Page 24 of Caspian (HC Heroes #14)

C as woke up to morning light streaming through the window, bathing the room in a soft light.

He was in Harper’s bed in her apartment, and she was nestled against him, her head resting on his chest, her breathing slow and steady.

A smile tugged at his lips as he watched her sleep, her hair slightly tousled and her face peaceful.

An overwhelming sense of gratitude washed through him for being there, holding her close, knowing she trusted him enough to let him in.

She’d been through so much and yet here she was—strong, determined, and refusing to back down.

God, he was so proud of her.

His thoughts drifted to the diary and the letter they’d found last night.

He was determined to keep the incredible woman safe, no matter what it took.

They were so close to uncovering the truth about Mary’s lover, about which prominent family was behind the murders, and who was still trying to keep it all buried to this day.

Silently, he vowed to not let anything happen to Harper.

Hell, he’d fight to hell and back to protect her and help her see this through to the end.

She stirred against him, her eyes fluttering open as she looked up at him with a sleepy smile he was beginning to love. “Morning,” she murmured, her voice soft and warm.

“Morning,” he replied, brushing a strand of hair from her temple. “You sleep okay?”

Harper nodded, her smile growing. “I always sleep better with you near. You make sure of it.”

He chuckled, remembering their hot night, how he’d paid special attention to her favorite parts, and when they came together, she’d rocked his world. Again.

“Wouldn’t be anywhere else,” Cas said, his voice low and sincere.

Her smile widened and her eyes filled with tears. “How’d I get so lucky?”

“Make no mistake, angel,” he said, brushing a thumb gently across her cheek, catching a tear that had slipped free. “I’m the lucky one.”

She lifted up to kiss his cheek. “We’re going to have to agree to disagree on that one.”

Cas grinned, his heart swelling as he rolled her onto her back and leaned down to kiss her sweet lips, gently, savoring the sweet, quiet moment.

“Guess we’ll be disagreeing for a long time then,” he murmured, pressing his forehead against hers.

“But that’s a fight I don’t mind having, especially if it means I get to keep you close. ”

He captured her lips again, kissing her softly, thrilled at how she melted into him as if they were two pieces that fit perfectly.

A sexy sound rumbled in her throat as she opened up under him, brushing her tongue against his as he upped the temp of their kiss. Damn . Her taste, her hunger, were so fierce and demanding he broke out into a sweat.

Her hands stroked him everywhere as she rocked up into him, trying to kill him.

She certainly had him dying of need. Cas wanted to slow down, to take his time with her.

They’d gone at it hot and heavy last night.

He was beginning to wonder if they’d ever be able to slow down and savor.

Every time he kissed Harper, hunger consumed him until he couldn’t see straight, and he had to be inside her.

He broke the kiss and sucked in air. This time, he was determined to go slower. Lifting up, he glanced down at her soft, supple, naked body. His heart rocked. “You’re so damn beautiful.”

Bending down, he licked a delectable peak while he brushed the other with his thumb.

She moaned and arched up, testing his control.

So damn responsive . He tugged her nipple with his teeth, his whole body tightening at the sexy as hell sounds leaving her lips.

Her hands were busy, too, running down his sides, then back up to clutch his shoulders tightly.

“Caspian.” She squirmed. “I need…”

No reason to ask what she needed. He knew. Hell, he needed it too. Releasing her nipple, he kissed a path down her quivering belly, nipping at her hip as he wedged his body between her legs.

Delectable.

She was so lush and beautiful, he couldn’t wait to get his mouth on her.

Starting at her inner thigh, he kissed a path up her leg, spurred on by her words of encouragement. He caressed her other leg with his hand, making his way to the top, then drew back and looked some more.

“Caspian…”

He stroked a finger over her center and dipped inside, his blood heating as he found her wet. So damn wet. He stroked her again, and again, loving the way she clutched the sheet, sexy little moans on her lips.

The urge to taste her won out. He leaned in, and while he continued to stroke, he licked her, relishing the way she panted and how her hands were suddenly on his head, holding him in place.

As if he’d ever leave.

“So good.” Her voice was hoarse and full of need, while she rocked up. “Faster…I need…”

He knew what she needed. Hell, he’d always know and always take care of her.

As he drew her into his mouth, Cas slid another finger inside and changed the angle. She grasped his hair and cried out as she burst, moaning and thrusting, nearly taking him with her.

So perfect and so damn hot. Fighting for control, he slowly brought her down and talked his body back from the edge.

Still trembling and panting, she released his head and smiled up at him. “Damn, you did it again. My body feels like warm jelly.”

“I can help you with that in a minute.” He smiled, slipping off the bed to dig a condom from his jeans pocket.

“How?” She lifted up on an elbow to watch him, her gaze heated and smile wicked.

After rolling on the condom, he crawled up her, dipping down to lick and nip and kiss soft curves and valleys on his way to her mouth. “All in good time,” he murmured against her skin.

Her gorgeous nipples were too perky and tempting to ignore, so he gave them equal time, loving how she sucked in a breath and clutched his back.

But it was more than her gorgeous body that tempted him. It was the whole package. Everything. Her sweet smile, kind heart, bravery, hot sighs, needy little moans.

He kissed a path to her neck, tasting and sampling, enjoying her squirms and sighs as he took his time to explore her gorgeous body. She was truly exquisite. He didn’t think he was ever going to stop needing her. She hooked him in ways he couldn’t shake. Didn’t want to shake.

“How do you do it?”

Frowning, he halted and drew back. “Do what?”

“Make me crazy with need so soon after you’d rendered me so relaxed I nearly became one with the mattress.”

Pride mixed with a craving so fierce, he inhaled then grinned. “Working on instincts, giving you what you need.”

Her hands moved to his chest, and she deliberately scraped a nail over his nipple. Cas sucked in a breath, watching her lips curve into a wicked grin.

“Me, too,” she murmured, doing it again.

The tempting woman made him feel things he’d never felt before, both emotionally and physically, and he was surprisingly okay with it.

Her hands moved to his back, caressing her way down his spine to cup his ass. “Any idea what I need now?”

And in case he didn’t, she rocked her hips.

“Affirmative.” His voice was as unsteady as the pulse throbbing in his ears.

Using his knee, he pushed her legs open, then leaned over her to draw a nipple into his mouth while the tip of his erection brushed where he longed to be before he pushed inside her sweet warmth.

A sexy sound escaped her throat, mingling with his strangled growl.

When he released her nipple and stared down at her, his gaze was welcomed by hers, full of warm, open, honest emotion.

It was the craziest thing. Everything inside Cas softened at once.

No hard edges, haunted shadows of his past, self-disgust—all of it dissipated under her raw, direct gaze.

A window to her soul, and damn, she was truly beautiful.

He wanted her. Needed her. And not just sexually. And he could see she felt the same way.

This was different.

They were different. So much more.

And perfect together.

Needing to make her feel cherished, to show her how he felt, he slowly lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her softly at one corner, then the other, and her eyes filled with tears again. Her pure feelings for him cleansed some of his soul like some of the smudges had washed away.

God, she was special, and most definitely the angel he’d called her earlier.

She cupped his face and kissed him back, starting at one corner then the other, her gaze so warm and open he’d do anything to keep it that way. When she looked at him like that, he felt cleansed. Whole.

Reborn.

“Harper,” he whispered, kissing her over and over again, longer and deeper as he began to thrust.

She moaned, trembling beneath him, and returned his kisses with fervor.

The slow pull of their bodies, the feel of her nipples scraping his chest as he drove inside her sweetness, would forever be ingrained in his memory. He’d never grow tired of this. Of them. Of her.

But all too soon, need took over. He released her mouth and stared into her desire-laden eyes as he upped their pace, thrusting long, deep, and fast. Just how she liked it. So did he.

Harper was panting now, and when he shifted his hips and changed the angle, she gripped his forearms and cried out as she bucked wildly beneath him, climaxing around him.

It was too damn amazing. She obliterated his control.

Holding her hips, he stared into her eyes as he drove inside with a hard, deep thrust and followed her over with one hell of a fierce release.

When his sight returned, along with some measure of strength, he quickly flipped onto his back, bringing her with him. They stayed that way for a long minute, working to get air into their lungs.

They’d shared a whole hell of a lot more than their bodies just now. It hadn’t been planned. Just sort of happened, and as scary as it all was, he was determined to ride it out. Stay put. Keep her in his life.

“You were amazing,” he said, kissing her head.