She whimpered and grabbed his solid arms. “Yes. I want you, too.”

“Get in the tub.”

She didn’t want to step out of his arms and break the connection, but she did as he asked and climbed in. He followed and sat behind her, his strong thighs on either side of hers and his erection pressing into her lower back. The warm water, scented with vanilla, slid over her skin, creating a delicious friction between them.

He reached for her body wash and lathered a small amount between his hands. Starting with her neck, he made his way down her shoulders and back before sliding around to her front. Every stroke was heaven and torment, all rolled into one bundle. His slick, soapy hands found her breasts and squeezed.

Her head fell back on his shoulder. She arched, seeking more.

“God, those noises, Faith. You like this?”

“Yes.” Her eyes fell closed, lost in his touch.

One hand kneaded her breast, circling her nipple, while the other trailed lower beneath the water. Over her stomach and right to where she throbbed for him. Only him.

His lips hovered by the curve of her ear. “I like touching you. Watching you is the most mesmerizing thing I’ve ever seen. You let go of your reservations and just feel. Me. You feel me.”

Each word sent her higher, closer and closer to completion, until she came apart blindly. Before her tremors subsided, he lifted her by the hips and brought her down over his shaft.

He stilled. Rubbed a slow hand up and down her back when she wanted to move. “No condom, Faith. Be careful how close you tease my restraint.

She loved how he filled her. Loved how there was no barrier between them. But the consequences of going unprotected were too great. She rose off of him, already missing him inside her body, and turned to bring them chest to chest. Splaying her hands on his shoulders, she ran them over the ridges of beautiful muscle—down, down—until she could wrap her fingers around him.

He sucked in a breath and grabbed her wrists. “This is about you, not me.”

That gave her pause. Nothing had ever been just about her before. Unsure of what to say, how to feel, she cleared her throat. “Then let me touch you.”

He started to shake his head, but stopped. Looked in her eyes. The gray blue of his irises turned stormy, his eyes fixed and dilated on hers.

Keeping one hand around his shaft, she brought the other up to brush his lips with her fingers. His lips parted to take a finger into his mouth, and as he did, she stroked with her other hand. He bit her finger, not hard, but then released it right away, as if worried he might hurt her. Empowered, she stroked again.

“Mother of God.” His head hit the back of the tub.

She watched him closely as he came moments later, fascinated by the way his jaw clenched and his breath held and his body tensed in a pleasure-pain combination. And all because of her touch. That someone like her could satisfy a man like him had hope rising in her chest, pride swelling in her throat.

Still breathing erratically, he cupped the back of her head and drew her mouth to his, kissing her in a hot exploration that seemed like way more than a simple thank-you by the time he was finished.

Afterward, he dried her body, the soft terry-cloth towel lingering over each part of her like a caress, and then applied lotion to her skin. Slow, deliberate strokes of his hands made her heart race with the tenderness he exhibited. And when he was through, she didn’t have any air left in her lungs.

*   *   *

Because Alec had no idea if anyone else had thought to get Faith a gift while scrambling to pull off this last-minute birthday dinner, he drove her into the touristy area of the strip and parked outside a store.

“I thought we were going to dinner?” Her wary gaze traveled over the building in front of them. A jewelry store.

“We are. After.” He opened his door. “Come on.”

She strode around the car and met him at the store entrance, still looking adorably confused. He took her hand and tugged her inside, wondering just what the hell he was doing. This kind of gift said you cared about someone deeply, and though he did care about Faith way more than was wise, he couldn’t help but think this would be impossible to walk away from. In the end, there was no other choice but to leave. He’d made his mistakes, and he had to live with them.

Yet even with all the doubt ramming his temples, the thought of what Faith might be doing today had he not figured out it was her birthday knotted his gut and tightened his throat.

“Pick out anything you want.” He gestured at the glass display cases lining the walls.

“What?” Her wide, panicked gaze met his.

“Pick out—”

“No, I heard you.” She waved a flustered hand. “Alec, no. I can’t.”

He stepped behind her and held her waist to lean down and speak into her ear. “Yes, you can. You just walk over to one of the cases and pick out whatever piece of jewelry catches your eye.”

She trembled beneath his hands. “Alec . . .”

“Had I known sooner, I would’ve picked something out myself. Happy birthday, Faith.”

“Can I help you folks?” A salesperson walked up to them, her perfume as heavy as her makeup.

“Give us a second,” he said, training his gaze back on Faith.

Not one word fell from Faith’s lips, but the tension in her body spoke volumes. He could’ve plucked her like a guitar string. “Any day now. We have dinner plans.”

She shook her head violently.

Frustrated, he stepped around to face her and found tears. A lot of them. Too many for her to will away like she’d done before.

“Faith. Please? I want to. It’s your birthday and I want to give you a gift.” He cupped her cheeks and wiped the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs.

Earlier, he’d had the odd thought that he’d slay a demon for her. He’d been wrong. He’d slay them all. Because the sight of her like this was killing him.

She blew out a watery breath and met his gaze. “How . . .” She cleared her throat. “How did you know it was my birthday?”

“I’m an author. Research comes with the territory.”

She nodded. “Thank you, but this is a bit much.”

“Then pick out something small if it makes you feel better.” He studied her face for a moment. “Why didn’t you tell me it was your birthday?”

She stared over his shoulder and shrugged. “I don’t know. It seemed presumptuous.”

He shook his head and laughed. Presumptuous? Faith? “Pick something out.” He kissed her forehead and stepped away to address the waiting salesperson. “Whatever she wants.”

The woman’s eyes widened with glee. “Of course.”

Alec backed off and stood by the register to give her some room. Faith hesitantly stepped to the counter with the rings, but quickly moved on. He bit back a grin and pretended to check his texts. Faith moved past the necklaces and earrings before stopping near him at the bracelets, the salesperson chatting her up the entire time.

“I used to have one like that, when I was a little girl.” She pointed to the top row, where a few charm bracelets were displayed on white felt.

He turned and leaned a hip on the case. “You like those?” He never would’ve guessed that, but then again, it suited her. He ignored the bigger, gaudy ones. “Can she see the one on the left?”

“Of course.”

The saleswoman unlocked the case and set the bracelet on the counter, disappointment twisting her mouth. Obviously she’d been hoping a woman allowed to pick anything she wanted would go with a pricier bauble. She didn’t know Faith like he did.

“We have an assortment of charms to go with it. Here’s the book. Just find what you like and I can add them right away. They have tiny clips to add new charms and rearrange however you want.”

Faith tentatively touched the bracelet with her fingertips. “It looks a lot like the one I used to have. Hope had given it to me. I lost it at the hospital during one of her treatments.”