He’s never been this gentle, and it’s throwing me off a little.

He pushes me onto my back and braces himself over me, kissing me alternatively fast and hard and slow and soft, each time I get used to his rhythm, he switches it up on me.

Finally, he slows his pace and leans his forehead against my neck, breathing heavily. “You astound me, Bryn. You’re so fucking amazing.”

I frown and pull back so I can see his face. He cups my cheeks in his hands and brushes his thumbs over my skin.

“You’re so damn funny, and sweet, and smart.” He swallows and kisses me again, still softly. “You could make the devil himself fall in love with you,” he whispers.

“Did you know I also have mad oral skills?” I ask him with a grin. He chuckles softly and sweeps his lips across mine again, nibbling on the corner of my mouth and sending goosebumps over my body. I tilt my pelvis, silently inviting him to push himself inside me, but he pulls away.

“Caleb,” I moan and drag my teeth down his stubbled jawline.

“Yes, baby,” he whispers, kissing the top of my shoulder.

“I really want you to fuck me now.”

He pulls back and stares down at me, brushing tendrils of my hair off my face. “I can’t fuck you tonight, baby.” He shakes his head and clenches his eyes shut, then opens them and pins me in his bright blue gaze once more. “I need to make love to you tonight.”

Before I can respond, he lowers his head and kisses me again. I brush my hand up his naked arm and frown when I feel scrapes on his smooth skin.

“Caleb, what happened to your arm?” I ask

“Work,” he mumbles and continues to kiss his way down my throat.

“These scrapes are nasty,” I respond.

“No big deal.” He wraps his lips around my nipple and sucks softly, making my back arch against him.

“I don’t like seeing you hurt,” I whisper. “Ever.”

“I’m fine, Legs.” He pulls his big hand over my hip and down my thigh to my calf and back up again, hitching my knee around his hip and opening me up to him even more. His hard cock nudges my clit and I about come undone.

“Ah, Caleb, that feels so good.”

He grins against my breast and repeats the motion on the other side, sucking and tugging my nipple with his lips. He moves his hips, just enough to cause friction between the head of his cock and my clit and I groan his name.

“Gonna make this last, sweetheart,” he whispers.

“I need you, Caleb.”

“I’m right here,” he replies softly. My body is on fire for this man. I can’t stop moving beneath him, can’t stop my hands from roaming over every damn amazing inch of his smooth skin.

Finally, he slips just the very tip of his cock inside me and stops, pulls his face back up to my own, kissing me deeply and passionately, sliding his tongue along my own, cupping my face in his large hands.

He’s worshipping my body, and it’s the most amazing fucking thing I’ve ever felt in my entire life.

He slowly slides the rest of his cock in my pussy and then swears under his breath as he holds himself there, sheathed in me.

“So damn amazing,” he whispers. The room is quiet, the house still, as he makes soft sweet love to me. Our breathing is labored, but we hardly make any sound at all as he moves above me and I raise and lower my hips to meet him, relishing in the way his hardness feels inside me.

It’s as though he’s home.

“Love you so much,” I whisper into his shoulder as his pubis presses against my clit, sending me into a rolling orgasm, gentle as a calm ocean wave, but no less staggering than the wild choppy seas of a hurricane as he follows me over the edge and into his own climax. He shudders above me, not making any noise as he collapses beside me and pulls me into his arms.

If he heard my declaration seconds ago, he doesn’t say. He simply tucks me up against him, pushes his fingers through my hair and kisses my forehead before falling into a deep sleep.

After several minutes, I untangle myself from his embrace to go to the restroom and clean myself up, pull on some clothes, and mentally pull myself together.

Did he not hear me?

Possible.

When I return to the bedroom, he’s turned onto his side, facing away from my side of the bed. I climb in behind him and lay on my side, several inches from him, watching him as he breathes in sleep. The light from the moon casts a shadow of light over his back, illuminating his tattoo.

I can’t resist lifting my hand and tracing the letters and numbers with the tip of my finger. He’s so much more than what’s written in these four lines.

He’s everything I’ve ever wanted.

Chapter Eighteen

~Caleb~

I’ve avoided her all day. All fucking day. And that’s not easy to do when the person you’re avoiding is the one you’re living with and doing your damndest to protect.

It’s not easy.

But for my own sanity, it’s necessary.

I heard her last night when she whispered that she loved me while I was buried inside her and couldn’t tell where I ended and she began. She didn’t have to say the words aloud, I could fucking feel her, and to say it scared the shit out of me is an understatement.

So I did the only thing I knew and ignored it.

Because somewhere along the line I fell in love with her too, and now I’m too much of a pussy to admit it.

I slide out from under the sink in the kitchen, throw my wrench in my toolbox and wipe my hands on a towel. I’ve managed to work out twice, repair a loose board on the deck, re-caulk the bathtub in the kids’ bathroom, and repair a leak under the kitchen faucet, all since we all returned home from work and school this afternoon.