Allie's clothes followed his to a heap in the floor, the satin and sinew of their bodies kissing each other with glancing touches as they stood in the near darkness, face to face.
Her hands caressed him gently again for only an instant before moving up his hips and sides. He could do no more than stand, and that was taking every bit of what energy he possessed. He realized she was hesitating. Did she feel he'd been too cavalier with the killings he'd done? He couldn't help but look at his own hands, resting on her shoulders. Hands that had killed more men than he wanted to think about. He couldn't change it. Maybe, having seen what he was capable of first-hand, Allie had changed her mind.
"I killed two men today."
She raised her head slowly to meet his eyes in the near-darkness. "I think – you only killed one. But it doesn't matter, Brandon. Not to me."
The look she gave him was so sweet, so pure, so true, that he felt humbled by it. The trusting love that shone in her expression was a picture he'd carry in his heart until his last day.
"You protected us – me, the boys, our ranch – that's what matters. And I love you for that, Bran."
She meant it, no doubt. He smiled wearily. "Why the hesitation, then?"
She shook her head and looked down. "Selfish of me, to want you like I do. You're so tired…oh," she waved a hand, "you put up a good front for everyone out there, but I know you. I see the pain in your eyes when you forget and move your hand too much. I see the weariness in the lines here—" She touched the sides of his mouth and his forehead. "And yet, here I am thinking of how much I want you. How much I need you."
"Feeling guilty, are you?"
"Don't tease me, Brandon. I mean everything I've said."
He lifted her chin, and leaned forward to cover her mouth with his own. Her lips parted, and he slipped his tongue inside her mouth, kissing her long, and slow, and hot.
The hard length of him rubbed her belly and she moaned softly, encircling him with her hand, her thumb passing over the tip of him.
He lifted his lips from hers. "Do I feel weary to you now?" he whispered raggedly. "I need you, Allison, as much as you need me. One man, or two – I've done murder today. It's left a wound in me only you can heal. Come make me whole again."
She pushed him down gently to the bed, following, to fit her body atop his. Her breasts teased his chest, his manhood flush against her, their legs entwined as she put her mouth to his once more and he gave her control of the kiss.
Her hands moved slowly over his body, neck, shoulders, and armpits, gliding down his sides, over his ribs, with gentle care, as if she were memorizing every hollow and plane of him. Her mouth followed her hands, kissing, licking, tasting every place her hands had charted. But when she began to move lower, he stopped her, pulling her back up to him.
He rolled over, taking her with him, pinning her beneath him. "Kiss me," he whispered, nipping at her full lower lip. Her breath hissed inward as his naked, hot skin glided over hers.
He grinned, reaching for her wrists, pinioning them above her head. She turned back quickly to glare up at him, her eyes ablaze with emerald fire. She didn't bother to ask him to release her. They both knew that wasn't going to happen until he was ready.
"Kiss me." He tasted her, felt her lips tremble beneath his tongue. His mouth came over hers slowly, deliberately, his hard chest skimming across the cradling softness of her breasts.
She tensed beneath him, straining up toward the touch of his skin on hers, and the languid possession of her mouth as he stole her breath from her body.
He drew her bottom lip into his mouth and sucked it as her hips moved up, seeking him. He held her wrists easily with only one hand now, the other moving to her hair, cupping her cheek tenderly.
Brandon lifted his mouth, needing to hear it from her again. "Tell me," he muttered. He nipped her chin playfully, then ran his tongue over her lips.
"I love you."
He moved his hand lower, covering her breast, feeling the hard, pebbled nipple. She surprised him with a quick flick of her tongue across his lips. He ground his hips slowly into the V of her thighs, letting her feel the heavy, hard length of him.
"I love you, too."
"How much?" A smile touched her lips, but there was still a question in her eyes.
Brandon looked at her for a long moment. Finally, he lowered his head, his hot breath fanning across her puckered nipple. She strained upward, desperate to close the half-inch of space he left between his mouth and the taut peak.
"Enough to die for you."
Her eyes filled with tears. He hadn't meant to break her heart, but she had to understand. If something happened to him, he didn't want her to feel guilty. He put his tongue out, circling her nipple languidly, tasting the sweet warmth of her skin.