Brady left her legs trembling and hastily stripped out of his shirt and jeans. He sat down next to her, grabbed a fistful of her hair in his hands, and brought her face up to his. Liz stopped breathing as she stared into those commanding eyes, that commanding presence. She knew then that she would never be able to resist this man again. And she never wanted to.

“Do you want to see how good you taste?” he whispered, brushing his nose against her.

“Please,” she murmured.

Their lips met softly even as he held her in place. It was a beautiful contrast, just like their relationship. Hot, fiery, and demanding. Soft, intense, and emotional. When they collided, neither could escape the gravitational pull.

She could taste herself on his lips, and she felt her body reacting all over again. There was absolutely nothing Brady could do that would make her uncomfortable. She just wanted this man so badly that all else was lost to her. And he was lost to everything but her.

Brady’s hand trailed down her back and snapped her bra off. He eased her back down on the couch and covered her body with his own. One of his hands kneaded her soft breasts while the other remained tangled in her hair. She wiggled her hips temptingly, trying to get to his cock. But he wasn’t going to give her an inch until he was ready.

“Demanding little pussy,” he said as he shoved her hips back into the couch again.

Liz just whimpered in defeat. She was demanding, and she wanted him so badly. The buildup was torture, pure, beautiful, blissful torture, but torture nonetheless. Her body was all built-up tension again already, and she just wanted him to drive his dick deep within her and never look back.

“I haven’t explored enough of your body yet,” he murmured against her neck. “I think I should kiss every inch first. What do you think?”

“Brady,” she groaned.

He chuckled as he trailed kisses down her neck and across her collarbone. “This is mine,” he told her. “And this.”

He left kisses down her chest and then latched on to her breast.

“Both of these.”

His hands sent butterflies through her stomach as he gripped her hips and settled his cock against her opening. She wanted to move and try to ease him into her, but just the feel of him against her was sending her into a frenzy. She didn’t want him to pull back.

“I’m going to erase every memory you ever had tonight, baby.”

“Not the ones of you,” she managed to get out. “I always keep those safe.”

He smiled brilliantly at her. That was the right thing to say.

Brady plunged down into her roughly in one swift motion without any warning. Liz cried out as he stretched and filled her gloriously. As promised, Liz saw stars. She was sure nothing else had ever felt this incredible before.

He started a slow rhythm that she was already anxious to increase as he thrust deeper and deeper into her. Liz arched her back again, trying to give him as much room as she could, but she had forgotten how big he was. She was going to be wonderfully sore in the morning, and still she wanted more.

“Harder,” Liz gasped out. “Fuck. Brady, fuck me harder.”

Brady grabbed her leg and placed it on his shoulder before driving into her harder and faster. She whimpered as he stretched her walls to capacity. He took her so roughly that it was borderline painful, and she was clawing the couch to try to get more leverage.

“Baby, your whimpering is going to make me come,” he growled.

“Oh God,” she moaned.

He smirked and leaned forward to fuck her even harder. She was almost there. She felt a layer of sweat coat her body and her walls tightening unrelentingly around him.

“Open those legs for me,” he said, pushing her leg off of his shoulder and onto the couch. She obliged him by unbending her other leg and spread-eagling before him.

With just that added bit of room, Brady drove down into her and she felt her walls shake. “Right there, yes, oh God,” she yelled, and then she shattered.

Her legs trembled mercilessly as he plunged into her one more time before crying out and filling her. Brady collapsed forward on top of her and she wrapped her arms and legs around him. They were both breathless and shaking from the exertion, but unbelievably, unequivocally sated.

As their breathing evened out, Brady propped himself up on his elbows and brushed her matted hair out of her face. He kissed her lips once and when he pulled back, she couldn’t keep the megawatt smile off of her face.

“You know, baby,” he whispered, “I’ve been angry at you for so long that I just don’t think I have it in me anymore. It takes too much effort. Loving you takes so much less effort, and it means I get to see that smile.”

Liz’s mouth dropped open in shock. Had he . . . had he just told her that he loved her?

He laughed softly and then kissed her button nose. “Happy Valentine’s Day, baby.”

Chapter 27

OATMEAL

Liz woke up the next morning to feel Brady’s strong arms wrapped around her waist and her face buried in his shoulder. The soft comforter covered their still-naked bodies as light streamed into the bedroom from the upstairs window. In that moment, Liz just let herself feel all the joy and happiness that came with where she was and what she was doing.

Brady Maxwell. She was in bed with Brady Maxwell.

And in the early-morning sunshine, half-delirious from lack of sleep, aching in all the right places from last night, she felt as if she was exactly where she needed to be. She knew that they’d had a rough time getting there, and she was sure that the road ahead wasn’t going to be easy. But at least right here and right now, she could let the rest of the world fall away, pretend that they didn’t have Hayden’s article to face or a public ravenous for a scandal, and just be here with Brady.

She nuzzled into him and left a soft kiss on his neck. “Mmm,” Brady murmured as he came to.

“Morning,” she whispered.

He tightened his grip on her waist, pulling her closer to him. “I had the most amazing dream last night.”

“Oh yeah? Was I in it?” Liz asked, tangling their legs together under the covers.

“You were. I dreamed I brought you to my lake house and had sex with you all morning,” he whispered into her ear.

“Hate to break it to you, but that wasn’t a dream.”

“I know,” he said, nipping at her ear. “I think I have another dream coming on.”

“Am I in that one?”

“It’s me fucking you all afternoon too.”

“Oh,” she whispered. “I feel like I’m having that same dream.”

He chuckled softly and then rolled her on top of him. Liz leaned her breasts against his chest and braced her hands on his shoulders. His hand slid between them, parting her lips and touching her teasingly.

“No begging this time,” she groaned, evading his playful fingers and pressing herself against his erection.

“The begging is my favorite part.” He found her lips and kissed them softly.

Liz smiled and broke their kiss before slowly lowering herself onto him. “The begging or the whimpering? Or was it when you came?”

Brady grabbed her hips and forced her all the way down onto him. Liz gasped at the unexpected movement. “It’s when you come.”

Liz couldn’t argue with that assessment. Every time he made her come, he quickly followed, until both were spent and unable to move. Their bodies were perfectly in tune as if there had never been a pause in their sex life.

Even though she was on top, she let Brady set the pace. His hands guided her body up and down on top of him. Their hips met at a perfect angle. Her breasts bounced with the movement, and all they did was stare back at each other. She had missed this. Missed him. The emotions trapped between her and Brady intensified every touch, taste, feel as they reexperienced everything they had missed in the past year and a half.