Page 11 of Rescuing Aria

My thumb presses gently at her waist, drawing her just a little closer.

Her lashes lower as that sinks in, a flicker of emotion crossing her face—remembering what things looked like between me, Brett, and Charlie.

“I don’t want anyone else in it. Just you. Me. No additions.”

Her breath hitches. I lean in, my voice dropping to a rumble.

“This is you and me. No one else. If we do this, it’s exclusive. You’re mine.”

“Then, I’m yours,” she whispers. “Just like you’re mine.” She leans into me, hands sliding up my chest, locking behind my neck.

That’s all I need to hear.

She stares up at me, lips parted, breath shallow, eyes storm-lit with want and something deeper. Need, maybe. Or maybe it’s just mine, reflected back at me.

I don’t ask permission—I don’t need to. Not when everything in her body is already leaning toward me, drawn like a tide to shore.

I slide a hand around the back of her neck, fingers threading through her hair, tugging gently until her mouth tilts just enough. My other hand curves around her hip, anchoring her in place.

Our mouths meet in a clash of heat and hunger—no brush, no tease. Just need. Pure and potent.

She gasps against my lips, and I take advantage, sweeping in, claiming her in a kiss that’s all tongue and teeth and pent-up ache. Nothing slow about it. Nothing careful. This isn’t a question. It’s a fucking declaration.

Her fingers grip my biceps, nails biting through cotton, dragging me closer like she wants to climb inside my skin. Her body molds to mine, soft curves pressed tight to every inch of me. I groan, the sound guttural, ripped from my chest.

Her tongue meets mine, bold and unfiltered, a rhythm that sets my blood on fire. She tastes like wine and sin and the first damn breath after nearly drowning.

I press her back until her spine finds the wall behind her, my thigh slipping between hers. She arches instinctively, and the friction shoots sparks straight through me.

She moans into my mouth, breath hitching when my hand slides up her side, thumb brushing the underside of her breast through fabric.

I pull back just enough to breathe, our foreheads bumping, noses brushing.

“That answer your question?” I rasp.

Her eyes flutter open, pupils blown wide. “What question?”

I grin, breathless and wild. “Exactly.”

She surges up and kisses me again, deeper this time. Needier. Like she finally understands just how far I’m willing to go for her.

And hell if I’m not already gone.

I reclaim her mouth, my kiss harder now, more demanding. Possessive in a way I’ve never allowed myself to be. Her response is immediate, matching my intensity with her own. Her hands aren’t idle, sliding beneath my shirt to trace the muscles of my back, nails lightly scoring my skin in a way that makes me groan against her lips.

When we finally break apart, we’re both breathing hard. Her lips are swollen from my kisses, her eyes dark with desire. I rest my forehead against hers, struggling to regain control.

“That wasn’t like the first one,” she whispers, a smile in her voice.

“No.” My thumb traces the curve of her lower lip. “But I’ve been thinking about it all day.”

“Just today?”

“Longer.” I laugh softly, caught. “Much longer.”

I’m not a man for casual flings—never have been. Even with Charlie and Brett, it was always more than physical. They were family, safety, and home. With Aria—I want even more.

Behind us, Delta team’s laughter carries on the night breeze. My family, her family now too. Tomorrow will bring its own challenges. But tonight, with Aria in my arms and the endlesshorizon stretching before us, I allow myself to believe in possibilities I’d given up on finding again.