Page 28 of Open Secrets (Infidelity #5)

I shift Maria onto her stomach, trailing my kisses down her back.

The laughter dancing in her throat transforms into a sharp gasp as my lips trace the bumps of her spine, one by one, like counting blessings.

Her hand fumbles behind her, fingers tangling in my hair, pulling me closer as if she can't bear even an inch of separation between us.

"Lyle," she breathes, my name becoming a prayer on her lips.

The moonlight paints silver stripes across her skin through the blinds. I take my time, savouring each inch of her. When I reach the small of her back, I gently part her, my tongue tracing lower. She buries her face in the pillow, muffling sounds that would wake the kids for sure.

I reach around with my left hand, finding her leg and raising it, opening her to me. The position makes her vulnerable, exposed, and I feel her momentary tension before she yields completely, trusting me with every part of herself.

"God, Maria," I murmur against her heated skin. "You drive me crazy."

She turns her head to the side on the pillow, her voice a desperate whisper. "I'll go crazy if you don't get inside me." When I don't move immediately, she adds more urgently, "Now."

I shift my position as she begins to turn. Moving behind her, I settle us both on our right sides on the bed. The cool air of the room raises goosebumps on her skin, so I reach for the sheets, pulling them up to our waists. I don't want her getting cold.

My right arm slides beneath her body, finding her breast. I cup the soft weight of it in my palm as my other hand guides me to her entrance. She's so wet that I slide in with one smooth thrust, both of us gasping at the sensation.

"Fuck," I groan against her neck, feeling her clench around me.

She pushes back against me, setting a slow rhythm. "Don't stop," she whispers, reaching behind to grip my hip, urging me deeper.

I obey, moving within her with measured strokes. My lips find her neck as she raises her leg in the air, giving me room to move faster, deeper. Her pulse thrums against my tongue, skin salty-sweet with sweat. I grip her thigh, holding her open for me as I drive into her with renewed purpose.

"Yes," she gasps, her hand reaching back to grip my hair. "Right there."

The sheets tangle around our ankles as we move together. I'm lost in her—the scent of her skin, the soft moans escaping her lips, the way she clenches around me when I hit just the right spot. My teeth graze her shoulder, and she shudders.

"Don't stop," she begs, pushing back against me. "Please, don't stop."

I have no intention of stopping. Not when she feels this good. My hand slides from her thigh to between her legs, finding her slick and swollen.

"Fuck," I groan against her ear as my fingers circle her. "You feel amazing."

Her breathing quickens, shallow and desperate against the pillow. I can tell she's close from the way her nails dig into my skin, the frantic way she pushes back against me. Her body tenses against mine, trembling with each thrust, her inner walls pulsing around me as I drive deeper.

"Oh god, Lyle, I'm—" The words catch in Maria’s throat, transforming into a moan that rises dangerously in volume.

I move my left hand from between her legs, covering her mouth just as she breaks.

Her scream vibrates against my palm, muffled but intense.

Her body convulses, back arching, thighs quivering as she rides out her release.

I hold her tight against me, my right arm wrapped around her middle, anchoring her as she shakes.

"That's it," I whisper against her ear, still moving inside her, gentler now. "I've got you."

Her teeth graze my palm as the aftershocks ripple through her. When her breathing finally steadies, I slowly remove my hand, replacing it with my lips against the curve of her neck.

I keep moving inside her, my rhythm growing more desperate with each thrust. The heat of her body surrounds me, pulls me deeper. My muscles tense as pressure builds at the base of my spine, that familiar tightening that means I'm close.

"Maria," I groan against her skin, my voice barely recognizable.

She reaches back, her fingers digging into my hip, urging me on. "Let go," she whispers. "I want to feel you."

Those words push me over the edge. My vision blurs as waves of pleasure crash through me. I bury my face in her hair to muffle my groan as I empty myself inside her, my body shuddering with release.

For a moment, we lie tangled together, catching our breaths. The only sound in the room is our synchronized breathing gradually slowing down. I don't want to pull away, don't want to break this connection between us.

With her toes, she pulls the quilt back over us, settling in. I feel myself softening inside her, still connected in that perfect way.

"Just like old times, huh?" I whisper against her hair, my voice thick with contentment.

She doesn't answer with words—just smiles that smile I know so well, eyes heavy with satisfaction. The one that says everything without saying anything at all.

We lie like that for a while, the quiet between us comfortable now. Her breathing slows, becoming deeper, more rhythmic. Her body relaxes against mine, and I realize she's drifting off to sleep.

"I'm not going to let this break us," I murmur, not sure if she's still awake to hear me. "Whatever happens with Collins, with the Army—we'll figure it out." Her fingers find mine under the sheets, squeezing gently. She's listening.

"I've been so caught up in what I might lose," I continue, "that I forgot what I already have."

She shifts slightly, her back pressing closer against my chest. "Took you long enough," she whispers, her voice thick with sleep. I can't see her face in the darkness, but I feel her fingers intertwine with mine, pulling my arm tighter around her waist.

Lying there, her warmth steady against me, I know what I have to do.

I won’t let anything—anything—come in the way of us. Ever.