“You love me?” They were the sweetest words she’d ever heard. He loved her.
“Damn, woman, I’m willing to give up everything to keep you safe. Of course I love you. I love everything about you. I need you, Avery. I need you so bad.” His hands tightened on her hips, dragging her forward until his cock touched her belly. “I love you, baby. I love you.”
Maybe it wouldn’t last forever. Maybe he would die tomorrow or she would, but she would have loved him and that was what mattered. Love mattered. Faith mattered. He mattered. “I love you, too.”
Uncertainty clouded his features. “I don’t know if I believe you.”
His hands moved restlessly on her hips, tracing the lines as his cock nudged her belly. He lowered his forehead to hers, nestling their heads together.
“I love you, Liam.” She could say his name here in the shower. Tomorrow they could talk without fear of being overheard, but tonight she still had things she needed to say to him. “I love you, but you should know I am going to need a few things from you.”
“I’ll give you anything.”
“I need a ring and one of those collar thingees.”
His hand found her hair, his fingers twisting and tugging gently. It lit up her scalp and brought her to her toes. His mouth, those gorgeous full lips, hovered over hers. “You want to be my sub?”
She was going to be honest with him from now on, even when it made her vulnerable. “I want to be your wife.”
She thrilled to the arrogant, dominant look that banished his previous wariness. “That’s a given, love. Wife, sub. It’s the same to me, but know that as soon as we can do it safely, you’ll stand in front of a judge or a priest or whoever and you’ll make your vows in public. But know right now that if you say yes to me, I’m already your husband. And I am absolutely your Master. Do you know what that means?”
It very likely meant she would be sore in the morning. He was a hungry Master. When he got going, he could fuck all night like he was a starving man and she was the feast of a lifetime. It wouldn’t mean a thing to him that they were on the run. He’d find a way to have her, and she found deep comfort in that. She was necessary to him. As necessary as he was to her. She brought her hands up to trace the sharp line of his jaw. He was masculine perfection and he was all hers. “Yes, Liam. I know what it means. And I’m saying yes. I’ll say it every day.”
She knew that every single day with him would be precious.
“Master. You’ll call me Master when I’m fucking you, girl.”
How did he make the word fucking sound like a declaration of love? It would sound dirty coming from anyone else. She’d actually hated the word before, but now she understood what fucking was. Fucking was down and dirty and sexy and loving. It meant losing herself in him, but somehow she didn’t become lost. Somehow fucking Liam made her more Avery than she’d ever been before. She rubbed her belly against that monster cock of his. “Yes, Master.”
His face fell, his hands cupping her cheeks. “Avery, this isn’t the time, love. We’re in danger.”
They had always been in danger. She could see that now. “We’re stuck here for a while, Liam.”
“I need to concentrate, Avery.” His hands smoothed back her hair.
“Adam and Jake are across the hall. They can hear what goes on in this apartment. They’re keeping watch. We’re as safe as can possibly be. And aren’t we supposed to act normal?” He’d gone over it on the train. They were supposed to pretend like everything was fine.
“Don’t tempt me.”
But she wanted to tempt him. “Li, we make love all the time. What were you planning on doing for the next hour? They’re listening. Should we play a board game? I don’t think so. We should give them a show.”
He kissed the top of her head. “Fuck, girl, now you’re in for it. Do you have any idea the things I want to do to you? I want you every way. I want to master every inch of you.”
He would do it. He would take her every way he could think of, and she would give him everything. And she wanted something back from him. She was finally ready. Her heart was finally open enough. “I want another baby, Liam. It doesn’t have to be now, but I’ll want it soon.”
His face softened, his body cuddling against hers. “I might be a horrible da. I didn’t have one meself, love.”
His Irish accent went guttural and strong when he got emotional. She held him close. “You’ll be great. I’ll have to learn it all over again, but we’re going to be great.”
She could feel his cock pulsing against her belly as his lips found her face. He trailed kisses everywhere as he smoothed back her now wet hair. He kissed her forehead and each eye. He nuzzled their noses together before kissing each cheek. “Mine. You’re mine.”