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Between my legs, his hand finds my center and his fingers gently prod, waiting for me to look at him. “Are you ready for me?”

I stare into warm caramel eyes and nod.

“Say it.”

“I’m ready.” I lift my hips.

“No. . . that’s not what I want to hear.” He kisses me, and thendrawsback.

“Make love to me.”

Reaching between us, he moves my legs farther apart, watching my face the entire time. Shuddering at the long-awaited touch, I relax at the sensation of him filling me. He doesn’t use protection since I’m on birth control.

Poor Tathan. He wants to go slow, make love to me like I asked, but those first few moments after he enters me are nothing like that.

“Jesus Christ,” he moans. His head drops to my shoulder. He pushes forward, his hips shuddering as he does so. “It’s been so fucking long. So long. . . .”

“It’s only been a week.”

“I missed you,” he says, grunting with each movement. “I missed you so fucking much.” His hands curl around my shoulders, yanking me into his movements.

Caressing the length of his back, outlining the tautness of his muscles, his body tenses at my touch.

Pressure builds,goose bumpsshiver across my skin, and soon my head falls back, his lips against my skin, his warm breath panting against my neck. The scorching heat of his kiss weakens me.

My fingers dig into his shoulders, my orgasm rushing through me.

And he comes with me, unable to stop himself, his body jerking with his release, his head buried in my shoulder.

“Tathan?” Ibreathe, kissing his neck.

“Kiss me,” he whispers, long lashes lowering, gasping for breath as his body continues to shake. “Kiss me. . . Amalie.”

I do.

Before I met Tathan, and even after, I had a weakness, a struggle inside of me to find love again and let it find me. And then Tathan came into my life and offered me his heart. He asked for my vulnerability and I surrendered willingly.

Handling me with care as my breathing relaxes, he blows a long breath out and eases his body from mine.

Exhaling deeply, Tathan slides to the side and draws me closer, wrapping his arms around my waist and bringing my face to lie on his chest. Just like the morning he left.

A smile spreads across his face. “I have another deal for you.”

I laugh. “I think. . . okay, what is it?”

“I bet I can get you to marry me.”

You knew he was going there, didn’t you?

Tathan doesn’t see it coming when I reach for his hand. “Vegas is a five-hour drive. If we leave now, we can be husband and wife by noon.”

He takes my hand. “That’s how you deal.”