucked her, thrusting deep a second before she felt the hard flesh tighten further and the eruption of his release suddenly filling her.
As though her soul opened and he filled it, light flooding her entire being as she cried out in his arms.
She was home.
For the first time in her life, Teyha was home.
Her eyes opened, lifting languorously to stare up at him.
Perspiration beaded along his forehead, his shoulders. His gaze was drowsy, black hair falling over his cheek and forehead.
“Jordan,” she whispered, her heart racing, suddenly terrified she hadn’t heard what she thought she had heard.
“I love you,” he whispered again. “I’ve always loved you, Tehya.”
The warmth was brilliant, racing through her, flooding her being.
“I love you.”
The dream she hadn’t wanted to admit to was suddenly real. It was there, in his gaze, his touch, his kiss.
For the first time in her life, Tehya belonged.
Alpine, Texas
Riordan Malone, father, grandfather, Irish stock, and a man who longed to join the woman