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“ J esus Christ!” Gray’s rough groan shook Honor to the core. So did the taste of salty precum oozing from the tip of his hard shaft.

She was no master at pleasuring a man with her mouth, but the way Gray was looking at her made her feel powerful as hell.

Her insides clenched as his stiff cock surged on her tongue. Tender fingers worked into her hair, along her scalp, holding her captive.

“Sugar…your hot fucking mouth is killing me.”

She moaned low in her throat, and he jolted at the vibration running through his cock. When she withdrew, dragging her tongue along the veined length, he twisted her hair in his fingers. The tug on the strands felt so good. So right.

She never had been a woman who threw herself at a man, but she would happily beg for more from this one.

As she sucked him into her throat again, the spongy tip struck the back. She swallowed, and he slid a fraction deeper, which made them share another groan.

Again and again, she took him in her mouth in sucking pulls until his muscles locked with tension.

He wrapped his fist around her hair, drawing it off her face so he could watch himself slide into her mouth. The connection sent a thrill through her.

“Look at me,” he ground out.

Her gaze lifted to his…and her heart did that dead drop thing. The one that told her that she was no longer in control of that body part at all.

Because Gray Malone owned it.

He held her heart in his broad palm. At one time, she might have been afraid to be so vulnerable to a man after being disappointed so often, but there wasn’t a trace of fear in her body.

“God, sugar.” He curled his fingers into her shoulders and hauled her up his body.

Her chest heaved underneath his, and she held his stare as she wrapped her arms around him. “You didn’t let me finish.”

“When I come, it’s going to be inside this hot…tight”—he stroked her slick seam—“pussy.”

She gasped out as he strummed her bundle of nerves. The pressure mounting inside her wasn’t even close to being slaked.

She dug her fingers into his shoulder and leaned up to kiss him with all the emotion throbbing through her. The dark need had tipped like cool water over the edge of a mountain, pouring into a refreshing rush of emotion.

She closed her eyes on the sensation, holding it tight. She never expected to feel anything for another man for a long time. But the universe had other plans for her.

His warm lips brushed across hers. Shivers spread through her, and she clung to him. Desire throbbed in the air.

He couldn’t get that condom over his hard cock fast enough. By the time he was prepped and poised at the V of her thighs, she was breathless with want.

In one long glide, he filled her. Stretched her inner walls.

And claimed her heart.

She cried out and clamped around him, arms and legs wrapped tight around his muscled body. The smooth withdrawal made her shake. Every plunge made her see fireworks.

His warm lips brushed against hers, teasing her with the barest flicker of heat against her mouth. The shivers spreading through her limbs were real—undeniable.

Right now, Gray was the only thing anchoring her to the earth. Desire hummed in her core like an electric wire, alive with feeling.

His breath came low and ragged. She answered with a tilt of her hips in an unspoken plea.

In one devasting stroke, he sank inside her again. Their gazes locked. She couldn’t look away even if a meteor hit the house. Her breath hitched as her inner walls stretched to take every inch of him. The delicious pressure made her toes curl into the backs of his thighs.

He was thick and hot. Seated deep. Her entire body seemed to shudder.

Digging her fingers into the hard muscles of his back, she let out a sigh that sounded like a moan.

He growled. “Fuck, sugar. You feel so damn good.”

With agonizing slowness, he withdrew. Her body gripped at him, not wanting to let him go. But only a blink of time passed before he was thrusting deep again. Harder. The bed rocked, and she clamped around Gray’s body instinctively, her body molding to him.

He withdrew again, leaving her empty for a single heartbeat before he filled her once more.

Her head tipped back, and a sharp cry slipped out of her. The pleasure in her nerves built like the steady rhythm of his thrusts. Deep, steady strokes drove them both higher. Each plunge left her gasping, and with every thrust, she was unraveling underneath him.

He buried his face in the crook of her neck, breaths ragged and muscles taut, like he clung to the edge of release with her.

“You’re gonna kill me, sugar.”

Her nails bit into the corded muscles of his shoulders. “Then die with me.”

His surprised chuckle vibrated through her skin, but a second later, she tightened her thighs around him, pulling him deeper, and that laugh turned into a groan.

The tension coiled tighter. They shot higher. She was caught on the edge of something wild and uncontrollable.

“Gray!”

“I got you.”

In that moment, and every moment since she met him, he did.

With one more perfect, mind-numbing thrust, she shattered. Her release consumed her in a tidal wave. Blinded by the pleasure throbbing through her, the only thing she was aware of was Gray tipping over the edge with her.

As he buried himself deep, he groaned her name. His entire body grew rigid, and he pushed on until the groan escaped him, and he collapsed.

She lay there, breathless and tangled up with her lover.

There wasn’t any other place on the planet she wanted to be. As their hearts began to even out and the perspiration began to cool on their skin, Honor never felt safer.

Never felt more complete.

* * * * *

Gray stood on the porch, leaning against the rail, watching the streaks of the falling evening colors blend with the fading afternoon rays of sunshine. This had always been one of his favorite times of day, but ever since he returned to the Black Heart, evenings meant hours toiling over those emails.

He thought about the next three names on the list.

Carter, Blake. Petty Officer Second Class.

Carter, Collin. Lieutenant Junior Grade.

Carver, Daniel. Chief Warrant Officer.

The darkening Wyoming sky didn’t have any answers for him about what to write to their families. The smell of pine and the low whinny of a horse somewhere on the ranch couldn’t offer him any help either.

Despite what he had to do later this evening, he felt more at ease than he had in a long time.

And it had everything to do with Honor.

She was here, near him, moving in his world like she belonged here.

He liked her here.

“C’mere.” As she exited the house, he twisted, placing the railing at his back. He wrapped his fingers lightly around her wrist and drew her to stand between his legs.

Her blue eyes sparkled up into his, and a soft smile toyed around her full pout. The breeze fluttered her thick hair, sending it dancing against her cheek, and he reached up to pinch it between his fingers. The silky texture made his gut clench with memories of her mouth on him and being rooted deep in her throat.

Just as he opened his mouth to tell her how much he enjoyed having her here, the crunch of footsteps on the gravel driveway broke into the moment. A familiar voice called out, “Hey, look who’s hanging around the ranch now!”

They turned to see Crew crossing in front of the porch. Gray leaned over the rail and thumbed the brim of his hat in greeting.

“How’s it goin’, Crew?”

“Finishing up some chores.” He twitched his head toward the barn, where a group of guys were emerging through the open door.

They caught sight of Honor, throwing her waves and a few smiles.

She hurried down the porch steps to greet them, and Gray drifted behind, giving her the moment in the spotlight she deserved.

She started talking with the guys about making more art. And she pointed out the bracelets that several of the guys were wearing, teasing them about making a second to coordinate with it next week.

Her face lit up as she spoke to the veterans, and they all responded with an easygoing manner Gray rarely saw from them.

One of the older guys tugged on his grizzled beard and addressed Honor directly. “What day will you be back next week? I’m running an errand with Colt on Wednesday.”

“Then I definitely won’t make the class Wednesday.” Her warmth drew them all in like bees to a bright flower—and Gray was no different, was he?

After a few more minutes of catching up, the guys tipped their hats and headed to the mess hall where they could grab dinner.

Honor looked up at Gray, and he gave her a loaded smile.

“What?” she asked.

“Nothing. Just glad you’re here.”

He picked up where he left off when the guys showed up, drawing her close and searching her gaze. “What do you think about staying on the ranch with me tonight instead of me going to your place?”

Interest arced through her eyes before it dulled. She chewed on her lower lip. “What about Felicity and the…trouble?”

He compressed his lips. “There’s a lot of security around the house. And Colt will be there tonight watching out for her.”

She considered it. “I’ll be going to the festival soon. Maybe it is a good idea to give it a test run.”

“Call her and talk it out. If she’s the least bit nervous, I’ll come back with you and stay there. If you want.”

“Of course I want!” She’d already pulled out her phone and selected Felicity from her list of contacts.

She held his stare as she spoke to her sister. “Hey, Felicity. How’s your day going so far?” She paused to listen to the response. “I’d say that sifting through a bunch of dusty old books sounds fun, but I’d be lying.” She chuckled, the sound snatched on the breeze and carrying to the four quarters of the ranch.

Gray couldn’t help but smile at the contagious sound.

“I have something I want to run by you. I want you to be completely, totally honest with me.”

He could make out the faint soprano of Felicity’s voice through the speaker.

When she ran the plan by Felicity, Gray watched her face closely. If he picked up any distress or worry in her expression, he wouldn’t hesitate to pivot and change the plan. Whether he stayed with her or she stayed here with him didn’t matter. He just wanted to be with her again, to hold her in his arms and wake up to her beautiful face.

“You’re sure?” Honor was saying. “We have the security measures, and Colt will be there watching the house overnight. All right. Well, promise me you’ll text me when you leave the bookstore. And when you get in the house too. Don’t think I won’t be watching the camera footage on the app.” She gave a low laugh and then they ended the call.

As she lowered the phone from her ear, she turned to face Gray. “She’s fine with me staying here. And she’s confident everything will be fine. She’s not nervous at all.”

“Great news.” Actually, he was pleased that, due to the safety measures the Black Heart Security had put into place, Honor felt secure. Maybe joining forces with Carson and his brothers wouldn’t be so bad.

Aimless, Carson had called him.

At one time, Gray wouldn’t have disagreed with him. But now…standing in front of a gorgeous and amazing woman, he didn’t feel so aimless anymore.

He leaned closer, lips hovering a breath away from hers, when he heard the telltale crunch of boots on gravel yet again.

“Eww. Get a room!” Willow’s sassy tone floated across the driveway to where he and Honor stood.

Just to gross his sister out, he leaned down and brushed his mouth over Honor’s. When he pulled away, the pink in her cheeks made her freckles stand out more, and she pressed her fingertips to her lips.

Willow rolled her eyes at them. “Bonfire’s starting soon. You two coming?”

He hesitated, feeling the weight of Honor’s focus on him. He could take her to the bonfire. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to be among family and friends and joke with them.

But the bonfire meant flames shooting high into the air and the echoes of screams he only ever heard in his imagination. It meant something dark.

He didn’t want to experience any of those triggers in front of Honor or his friends and family.

He wanted tonight with Honor to be about something else.

“Not this time. We’ve got other plans.”

“I know you won’t be working on your book…so if you aren’t tangled up, you’re welcome to come have a beer and some goodies roasted over the fire whenever.” Willow tossed a wave at them and took off in long strides toward the house, probably to get cleaned up after working on the ranch all day.

When he swung his attention back to Honor, she was staring at him. “Other plans, huh?”

Lips quirking at one corner, he cupped her cheek in his hand. “I have an idea.”

By the time he fixed sandwiches for them and grabbed a couple jackets and a thick blanket for the bed of his truck, the sky had deepened to midnight blue.

Minutes later, they drove to one of the highest points of the ranch. Honor stared out the windshield, a gasp of surprise on her lips.

“Wow.”

“Let’s get out.”

She crossed her arms as if hugging herself, taking in the sky that stretched endlessly in front of them. The stars popped out in full view, a million diamonds scattered against the backdrop of black velvet.

He circled to the back of the truck and lowered the tailgate. When he spread the blanket on the metal bed, he returned to Honor’s side.

“It’s beautiful, Gray.” She didn’t look away from the view.

“I know.” He didn’t look away from her.

He took her hand and led her to the back of the truck. When he helped her in, she sank down with her legs folded and dug right into the cooler of food he brought.

They ate companionably, talking about the veterans and how excited they seemed about attending more classes. And she told him about how Felicity received a box of antique books that she was so excited about, she’d probably never sell them in her store and just keep them all for herself.

Then he leaned against the side of the truck, and she settled against him to stare at the sky. She let out a soft breath. “It’s really stunning. Look at the rings around the moon.”

“Yeah.”

He felt her gaze on him. “You’ve seen this view a thousand times, haven’t you?”

“I come up here a lot. The view is better with you.”

She kissed him, a gentle brush of her lips that edged into his heart.

When they broke apart, she rested her head on his shoulder and let out a happy sound. “I bet the sky at night from the air is really something to see.”

He nodded. “I haven’t flown too much lately.”

She fell silent, but it wasn’t an uncomfortable quiet. She put him at ease, and he talked freely.

“Last time I flew was for my family. Colt needed to get somewhere quick, and it felt good to be able to help him out when the pilot wasn’t available.”

“But you loved it, didn’t you? Flying.”

He exhaled, careful and slow. “Yeah.”

She didn’t push, just leaned against him, her weight sweet and comforting.

He did love it…but that was the past.

He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. “The way it ended…was rough.”

“I get it. You felt really helpless.”

He hitched his knee up, gripping it hard. “That’s one way to put it. I don’t like feeling useless.”

She shifted closer against him. “It’s different now. I’m here. I’m with you.”

“Would you rather be at the bonfire?” He studied her profile.

“No. I love being with you. But toasted marshmallows are delicious. And you could use a little sugar in your life.”

He smirked at the words she’d said to him on the first day they met at the coffee shop.

Leaning in, he pitched his voice low. “Then give me a little sugar, sugar.”

She giggled. “So corny.”

“Yeah? And yet…” He kissed her, long and deep and thoroughly. When they broke away, his chest heaved with the effort to control himself and she was panting hard. He traced a fingertip down her jaw. “So delicious.”

She reached for him at the same moment he reached for her. Their clothes were no barriers against the passion between them. And the stars blazed high in the sky, blinking down at them with a warmth that echoed what Gray felt in his heart.