“I’ll never walk away again. I’m keeping you, too.”
“Thank God for that.” Bowen turned her around. She looked up at his beautiful face, running her thumb over a cut under his right eye. He leaned into the contact with a quick release of breath and laid a fist over his heart. “Sera, I’ll be dead in the ground before an ounce of this goes away. There’s nothing you can do to make it lighter and if you could, I wouldn’t let you. I want to be heavy with loving you, baby. Don’t question it again, okay?”
“Okay.” She nodded vigorously, sending tears falling down her cheeks.
“Okay.”
He used his lips to brush away her tears. “Are you sure you don’t want to work as a nurse in Chicago? Something safer? I’m not above begging.”
“And miss out on all the action?”
He pinned her against the wall with a low growl. “You’ll be getting enough action at home.”
“Home,” she repeated breathlessly. “I like you saying that.”
Their lips met for a lingering kiss.
“You’re my home, Sera. The only one I’ve ever had. I want to be yours, too.
Let me.”
Love expanded in her chest. “You’re the only home I’ll ever need, Bowen.”
EPILOGUE
With a muttered curse, Bowen dragged
Sera off the sidewalk and into a shadowed doorway to kiss her. At first, she laughed at his spontaneous gesture, but as soon as his tongue stroked over hers, her amusement disappeared along with his sanity. Cool fingers slid into his hair, tugging a little the way he liked. He pressed his palms high against the door, knowing if he touched her, they would need to find somewhere to finish each other off. Too bad they were already late for their first meeting with the Chicago PD. The meeting to which his wickedly hot girlfriend had decided to wear a tight skirt, probably to drive him crazy until they could get back to the brand new king-size bed he’d insisted needed to be rechristened several times a day. The bed they’d bought together, in a furniture store, holding hands and making decisions like a couple. Bowen had decided that day was the best one he’d ever lived through. Until the next day with Sera had started. And the next.
Now every new day with her became his new favorite.
Sera looped her fingers around his belt and tugged his body closer. Her curves meshed with his harder form, her sexy little moan blanketing his brain in a sensual fog. Against his better judgment, one hand dropped from the door and smoothed over her ass. He’d seen her tug on a red thong while they were dressing to leave and now all he could think of was massaging her * through the material. Would be thinking about it straight through this meeting and the entire way home until he got her alone.
Since they’d moved to Chicago last week, he’d been doing this kind of thing with growing frequency. Reminding himself that the one-bedroom apartment he shared with Sera was real by painting her on every wall. Reminding himself that she was real by kissing her sweet mouth every chance he got. These reminders always ended with her legs wrapped around his head, neck, or hips, screaming for mercy. Part of him hoped the need for confirmation of his dreams coming
true
never
went
away
completely. If they did, he might forget what a lucky bastard he was for a second. That wouldn’t work for him. He never wanted to take a single second for granted with his girl. His Sera.
Her hips started to move, which gave him no choice but to push his hardening cock against all that hot friction. She broke the kiss with a whimper, and then the brown eyes that ruled his dreams were locked on his. Bright, excited, lusty. Trusting. Fuck, what had he started? Recognizing the point of no return, Bowen forced himself to rein in the urge to reach a hand under her skirt and give her relief. Instead, he stepped back and adjusted himself.
“Unfair,” she breathed.
He brushed her hair back over her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Ladybug. I needed a reminder and got carried away.”
Her eyes went soft. “You still need them?”
She really had no idea. Not even a clue how thoroughly she owned his thoughts. At first, he counted it as a blessing. If she knew the depth of his obsession with her, she might freak out a little. The more time went on, though, he felt hope bloom that she wouldn’t even flinch if she knew. That she might be a little obsessed with him as well. God, he fucking well hoped so.
He twined their fingers together and reluctantly pulled her from the doorway.
“What’s wrong? You don’t like my reminders?”
“I love them.” She tucked into his side. “You take them as often as you want. No complaints from this corner.”
“I’ve created a monster.”
She growled playfully, but he could still see the need in her eyes. He’d make it up to her later. Several times. His blood went hot just thinking about it.
“Is Connor meeting us there?”