He tipped his head to the ceiling and groaned. His eyes were dark. “So close, Hattie. I’m so close.”
“Mm,” I hummed around his shaft, encouraging him to let go. I wanted to taste him. I moved faster.
In.
Out.
In.
“Stop,” he growled. “This is so damn tempting, and don’t get me wrong, I love your mouth on me, but I don’t want to come like that tonight. Not if it’s our last night.”
He grabbed my arms, guided me onto the bed. Before I could utter a single word of protest, he spread my thighs and plunged deep inside of me. He was weighty, thick and hard. The air whooshed out of my lungs in one giant, involuntarily exhalation, almost as if my body wanted to exorcise everything from inside of me except him.
Then, he began to move in earnest and pleasure vibrated through my body with every thrust, drag, and circle. My nails dug into the ropes of muscle lining his shoulders. One of his hands tangled in my hair, and the other cupped my breast, pinning me to the mattress as though I’d leave if he didn’t keep me tethered to the bed. Both primal and tender, his eyes devoured me. My insides contorted with love, and right then, I handed my heart to him and tossed the key in a bottomless abyss.
I countered every visceral flex of his hips with one of my own. Heated kisses showered my mouth and neck, turning me into ash. His sweaty chest licked mine in a choreographed erotic dance, and I never wanted it to end. If I could press the pause button and live in that moment forever, I would be tempted to do it.
My entire body shook as indescribable sensations spread through me multiplying with alarming speed, leaving no corner untouched or unmoved. My release turned and twisted, every muscle, ligament, and cell in my body tightening right down to my toes until I exploded. My vision blurred like I was drifting through a cloud and time fell away. A cry tore from my lips, and I arched into him, momentarily disrupting his rhythm.
His lips curled upward, and a chuckle mixed with a groan slipped from his parted lips. I dug my heels into the back of his thighs, pleading without words for him to keep going. Keep milking every ounce of pleasure from my body. Keep riding our connection until we’re both boneless and satiated.
Ryker’s shoulders tensed, and I whispered that I loved him, that I trusted him to keep me safe, and that I’d never stop fighting for us.
“I won’t stop either,” he promised, his voice guttural, his facial features fierce, resembling an ancient warrior. His hips jerked up, down, in and out with brutal force, possessing me, claiming me. Each jarring thrust of his pelvis against mine echoed through the room, sealing our promises. I loved it. I loved him. I would do whatever, fight whomever to keep him.
Moments later, a deep shudder ran through his body and then he collapsed on top of me. My limbs felt like liquid. Our chests pounded against each other almost as if our bodies were whispering silent promises to each other.
He started to roll off me, but I curled my hands around his upper arms. “No. Not yet,” I muttered next to his ear. “I want to feel you next to me and inside of me as long as possible.” I chuckled, recognizing the silliness in my words, but that didn’t make them any less true. “Maybe we could sleep like this.”
He nodded. “That sounds perfect to me,” he admitted, his voice a soft rumble next to my ear. I let the words flow through my body like a rich glass of wine, savoring them, loving them.
Then, he bent his head, capturing my lips in a kiss that made me want to start all over again and celebrate our last hours together until neither of us could move. Without asking, he understood what I wanted. His hands roamed my body, grazing every inch as his tongue curled around mine. The twin rhythms of our breaths echoed in the room. Within a few minutes, his cock stirred to life inside of me, and we were right back where I wanted to be…forever.
Chapter Eighteen
Ryker
I pushed Hattie’s hair away from her face and pressed a kiss to her trembling lips. “Are you ready to do this?”
She licked her lips. “As ready as I’ll ever be.”
I lifted her hand, slid the ring I gave her last night from her finger and placed it in her open palm. “Put this somewhere safe until you’re on the airplane.”
She slipped it in her pocket and closed her eyes. Her lashes cast shadows on her cheekbones. “Are you sure we have to do this?” A quiet desperation colored her words, turning my stomach inside out.
“Look at me,” I whispered as I curled my hand around the side of her face. “It’s just for show. Everything I say once we walk out this door doesn’t mean anything.”
Last night, we agreed to stage a fight so everyone believed we were no longer together. I didn’t like the idea of the last words we’d share for weeks or longer being filled with hatred, but I needed to do everything possible to keep her safe. That meant explicitly showing everyone I didn’t want her any longer.
“I know, but that doesn’t mean it won’t hurt,” she said, her voice cracking.
“They’re just words. Don’t give them the power to hurt you. You know how I feel about you. What I say out there won’t change anything.”
I leaned in and kissed her one more time—maybe the last time if things exploded in my face. Her lips were soft and inviting. She tasted like mint and Hattie, the elixir of love and life. My tongue teased as it slid inside of her mouth, stoking my flame of never-ending desire for her. I tunneled my hands into her hair, deepening our kiss. A low moan slipped from her lips, and I swallowed it, burying it inside of me for later. I wanted to pull her into me. I wanted more time, but it wasn’t possible. At least not today.
“Better?”
“Yes,” she said quietly.
“I love you.”
She smiled. “I love you, too.”
I nodded and flung the door open.
“Get the fuck out of this house,” I yelled as I stalked down the hall.
“Why are you doing this?” Hattie said, her voice small.
“Because we’re over. You need to leave.”
Her suitcase rumbled over the tile floor behind her as she followed me down the hall. “So that’s it. After everything you put me through, don’t you think you owe me a better explanation?”
I halted in the foyer by the front door. From the corner of my eyes, I saw Noah, Ignacio, and Emanuel sitting in the living room just as Noah and I agreed.
“Fuck, Hattie.” I jerked my hand through the strands of my disheveled hair. “Do you want me to spell it out for you?”
She angled her chin to the side. “Yes.”
“We had fun together. You were a good diversion, but I’m just not interested in you anymore. Being with you feels more like work than fun, and I don’t want to work that hard.”
She flinched, then her shoulders slouched. She looked so fucking defeated. I hated hurting her even if it wasn’t real. I hated Ignacio. I hated the Vargas Cartel. I wished I could wrap her up in my arms and carry her away from this place. Instead, I dug my fingernails into my palms to stop myself from folding her into my arms.
“You said you loved me,” she said, her voice trembling.