“Mine.”

She could tell he was surprised to hear her say that, because they’d been spending most nights at his place thanks to her nosy landlady.

“It’s closer,” she said meaningfully.

“Hurry.” He patted her ass and sent her along to her car, which was parked behind his truck.

As Ella followed the speed limit to the letter, she could almost feel him boiling behind her. She’d felt him on slow simmer the whole time she’d been at his parents’ home, trying to be polite while she visited with Bob and Amelia when all he wanted to do was get her out of there.

It was heady stuff to be wanted that way by the man she loved. But it was also fun to play with him a little, to make him wait, to build the tension.

She pulled into her driveway with him right behind her. Before she could gather her purse and the backpack she’d taken to Burlington, he was upon her, opening her door and reaching for her seatbelt. “Gavin! Wait.”

“I’ve already waited long enough.”

“Five more minutes won’t kill you.”

“It just might. Move it.” He “helped” her out of the car and propelled her along with the force of his own desire. Her feet barely touched the ground on the way inside or as they went up the stairs as one being, his arm around her waist moving her along. Once again, she felt swept away by him, overtaken in the best possible way. The potent excitement of being back in his arms was overshadowed only by the lingering fear of how her surprise would be received.

Inside her apartment, he took the backpack from her and dropped it with a thud inside the door. Then he removed her coat, her sweater and was working on her jeans by the time she caught up to him.

“Gavin, wait, I want to talk to you—”

“After. We’ll talk after.” His coat, sweater, boots and jeans ended up in the same pile with her clothes. When they were both down to underwear, he took her hand and led her to her bedroom. “Come here, baby.” He drew her into his arms and breathed a heavy sigh. “Don’t go away anymore without me, okay?”

“Okay,” she said, heartened by the comment. Perhaps her surprise would be a big hit after all.

His hands were everywhere—on her back, her shoulders, her ribs, cupping her breasts and squeezing her ass—as if he were taking inventory to ensure she’d returned to him whole and intact. Kneeling before her, he helped her out of her panties and then removed her bra before standing.

She helped with his boxers and drew him into bed with her.

“I thought I was going to die watching you eat whipped cream at my mother’s,” he whispered against her neck. “I wanted to dive across the table and have you right there.”

“You don’t think that would’ve shocked your parents?”

“You’ll notice I managed to control myself. Just barely.”

“No need to control yourself now.”

His low growl was his only warning before he took her mouth in a series of savage kisses.

Ella was breathless as she tried to keep up with him. She’d never seen him so undone by desire, and she loved it. Though she couldn’t wait to tell him about the trip, she would wait until after they’d slaked the ravenous need that she felt every bit as acutely as he did. She gave herself over to him, surrendering entirely.

“God, Ella, you’re so sexy. I wanted you the second you walked in the door with your cheeks all flushed from the cold. How do you do that to me? How do you make me so crazy?”

“You do the same to me. I thought about you all the way from Burlington when I was driving way faster than I should’ve been because I couldn’t wait to see you.”

He stopped kissing her and raised his head so he could see her face. “Don’t do that again.”

“Do what?”

“Drive too fast when you’re on your way to me. Don’t take chances with your safety.”

“I didn’t—”

“Promise me you won’t do that again.”

Because it seemed to matter so much to him, she said, “Okay, I won’t.”

“Promise.”

“I promise.”

“Good,” he said, kissing her softly and with less urgency than he’d shown a few minutes ago. “If anything ever happened to you . . .”

“Nothing is going to happen. I’m right here and I love you.”

“I want to touch you everywhere and make you pay for making me suffer at my parents’ house, but more than anything I need to be inside you right now.”

“Yes, Gavin . . . Please.” She raised her hips and offered herself to him. Everything she had to give was his. It always had been and always would be.

He drove into her and dropped his head to her chest.

While her body stretched and burned from his entry, Ella ran her fingers through the hair she loved so much and tried to relax, to accommodate him.

“Nothing is like this,” he whispered. “Nothing.”

She smoothed her hands over his back and down to grip his ass, holding him inside her until she felt ready for more. “Make love to me, Gavin.”

“Gonna be fast.”

“That’s okay. We’ve got all night.”

Her words seemed to unleash something in him. He pounded into her repeatedly, taking them both on a wild ride that ended in one perfect moment of utter unity as they came together, groaning and clinging to each other as the tremors took them over.

He sagged into her arms, his big body vibrating from the powerful release. “Love you, Ella. Love you so much.”

“I love you, too.”

“Thanks for not giving up on me.”

“I’ll never give up on you.”

CHAPTER 23

No one ever told me that grief felt so like fear.

—C. S. Lewis

They stayed there like that for a long time, the room growing darker before he finally withdrew from her and moved onto his back, bringing her with him. She wanted to curl up to him, to wallow in the heat and comfort of him next to her, but it was time to tell him about the trip. Preparations had to be made by both of them to be ready to leave at six in the morning. She couldn’t wait any longer.

Kissing his chest, she said, “Let me up for a minute.”

“As long as you come right back.”

“I’ll come right back.”

He kissed her lips before letting her go. “Hurry up.”

“Always in such a hurry.”

“Only when you’re around.”

Her heart pounding with excitement, she used the bathroom and then went to find the packet she’d printed at work the day before. “Here goes nothing,” she whispered as she returned to the bedroom. Before getting back into bed, she turned on the bedside lamp.

Gavin winced from the sudden onset of light. He blinked her into focus. “What’ve you got there?”

“Your surprise.”

“Oh, I’d almost forgot about that.” He raised himself up on one elbow. “What is it?”

“Before I tell you, I want you to know that I did this for you because I think you’ll enjoy it and I want you to be happy. I hope you’ll like it.”

“I’m beyond curious.”

Her mouth was suddenly dry as she handed over the packet of papers that included plane tickets, pictures from the resort and information about their reservation.

He opened it, looked it over and then glanced at her, his jaw tight with tension. “What is this, El?”

“It’s a trip to Dylan’s wedding, all paid for and arranged. We leave in the morning.”

“You . . . You set this all up?”

“I did,” she said, swallowing hard. “And don’t worry about work. Your dad talked to Clinton, and he’s more than happy to cover for you next week so you can get away.”

“My parents know about this, too?”

She nodded. “So does Dylan. He was very excited about it and said to tell you how much it’ll mean to him to have you there for his wedding.” As she spoke, she couldn’t help but notice that he didn’t seem happy about the surprise. He seemed . . . less than pleased.