Chapter 20
TWENTY
SAVANNAH
The sun's barely up, just a thin gray line sneaking through the blinds, turning everything in the room soft and hazy.
I'm curled on my side, back pressed to Lucky's chest, his arm heavy across my waist like he still thinks I might disappear if he loosens his grip even a little.
His breathing is slow and even against my neck, warm puffs that make the tiny hairs there stand up.
I don't want to move. Don't want to break whatever this quiet bubble is after last night.
But I have to know. I keep my voice low, barely above a whisper. "Are you awake?"
His arm tightens instantly, fingers spreading wide over my stomach, pulling me back harder against him. A sleepy grunt rumbles in his throat.
I smile into the pillow. "Are we good?"
He shifts behind me. The mattress dips as he props himself up on one elbow.
His hand slides up to cup my jaw, gentle but firm, turning my face so I'm looking up at him.
His eyes are still heavy with sleep, dark lashes messy, hair sticking up in every direction.
But the way he looks at me? Clear. Steady.
Like he's seeing straight down to the bottom of my soul and liking every messy inch.
"Better than good," he says, voice rough from sleep and whatever emotions are still raw from yesterday. He leans down slowly, brushes his lips over mine once, twice, then lingers. The kiss is soft but deep, the kind that says more than words ever could.
I turn in his arms until I'm on my back, looking straight up at him. He follows, bracing on his forearms so his weight is on me but not crushing. His hips settle between my thighs, familiar and perfect, like our bodies already know the shape of each other.
"You sure?" I ask, fingers tracing the scar along his collarbone, the one he got overseas he never talks about. "Because last night was... a lot. And I don't want you waking up regretting spilling your guts to me."
He huffs a quiet laugh, drops his forehead to mine. "The only thing I regret is waiting so long to tell you." His thumb strokes my cheek. "I thought saying it out loud would make you run. Instead you wrapped around me tighter. How the hell am I supposed to regret that?"
My chest gets tight in the best way. I slide my hands up his back, nails dragging lightly, feeling the muscles shift under my palms. "I meant what I said. Every broken piece. I want them all."
His eyes darken, pupils blowing wide. "Yeah?"
"Yeah." I hook one leg around his hip, pull him closer until I can feel him hardening against me. "Show me we're good."
He groans low, rocks forward just enough to make me gasp. "You're gonna kill me, Firecracker."
"Good way to go," I murmur, tilting my hips up to meet him.
He kisses me again, harder this time, tongue sliding against mine like he's claiming every corner of my mouth. One hand slips between us, fingers finding me already wet, circling slow and deliberate until my breath hitches.
"Lucky..."
"Shh." He nips my bottom lip. "Let me take care of you now."
He shifts down my body, kisses a trail over my collarbone, between my breasts, stomach fluttering under his mouth. When he settles between my thighs, shoulders spreading me wide, I thread my fingers through his hair and hold on.
The first swipe of his tongue makes my back bow.
He doesn't tease. He devours. Licks and sucks and presses two fingers inside me, curling just right, like he mapped every sensitive spot last night and memorized it.
My hips jerk. His free arm bands across my stomach, pinning me down so I can only take what he gives.
"Fuck," I whisper, head thrashing on the pillow. "Don't stop."
He hums against me, the vibration ripping a moan out of my throat. My thighs start to shake. Heat coils tight and fast in my belly.
He pulls back just long enough to look up at me, lips shiny, eyes wild. "Come on my tongue, baby. Let me taste how much you trust me."
That's it. The words hit like a match to gasoline. I shatter, crying out his name, fingers yanking his hair, hips grinding against his mouth as wave after wave crashes through me.
He doesn't stop until I'm boneless, trembling. Then he crawls back up, kisses me deep so I taste myself on him. I wrap both legs around his waist, urging him closer.
"Inside," I beg against his mouth. "Need you inside me."
He reaches between us, lines up, pushes in slow and steady until he's seated deep. We both groan at the stretch, the fullness, the way it feels like coming home. He starts moving, long rolling thrusts that hit every nerve. No rush. Just deep, deliberate strokes that make my toes curl.
I lock eyes with him. "I love you."
His rhythm falters for a second, then he drops his head to my shoulder, voice wrecked. "Love you more. Fuck, baby. So much more."
We keep moving like that, slow and deep, every roll of his hips dragging out the pleasure until it hurts in the best way. My hands roam his back, nails tracing the muscles that flex under my touch. His mouth finds mine again and again, messy kisses that taste like coffee and salt and us.
"I love you," I whisper against his lips, the words slipping out between shaky breaths.
He groans low, forehead pressed to mine. "Love you too, baby. Fuck... so much."
Another thrust, deeper this time, and I gasp. "Don't stop."
"Never," he rasps, voice wrecked. "Gonna give you everything. Every damn thing."
I wrap my legs tighter around him, heels digging into his ass. "Promise me."
He pulls back just enough to look at me, eyes dark and fierce. "Promise what?"
"That you'll come back tonight. That we'll do this again."
His rhythm stutters for a second, then steadies, harder now. "I promise. Swear on my life. You're stuck with me, Savannah. Forever."
I clench around him on purpose, watching his jaw tighten. "Say it again."
"Forever," he growls, thrusting deep enough to make me see stars. "You're mine. I'm yours. No running. No bullshit. Just us."
My breath hitches. "I love you."
"Love you more." He kisses me hard, tongue sliding against mine. "Gonna fill you up again."
I moan into his mouth, nails scraping down his back hard enough to leave marks. "Yes. God, yes."
We tip over together this time. Quiet. Intense. My whole body locks up as I pulse around him, tight and hot, pulling him deeper like I can keep him there forever. My nails dig into his shoulders. A broken whimper escapes my throat.
He buries himself to the hilt one last time, arms shaking around me as he comes with a low, guttural groan. I feel him spill inside me, hot and endless, his hips jerking with every pulse.
We stay frozen like that for a long second, breathing ragged, hearts slamming against each other. He drops his face into my neck, lips brushing my skin. "Still mine?" he murmurs, voice rough.
I press a kiss to the center of his chest. “Always.”
He presses one more kiss to my throat, then rolls us so I'm on top again, still connected. His hands slide down to my ass, squeezing gently.
He helps me out of bed, big hands gentle on my hips as he pulls me up. My legs are still shaky from earlier, but he steadies me like it's nothing. We pad to the bathroom barefoot, tiles cool under my feet. He cranks the shower hot, steam already rolling out before we even step in.
I go first under the spray. Water pounds my shoulders, loosening everything.
He steps in behind me, chest to my back, arms caging me in.
He grabs the body wash, squirts some in his palm, and starts soaping me up slowly.
Hands glide over my collarbone, down my breasts, thumbs circling my nipples just enough to make me suck in a breath.
He doesn't push, just washes me like I'm precious cargo.
I turn, take the bottle from him, and return the favor.
My fingers trace the ridges of his abs, the old scars on his ribs, the fresh red lines I left on his back last night.
He groans low when I drag my nails lightly down his spine.
We're quiet at first, just the water and our breathing. Then he breaks it. "You ever think about the future?" His voice is rough, still thick from sleep and sex.
I rinse soap off my chest, look up at him. "All the time lately."
He nods, hands sliding to my waist. "Kids. Do you want them someday?"
I feel heat crawl up my neck. I smile shyly, duck my head a little, then nod.
His grin splits wide, real and bright. "How many?"
I bite my lip, thinking. "Four. Start with a boy so he can protect the little ones."
He laughs, this deep happy sound I've never heard from him before.
His whole face lights up, eyes crinkling at the corners.
He looks lighter today, like someone cut the chains he was dragging around.
Happier than I've ever seen him. He pulls me in, kisses me hard under the spray, water running down our faces.
"Four it is," he says against my mouth. "Boy first. Then whatever chaos comes after."
We finish washing, rinse off, step out. He grabs towels, wraps one around me first, then himself. We dry off quickly, no lingering because the coffee smell is already calling.
In the bedroom I pull on leggings and one of his old band tees that hits mid-thigh. He yanks on gray sweats and a black tee from the drawer of clothes I keep adding to every time he leaves his dirty clothes at my place.
We head to the kitchen barefoot. I start the coffee, dark roast, strong enough to wake the dead. He fires up the stove, cracks eggs into a bowl, starts bacon sizzling in the pan.
I lean against the counter, watching him move around like he belongs here. "I want you to meet my parents."
He glances over his shoulder, cocky smirk tugging his lips. "Can't wait. Gonna charm the shit out of them. They'll love me."
I roll my eyes but I'm smiling. "They'll grill you."
"Let 'em. I'll take it."
We plate up our scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and toast. Coffee in big mugs. We sit at the little table by the window, knees bumping under it.