Page 8

APRIL

J ay’s piercing, whisky-colored gaze travels from my feet to my head, lingering on my breasts.

My nipples tighten as appreciation shines in his eyes and a seductive smile plays on his lips. “You’re so gorgeous and I love that me watching you turns you on.”

I have to look away to hide the blush covering my cheeks. “Thank you.” I hesitate, not sure of what to do next. Why am I feeling shy suddenly? It’s not like we haven’t done this before. But the proposal and the baby plans and all the emotional turmoil of telling him my story. It’s a lot for one evening.

Jay notices my nerves and instead of taking me right then—which I kind of both want him to do and don’t want him to do—he lies down beside me. “We’re not in any hurry. We can continue to just talk.” His smile turns smoldering.

Heat pools low in my belly and between my legs as I turn toward him. “I’m a little nervous about what we might talk about.”

The blanket rustles as he shifts his position and trails his finger from my belly button and up between my breasts.

He leans in and I think he’s going to kiss me, but instead, he goes cheek-to-cheek with me. “Then let’s not talk.” His breath caresses my ear, moving down my neck, where he peppers my skin with kisses.

A small sigh escapes my lips, but my nerves get the best of me. “Maybe we should rethink this,” I whisper. “Maybe we should sleep on the whole getting married and making babies thing. It’s a big decision.”

“Why?” His hand travels down the length of my arm and stops to rest just above my pubic hair. “Do you have second thoughts?” He punctuates the short sentence by lightly kissing my neck, just below my earlobe. “Tell me to stop if you do.”

My knees weaken, and I moan out loud. His hand on my stomach is warm and suddenly, I want nothing more in this world than to have his baby. “I don’t want you to stop,” I croak.

He laughs. The low, sexy sound vibrates through my body as he embraces me again. “I’m so glad,” he whispers against my hair. He smells like soap and, underneath that, a scent uniquely his, a mixture of cedar and citrus.

Sighing, I lean into his chest. He smells like home.

I tense. That’s not right.

I haven’t had a home in a long time and won’t until the mobsters get their ledger back.

Jay loosens his hold, but leans down to nibble my ear. “Stop thinking and just go with what your gut tells you.”

“I can’t,” I mutter. “My gut told me to steal the van. And look where that got us.” I force myself to break his hold, no matter how good his hands feel on my body.

He tilts up my face with the edge of a knuckle, forcing me to look at him. The pupils of his eyes are large, making them darker amber than usual. “Never feel bad about wanting me, Princess.”

“I bet you say that to all the women who kidnap you.”

He smiles. “Luckily, that doesn’t happen too often.”

“I’m sorry,” I say. ”It’s been a hard couple of days. I didn’t mean to mess up your life.”

He acknowledges that statement with a slight nod before grabbing my hand. “You haven’t messed up my life. You created a big wrinkle, maybe, but we can fix that.”

My breath hitches. “Okay.” But I’m scared because being with him feels more right than anything else I’ve known in my life.

“I understand if this situation makes you a little uncomfortable.” He holds on to my hand when I try to pull away. “It’s unconventional, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t perfect. You’re fucking perfect, April.”

I clear my throat. Coherent thoughts are hard right now.

He fingers a strand of my hair and tucks it behind my ear, turning the gesture into a caress by tracing the outside of my ear.

I tilt my head and rest my cheek in his palm.

He leans down, his breath hot against my lips. “Stop overthinking this,” he whispers and then claims my lips.

Liquid fire sizzles from my lips to my nipples. They pebble into hard knots.

I lean into the kiss. My body cares fuck about logic. My hormones are in charge and they care only about Jay being naked next to me, wanting to fill me up with his seed and breed me.

His firm body presses against mine.

I try to recall why this is a bad idea—something about not being good at separating sex and feelings—but my brain fogs over.

Just feel , a traitorous voice in the back of my mind whispers.

Jay grabs my hands and lifts them to clasp behind his head.

I moan his name.

“I know,” he growls against my mouth, but then leans back. My hands fall from his neck, and I trace a pattern on his ripped chest. His nipples harden beneath my fingers. He lifts my chin with his knuckle again. His gaze searches mine. “You belong to me.”

“I don’t belong to anyone.” I’m going for decisive, but my tone comes out wistful.

“That’s where you’re wrong, Princess. You were mine the moment I first saw you.”

His words make my pussy clench. They shouldn’t because they’re several decades out of date, but him wanting me turns me on. “I want you.” I grab his hips, pulling him toward me and grinding against him.

His erection pushes against my belly as he crushes me to his body. Finally, we’re skin against skin, again.

Mine’s on fire.

I need all of this man.

And I need him right now.

I hip-check him and press on his chest to roll him over on his back.

With a cheeky grin on his face, he resists briefly, but then falls back, grabbing my hands and pulling me on top.

I straddle him, but stay high on my knees, teasing him—and myself—by keeping my wet pussy from his hard cock.

He grabs my hips and pushes his erection against my core. “I’m putting a baby in you right now,” he growls.

Those are words that I never thought I’d find hot, but somehow I get even more turned on. I clasp his hands and push them over his head. Securing them both with one hand, I use the other to cradle his face as I lean in for a kiss.

He struggles against my hold, but not seriously enough to break free.

“I’m setting the pace this time,” I say against his mouth before nipping his lower lip.

A lazy smile spreads over Jay’s lips. “Sounds good to me.” He bucks his hips.

I release his face and press his lower body back down. “Not until I say so.”

His grin grows broader. With a wicked gleam in his eyes, he lifts his head and captures a nipple in his mouth. He grazes it with his teeth before biting down lightly.

Sparks shoot from where his mouth touches straight to my core. I can’t hold back anymore.

I need him inside me.

Slowly, I lower myself, allowing only the tip of his shaft to feel my wetness.

He inhales sharply. “April,” he hisses and closes his eyes.

I smile. “Told you. I set the pace tonight.”

His back arches as I lower myself onto his shaft an inch. He’s thick, and my breath catches as I wait to adjust to his girth. Delicious friction between his cock and my pussy adds to the pleasure. A guttural moan escapes my throat.

Never before in my life have I made a sound like it.

Jay struggles against my grip on his wrists, but I hold on tight.

He opens his eyes. “I don’t like your rules anymore.”

“Too bad.” I flex my pussy around his cock.

His eyes glimmer mischievously. Briefly, his body relaxes, and then he twists his hips, trying to flip me over.

I lean forward and press down on his chest with my torso.

“I want to ride you while you put that baby inside me.” I flick my tongue against his nipple.

At his sharp intake of breath, I do it again and am rewarded with another growl.

I love that I can make him do that. “Now, where were we?” I grin.

He smiles back, but his voice is gravelly. “You’re riding me. And I’m putting a baby inside you.”

“That’s right,” I whisper, my voice now hoarse as well. I sit down, taking all of his length. Another loud moan escapes my lips when I fully sheath him.

Jay bucks his hips, forcing me to take him deeper.

Letting go of his wrists, I sit straight and ride him, setting a fast pace.

He grips my hips harder, slowing me down. One hand slides forward, his fingers tangling in my damp curls. Placing his thumb on my clit, he presses down hard.

Ripples of pleasure radiate through my body.

Tilting my head down, I watch as his hand works me. It’s the hottest thing I’ve seen, and the pressure builds inside me until I pant with the need for release.

White light explodes on the inside of my eyelids as wave after wave of pleasure washes over me. From somewhere far away, I hear Jay shouting my name and feel his release pulsing inside me.

I collapse against his chest, and an aftershock claims me, making me moan his name.

He chuckles, stroking my back in lazy circles.

“Shit, I must be heavy,” I mumble against his neck and roll off him.

“You’re perfect,” he says as he turns on his side and pulls my backside against him, spooning me.

His hot breath tickles my neck, and cocooned in the warmth of his body, I drift off to sleep, vaguely aware of Jay pulling the covers on top of both of us. For the first time in forever, I feel not alone.

And safe.

In his arms is the safest I’ve ever felt.