“Absolutely.”
“This is so good, Ella,” he whispered fiercely, his lips brushing against her jaw. “It’s so damned good.”
She blinked back the tears that suddenly filled her eyes. “I always knew it would be.”
“You had so much faith in me, even when I didn’t deserve it.”
“You always deserved it. None of what happened was your fault.”
“Some of it was my fault,” he said with a sigh. “I let the rage get the better of me at times, and I’m not proud of that.” Keeping his arms around her, he stood, kicked off his jeans, walked them into the bedroom and came down on top of her, all without losing their intimate connection.
“That was very impressive,” she said, running her fingers through the silk of his hair, because she could. Because she’d wanted to every time she’d laid eyes on him for years.
“What was?”
“The caveman carry into the bedroom.”
“You’re light as a feather.”
“Sure, I am.”
He kissed her. “You fit perfectly in my arms.”
“I’m glad you think so.”
“Dinner was amazing. Thank you. The applesauce more than lived up to the hype.”
“You’re welcome, and I’ll make it for you any time you want it.”
“I’m going to want a lot of applesauce.” As he said the words, he began to move above her.
That’s when she realized he was hard again and apparently fully recovered. She was never going to survive insatiable Gavin. In past relationships, it was a busy night if they had sex once. With Gavin, once was never enough. Would that change over time or would they always want each other this way?
“Stop thinking and just feel,” he whispered. “Just feel.” He withdrew from her slowly, leaving her bereft without him hard and strong inside her. Beginning at her throat, he kissed her everywhere—along her collarbone and down to her breasts, teasing them with soft kisses everywhere but where she wanted them most.
With her hand on the back of his head, Ella tried to direct him.
“Be patient.”
“I have no patience.”
He took mercy on her and ran his tongue over her nipple, back and forth until she was about to start begging.
“Gavin!”
Laughing, he drew the hard tip into his mouth, sucking and biting down nearly to the point of pain.
Ella jolted and almost climaxed from the live current that traveled from her nipple to her clit. Good God . . .
He kept up the slow, sexy seduction until she was reduced to a quivering mess of sensation.
She was right on the brink when he pushed into her again and sent her flying over the edge, screaming from the power of her release. Nothing had ever been like this. Ever. Wrapping her arms around him, she drew him into a kiss that ended when he threw his head back and came with a low growl. He was so fierce and beautiful, his strong jaw clenching, his eyes closed and his lips parted.
Ella took a mental picture of what he looked like as he lost himself in her. It was something she wanted to remember always. She held on tight to him, locked in the bliss they found together. It was everything she’d ever hoped it would be and so much more that she’d never dreamed possible.
If they could have this, just this, for the rest of their lives, Ella would never want for anything else.
CHAPTER 15
There is no grief like the grief that does not speak.
—Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
On Thursday night, Gavin’s parents invited them to a cocktail reception at the Guthrie Inn.
“We don’t have to go if you don’t want to,” Ella said, tuning in to his reluctance.
“I want to support my parents. The inn has been so good for them.”
“But?”