Page 47 of Modern Romance October 2025 5-8

‘Where are we?’ She peered forward but couldn’t see much in the dimness. ‘Where’s the driver?’

‘Probably inside the house.’

‘What house?’ But she knew already. ‘You’ve bought a house here in London?’

‘I’ll show it to you soon.’ He nodded, releasing his seat belt. ‘We can move if you don’t like it, but I wanted a base so I can...maybe take you to dinner.’

‘You want to take me to dinner?’ A small chuckle escaped.

He pushed the button on her seat belt. ‘Every night.’

His hands were firm on her waist and he pulled her close in a smooth, powerful move. His lips were on hers and their tears, their tongues mingled. It was messy and beautiful and dark and safe. So safe. The kisses deepened and slowly, so slowly, Bethan believed.

‘Bethan, darling. You’re so beautiful. I’m so sorry. Can we start over?’

For a moment she rested her forehead on his shoulder and he gently combed her hair back with his fingers.

‘Dinner, you say?’ she murmured.

‘To start. I guess maybe we should take it slower this time.’

‘Should we?’ Bethan wriggled—basically crawled onto his lap. ‘Not that much slower.’

She needed to be close to him. Needed to love him. She just neededhim.

His arms swept about her. ‘Damn, Bethan,’ he groaned as she wrapped herself around him. ‘The last couple of weeks have been the roughest of my life and there have been some rough ones.’

‘Me too,’ she whispered.

‘I’ve missed you so much,’ he muttered.

Bethan wasn’t taking anything slow now. She dug into his jeans pocket. Chuckling when she found the protection. ‘You were confident,’ she teased as she drew it out.

‘Hopeful. Desperate, actually. Love you so much.’

She was every bit as desperate. Aching and impatient, they kissed and fumbled clothing aside just enough to prepare him, to bare her. Gasping, she sank onto him as he filled her in that way that only he could. This waseverythingand so overwhelming her tears streamed.

‘I thought I’d never have this again. Never have you again,’ she sobbed.

‘I know. I’m here now. I’ll always be here for you,’ he crooned, holding her closer, soothing her with whispers of love as he took her back to slow—so slow they were barely moving.‘I love you. I love you. I love you.’Tenderly sealed together as he whispered it over and over, turning tears to happiness to pure truth.

Inexorably the compulsion to ride him faster grew. His touches became teases and ultimately exquisite torture as he devoured her. His face flushed as he cupped her breasts, scraped his teeth over one nipple then licked the other. He spread his hands wide over her hips to help her rise and fall on him. She loved how much he enjoyed her softness—as she loved the powerful hardness of him. They worked together, rubbing in the best possible way.

‘You’re the best thing ever to walk into my life.’ He nuzzled her neck. ‘I couldn’t comprehend it at the time. Couldn’t believe it. You bring everything I never thought I could have. Could never admit that I even wanted. You’re absolutely everything to me.’

She heard the tremble in his voice, felt him shaking beneath her, knew just how much he neededher. Not just to know, but tobelieve. He needed that same foundation as she. So she wrapped her arms and legs about him even more tightly.

‘I’m not going to let you go,’ she whispered fiercely. ‘Never. You’re mine, Ares. You’ll always be mine.’

‘Yes.’He clutched her hard as ecstasy overwhelmed them both.‘Yes.’

Slowly the warm silence morphed—from breathless, to content, to utterly dreamy. She lifted her head and smiled at him. The tired strain around his eyes had evaporated. He was her gorgeous, vital Ares again. And he smiled back.

‘Afternoon sex suits you,’ she chuckled.

‘Making love withyou—any time and every time—suits me.’ He kissed her. ‘I’m giving you fair warning, Bethan.’

‘Warning for what?’