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“Are you sure—”

“I’m not letting you go.” The words were a growl. Lena tightened her arms around me, and I managed to shut the door behind us. She was worried about me being tired or her being too heavy? I wasn’t.

She didn’t understand that if I had to carry her all the way to her house on foot, I would do it. I dug my fingers into the softness of her hips, itching to slip them down onto her ass. The frenzy building in my chest was ready to be unleashed, but I wanted to be in her bed when it happened. A place where she felt safe, and where the first time we did this didn’t have to be rushed.

Still, I pushed her back against the door of my truck and kissed her again. The moan that fell out of her was enough to make me harder than I already was. The second her lips touched mine, I’d been harder than the rocks of the mountains all around us.

Lena shuddered, and I pulled back. Her lips were red, cheeks flushed, and the rest of her was pale. It was cold. That wouldn’t do.

Stepping back, I opened the door and lifted her. “Get in.”

“Bessie?”

“We’ll come back for her,” I said. “I don’t think I can be separated from you right now.”

“No complaints here.” She barely left enough room for me to slide onto the bench seat.

Leaning forward, she kissed me this time, nearly sprawling over my lap in her attempt to get closer. Her words rang true. I wasn’t complaining. But I also didn’t want her to die on our way there. “You need your seat belt,” I murmured against her lips.

“You’ll be my seat belt.”

“Lena.” I put more command behind her name.

“Jude.”

The kiss was desperate, both of us breaking, pulling toward each other without thought for anything else. I couldn’t get enough of her lips on mine or the brush of her body. Every place she touched was a live wire, sending shocks through my entire being.

Finally, I pulled her back. If I didn’t, we weren’t making it to her house. “Put it on.”

She rolled her eyes, but she was smiling as she slid across the seat and buckled. The fact that she wasn’t touching me anymore was pure torture. I started the truck and backed up. The faster we got to her house, the faster I could taste those lips again, along with everything else.

I held out my hand across the seat, and she took it, weaving our fingers together. One glance over told me she was biting her lip, the tiny glow from the truck’s headlights showing me only the barest details.

The silence in the truck was a living thing, surrounding us and spinning back and forth. I had so much I needed to say, and I imagined Lena had plenty to say as well. But there was nothing in this moment we could say to break the tension and the cloud of lust fogging the air.

Condensation was creeping up the edges of the windows, the haze made visible because of our need.

There. Her house came into view, and I nearly took the turn into her drive too fast. We were here. This moment was here. As soon as I heard the click of her belt, I tugged her across the seat to me. No more distance.

I swept her into my arms and kicked the door of the truck shut. “Keys?” I asked.

She squirmed, getting them from her pocket, and we tumbled into her house together. I didn’t want to let her go. The image of me carrying her into the house like a bride struck me so deep and so true, I lost my breath. There was a rightness in this I couldn’t deny.

But I had denied it. For far too long.

I bumped the door closed behind us.

“I have to shower,” she whispered. “I smell like a chimney. And...I need a moment. Is that okay?”

I nodded, setting her down. “I need one too. Can I use your guest bath?”

I wanted to shower with her, but I would give her a chance to compose herself. And I needed the chance to make sure I had myself completely under control.

She pointed down the hall. “There’s soap and towels in there.”

Before I could say anything else, she darted away. Was she nervous? That would be my fault. Again.

A cold shower got me clean but didn’t do much to calm me down. I re-dressed and was waiting back in the hallway when she came out of her own shower, wearing sweats and T-shirt, hair damp.