Page 131 of Last Fall

He growled a little, but smiled. “A little pre-game sex?Forluck?”

Now that we were rested I really wanted to connect with him. No, Ineededto connect with him. “I’ll give you all the luck I havetogive.”

He rolled us closer to the edge of the bed where his bag was sitting on the floor. “Condom. Bigpocket.”

I dug inside until I found the box. “Who’s the most influential person in your life?” I tore thewrapperopen.

His dark eyes raked over me. “Soon it willbeyou.”

I rolled the condom down hislength. “Erik.”

He rocked his hips up. “My dad. He’s the one who showed me who I wantedtobe.”

“Andwhat’sthat?”

“Justlikehim.”

That was oh, sosweet.

So was the look he was giving me as he gazed up at me like he was madlyinlove.

I really, really liked being in love. It was every bit as wonderful as what I wrote. No, it was better to live it. “I’m sure he’s very proudofyou.”

I sank down on him in slow strokes, taking him deepereachtime.

“I like to think so. He was a good man. A great father.” He hissed as I sank all the way down. “But mostly he was just so strong and caring. He and my mom were so in love and because of that they were just...unbreakable. Even after he died I swear Ma kept going because she could still feel his strength and love. I knew if I could give that to someone one day, make them feel that, then I would havedonewell.”

“Erik,” I whispered, completely at a loss forwords.

He ran his hands up my legs. “I want you to feel that, Zo. I love you. I want you to know how much I love you every day and my strength is yours to have. Take all of it if you need it. Together, Iknowwe’re going to be unbreakable. And this shit with your past,” he shook his head, “it will dissolve under the weight ofourlove.”

I burst intotears.

“Shhh.” He pulled me down onto his chest, wrapped me tight in his arms, kissed my tears away. “Darlin’ why are youcrying?”

“Because I love you so much.” And he was too good to be real, but he was. And he was mine. And I just couldn’tbelieveit.

“I love you too.” He rolled me onto my back and thrust deeper inside me. “I know you don’t like the way it sounds, but you’remine.” He pulled out and sank slowly back inside me. “And I will love you with everything I have. I willprotectyou.”

I nodded, still crying and very much turned on. I grabbed his ass and pulled him to me. I hated thinking I needed protection but really, it was so much more than that. It was family. Families supported eachother.

That’s what Erik hadgivenme.

He reared back and thrustdeep.Yes.

“I don’t hate being yours,” I clarified with a gasp of pleasure. “I hate beingowned.” Our relationship was not aboutpossession.

He pounded into me, then hiked my hips up, sliding an arm beneath to elevate them so he could hit me righttherewith each thrust of his cock. It was so good. The intensity of it all only enhanced it. So many emotions, so much exhaustion, all pouring out into our bodies, recombining into desireandhope.

I was the first to orgasm. The head of his cock slid over my bundle of nerves over and over again, unlocking the center of pleasure. My orgasm triggered his. I had to watch. Had to see the way he was overcome. I loved the way his muscles strained, reminding me how strong and yet vulnerablehewas.

We kept rocking together, kissing and feeling until we collapsed fromexhaustion.

“Do you understand?” I ran my hands over his shoulders and up through his hair as I cradled him betweenmylegs.

I likedbeinghis.

“You own my heart, Zo. That’s the only owning goingonhere.”