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She laughed, making me realize I’d said the word aloud. “You’re very possessive, husband.”

“Only about the people and things I love.”

Her gaze softened, turning molten. “If I’m yours, then you’re mine.”

It felt so good to be claimed. To be wanted.

“No more talk of expiration dates,” I said.

“I’m yours as long as you’ll have me.”

“Forever isn’t long enough,” I said. “I want you to be mine longer than forever.Sans cesse.” I kissed more of her skin. “Toujours.”

“À tout jamais,”she gasped as I moved my attention to her breasts, licking and sucking her nipples in a way that drove her wild. Her words drove me wild—a promise that emphasized the eternal nature of her desire.

“Promets-moi?” I asked.

“Promise.” Her hand was on my cock, stroking, teasing.

“Not going to last long if you keep that up,” I said, circling her clit. Making sure she was ready for me.

“Need you, Graham,” she panted. “Need you inside me.”

I lined myself up at her entrance, but then she screeched as the water turned cold. I switched off the shower and hopped out, grabbing towels for us before carrying her to the bed. I set her down on the mattress, crawling up her body, water droplets clinging to her skin.

My eyes were locked on hers as I pushed inside her. We groaned in unison, and I’d never felt more at ease. At home.

“Mon cœur,” I whispered against her skin, pressing kisses to her forehead, over her ear. Trying to show her just how much I loved, accepted, and desired her just as she was.

I was honored that Lily had told me about her alopecia. I couldn’t fathom the strength and vulnerability that it took to reveal something like that, but I could imagine the fear and pain she must have felt—it had been clear in her body language.

She wasn’t used to being accepted, cherished, for who she was. And that made me intensely angry—at her family, at her friends, at the men she’d dated in the past. They were idiots, all of them.

Because she was incredible. Not just because of what she’d endured but because of who she was. Her work ethic. Her determination. Her resiliency.

It made me want to burn the world for her. It made me?—

“Graham.” She placed her hand to my cheek. “Stay here. With me.”

I rested my forehead against hers, eyes locked. Her bottomless blue ones peered up at me with such trust and tenderness and love that it stole the air from my lungs.

I rolled us so she was on top, in control. “Ride me,” I panted. “Take control. Take what you need from me.”

She did, taking her pleasure and giving too. I kept one hand on her hip, the other on her clit, circling, building that pleasure. A flush crawled up her chest, over her cheeks. She was close.

“That’s it,mon cœur.Come for me. Only me.”

“Yes,” she gasped, toying with her breasts, her nipples. Fuck me, she was sexy. I wanted to stay with her, like this, forever.

I’d never felt more like myself than I did when I was with Lily.

Pleasure coiled tight at the base of my spine, building, climbing, trying to escape. I gritted my teeth, desperate to hold out a little longer. I yanked her forward, tugging her nipple into my mouth. Swirling, sucking, biting.

She moved faster. Sliding up and down, neither of us in control of our movements any longer. For once, I didn’t care.

I didn’t feel the need to control everything, and I wanted her to see that. Wanted her to know that when it came to us—she held all the power. She had my heart in her hands.

She cupped my cheek, her eyes locked on mine. It was so intense, so raw, that I couldn’t—wouldn’t look away. We were connected in the most intimate and primal of ways, and I loved her.