Chapter 16
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Coulter sat on the bed, a towel wrapped around his waist, his hair still dripping onto his back as he braced his elbows on his knees, focused on simply breathing.
They’d laid in bed for another twenty minutes before Neve had finally felt like moving.
He’d started the shower and gathered the supplies, stepping in with her once the water had warmed.
She’d leaned into him, and he’d held her for a few minutes, her heart beating in sync with his, her head a gentle weight against his chest. He’d savored the moment, aware they’d be thrown back into the fray far too soon.
Neve had initiated their next encounter, kissing him like she couldn’t remember how he tasted before going to her knees. In record time, she’d had him primed and working not to shoot down her throat until he’d picked her up, balanced her ass on a tiny excuse for a shelf and pounded into her.
He’d lost track how many times she’d pulsed around him before he’d let go, damn near passed out from the pleasure. Since then…
He’d been floundering. Sitting on the bed wondering how he could love her and be the soldier she needed him to be when all he wanted to do was steal her away — take her somewhere neither Ramsey nor Finch would ever find her.
Somewhere he could guarantee her safety.
Except, that place didn’t exist — not that she’d ever willingly go. He wouldn’t either, but damn, constantly putting her in the line of fire chipped away at his sanity.
“Either you’re regretting the past several hours, or you’re on the verge of an epiphany.”
Coulter looked up as Neve’s voice sounded from the bathroom door. She had a similar towel wrapped around her torso, a few drops of water beading on her skin. He held out his hand, and she crossed the short expanse, moving willingly into his arms.
He closed his eyes, pressed his head to her ribs. “Just thinking.”
“Ramsey?”
“Not quite.”
She raked her fingers through his hair. “About how becoming lovers has put your protective instincts on high alert? That you’re trying to puzzle out how to have my six and keep me on the sidelines at the same time?”
Coulter jerked his head back, staring up at you. “You couldn’t possibly have guessed that.”
“Please, you’ve got a tell. Besides, you’ve been overly protective of all of us since you woke up. And there’s also the fact I want to keep you safe, too. That there’s only one thing I can’t afford to lose...”
He tugged her onto his lap. “I’ll find a way, just…”
“I’ll be careful.”
He glanced at the bruises around her neck, then back to her. “I mean it. I can’t lose you, either. That…” He tried to swallow past the lump in his throat and failed. “That would break me.”
“Then, I guess we’ll both have to stay alive.” She nudged him. “You did promise me sixty years.”
He cocked his head to the side. “Thinking we should aim for seventy.”
“Ambitious, but you’re on. Assuming you can keep loving me the way you have.”
“Are you questioning my virility? That’s cold, sweetheart.”
Neve traced her finger along his shoulder. “Maybe you should prove it to me, one more time.”
Heat sizzled across his skin, her cocky half-smile drawing him under. “That was definitely a double-dog dare.”
He stood, taking her with him, before he turned and faced the bed.
He placed her on her feet long enough to yank both their towels free, leaving them in a puddle of white terry on the floor as he took her in his arms, launching them both onto the bed.
She laughed as he landed on top of her, wrapping herself around him the second the mattress stopped shaking.
He went to his elbows, gave a tentative push before bowing his head, sinking inside her.
Heaven.
No other way to describe the way she held him, meeting each thrust, chanting his name in his ear as he pounded into her. No soft buildup. Just him loving her with reckless abandon.
Neve clung to him, mouthing his shoulder, scratching his back, as if his loss of control had fueled her desire. Taken her to the edge along with him. He tilted her hips, hit that sweet spot…
She broke.
No warning just her head pushed into the mattress, his name clawing free as she spasmed in his arms, a deep flush lacing across her skin. He watched her climax, humbled by her complete faith in him. How she trusted him to catch her as she fell off that cliff and shattered in his arms.
A minute passed before she blinked open her eyes, her mouth opening on a soft moan as he reminded her he hadn’t finished. That this was far from over.
A dip of his shoulder followed by a roll, and he’d changed their positions. A shift of her hips and she straddled his thighs, her body looming over him.
Coulter palmed her face. “Your turn.”
She placed her hands on his shoulders, frowned. “Your ribs.”
“What ribs?”
“Coulter…”
“Either ride me, or get on your hands and knees. Your choice.”
“Someone’s bossy.” She leaned forward, eased up his length only to pause at the top before sinking back down, the blush deepening on her skin. “Damn, you…”
She repeated the motion, barely stopping this time before slamming her ass against his hips, making his eyes roll a bit.
She smiled at his obvious reaction, rising and falling until their chests heaved, their combined breath sounding like twin freight trains bearing down on each other.
She pressed against him, bowing her head, arms shaking.
Coulter levered up, trapping her between his knees and his chest, holding her there as he pushed into her from beneath, skin slapping skin. Her breathing roughened, her eyes closing on a grunt as she threw her head back, exposed the sleek line of her neck.
He nipped at her, sucking on her skin, wanting a visible mark of how crazy she made him. Primitive, but that seemed to be the only part of his brain still functioning. Still thinking beyond this moment. Beyond how he’d be lucky to last another five minutes.
He made it to three before any remaining control snapped. Took him with it. He fisted her hair, dragged her mouth to his, kissing her as the fire burned through the last of his resolve, and he emptied inside her in jerking thrusts.
Neve pressed her forehead to his, her arms snugged around his back, holding him with a vice-like grip as their ragged breathing echoed off the walls, the air a humid mass weighing them down.
It took a while before he’d sucked in enough oxygen to open his eyes, stare down at her. An easy smile lit her face, her cheeks flushed an alluring pink. She kissed his jaw, then let her head fall against his shoulder.
He gathered her hair in his hand, inhaling the scent of coconut shampoo as they sat there, still joined, every inch touching. It took a bit to untangle their limbs, but they eventually collapsed back on the bed.
He wrapped his arms around her, staring up at the ceiling. “If this gets any better, it’s gonna kill us.”
“Not a bad way to go.”
“Nope.” He kissed her nose as she stared up at him. “Just give me those seventy years, first, okay?”
“I think I can manage that.” She groaned when her stomach growled.
He laughed. “And that’s my cue to stop ravishing you and take care of your other needs.” He took her with him as he sat up. “Quick rinse, then we’ll face the team. Get some food.”
Neve followed him into the bathroom. They showered and dressed then made their way to the door. She stopped him as he turned the handle, cracking the door an inch. “You know they’re going to tease us, right?”
Coulter grinned. “Good, then no one’s gonna say shit when I do this.
” He kissed her like he had in the shower — as if they’d been apart for years.
Though, considering how long he’d kept her waiting, it definitely felt that way.
He brushed his thumb across her lips. “It’s gonna take me a while before I can adequately control myself. ”
“I thought you weren’t a big PDA kinda guy.”
“That was the old me. The one who didn’t realize what I had until I lost it. The new me doesn’t give a fuck what others think, so…”
She smiled up at him. “Have I mentioned I love the way the new you thinks?”
“Hoping it’s more than just my brains you love, sweetheart, because I’m so far through the looking glass, there’s no pill to bring me back.”
She froze, eyes wide, mouth slightly open, and he knew she was working out if he’d just told her he loved her without saying those three words. And he had. In fact, he needed to say it for real. All the words in the right order.
He leaned in. “Speechless? That’s a first.”
She swallowed, coughed. “Coulter, I—”
He cut her off with another kiss. “Surely, this isn’t a surprise.
Though, I should have told you from the start.
But I was too damn scared by the way you made me feel, it took a while to get my head out of my ass.
So, for the record, I love you, Neve. Have since our second unofficial date.
Back when we couldn’t even call them dates, and I will until the day I die. ”
Silence.
No whisper of air, no reply just her gorgeous blue eyes staring up at him as if he’d spoken in another language. He frowned, wondering if he’d gotten it wrong, when she tiptoed up, kissed him like her life depended on it before mimicking his action, brushing her finger across his mouth.
She closed her eyes for a moment, then inhaled, looking as if she’d breathed him in. “Do you know how long I’ve been holding back those words? Afraid I’d scare you off?”
“If you’re like me, too long. Newsflash — everything about you scares me.
The way you run toward danger, always thinking about your team, getting them to safety, before ever worrying about yourself.
How you never back down from a fight, even when you’re outmanned, and outgunned, facing men who’ve got drugs pumping through their veins.
But what’s really crazy, is that I’m more afraid of living without you, than admitting how much control you have over me.
That I won’t survive losing you, again.”