Theirs to Keep - Maya Banks Page 0,91
as Merrick had done, Cade blanketed her body, his hips still twitching against her ass while he lay, his breaths coming hard and long over her shoulder.
“Love you,” he whispered.
As soon as Cade carefully pulled out of Elle’s body, she was in Merrick’s arms again, cradled in his hold.
“Jesus, baby,” he murmured over and over again. “We did it. We goddamn did it.”
She smiled and rested her head against his chest. “No, you did it, Merrick. You kicked his ass. You’re the champion.”
“Did I hurt you?” he asked, worry thick in his voice.
She smiled at that too. “Oh no, my love. If you do that after every fight, I might not be so reluctant for you to fight more often.”
Merrick smiled, and then she looked up at his battered face in worry.
“How hurt are you? God, Merrick, you shouldn’t have been having sex after you just got the hell beat out of you.”
He arched one eyebrow. The one not cut and bleeding. “I thought you just said I kicked his ass.”
“Yeah, well, he did some kicking of his own. You have to be in so much pain.”
Merrick shook his head. “Not yet. Adrenaline still flowing. It’s why I had to have you right here, right now. Later, I’ll feel it. That’s when Dallas will shove some meds down me and make me rest. I won’t be worth killing in a few hours.”
She turned and held her hand out to Cade, wanting him close. As close as she was to Merrick. Cade pushed in until she was sandwiched between the two men. It was a comfortable, familiar place to be in. Between them. Where she felt the safest. Where she was loved.
“I love the two of you. I hope you both know that.”
Cade smiled. “Yeah, I think we do.”
She glanced up at Merrick. “Hey, what’s with kissing me in front of live television? I thought we were keeping me secret.”
Merrick went quiet a moment and glanced Cade’s way. “I’ll admit, I wasn’t thinking about it at the time. I only knew I wanted you to share in that moment with me and Cade. It wasn’t complete without you. I wanted the whole damn world to know that I love you. And…if someone, somewhere sees you and recognizes you and even tries to contact you, then we’ll deal with that when it comes up. At some point, we have to address the issue of your past. Maybe this will help us do just that.”
She leaned her head over on Cade’s shoulder while still remaining in Merrick’s arms.
“And maybe no one will come at all,” she said softly, hope for just that outcome brimming in her heart.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
THE THREE STAYED IN LOS Angeles for four days after the fight. Merrick had meetings with the president of the IMMAO as well as their publicity team, not to mention countless other media for post-fight interviews, videos and a radio appearance.
Elle didn’t know how he did it. He was tired. Physically and mentally exhausted, and he was in considerable pain from the pounding he’d taken. Dallas stayed all four days, giving Merrick a thorough assessment each morning.
The fifth morning, the late nights and endless appointments had caught up with Elle, and she was sleeping soundly when Merrick slid out of bed to meet Dallas.
She stirred and automatically stuck her head up, bleary-eyed, ready to be with Merrick, but Cade slid his strong arm around her and pulled her back down next to him.
Merrick bent over the bed, smoothed her hair from her forehead and then kissed her. “Stay in bed, baby. I won’t be long. Dallas is heading home this morning, and he wanted to check in on me one more time before his flight to Denver.”
“Love you,” she murmured.
The smile split his face and wrinkled his lean jaw. “Love you too.”
She watched lazily as he dressed and then left the bedroom of the suite. Then she turned, seeking Cade’s warmth and the comfort of his body. She snuggled tightly against him and sighed in utter contentment when he wrapped his body around hers and held her close.
His cock was rigid and straining at his boxer briefs, and without thought, she let her hand wander down his body to cup the bulge between his legs.
“Watch it,” he murmured. “You have no idea how much I want to fuck you right now.”
She kissed his neck, inhaling his scent as she nestled even closer, her fingers sliding delicately over the ridge in his underwear.
“And this would be a