Chapter 25
Teslyn and Wyatt spent the rest of the day at police headquarters being questioned and sharing the recording Teslyn made of Pritchard before he died. On it, he admitted to stabbing Marilyn and burning down the trailer with help from a deputy friend.
He’d also stuck to his story that he was Teslyn’s biological father. If true, that gave her more in common with Ivy, which could only be a good thing—Pritchard be damned.
Logan and Jax had gotten Wyatt’s truck back from the marina, and it was waiting for them when they were finally able to leave the station and head back to Wyatt’s father’s house several hours after dark.
They rode back to J.R.’s place in exhausted, companionable silence, and found Wyatt’s father waiting up for them when they got back, Jett out cold on his lap.
“Ivy and I took him for a long walk,” he said, scratching the pup’s neck. “He’s all tuckered out.”
“I am too,” said Teslyn, long past the point of civility and desperate for a bed. She took Wyatt’s hand and rested her forehead on his shoulder.
“I’ve got you and Wyatt set up in the guest room, second door on the right. Ivy’s asleep on the pull-out sofa in the den.”
That surprised her, but she wasn’t unhappy with the sleeping arrangements. She headed for the bedroom and was just coming out of the en suite bathroom when Wyatt came in. “My dad spoke out of turn. I’m happy to give you and Ivy the bedroom if you’d prefer that.”
Teslyn shook her head. “I want you with me. But I’m really tired.”
He held up a hand and grinned slightly. “Just sleep. I promise.”
She pulled back the covers and sat on the edge of the bed, peeling off her slacks as Wyatt used the bathroom.
She slipped her bra straps from her shoulders and pulled the band down, extricating herself from it without removing her button-down shirt.
She would have preferred a T-shirt to sleep in, but was too tired to go in search of one.
She must have fallen asleep, because she awoke some time later to Wyatt rubbing her back.
“Is this okay?” he asked.
She moaned, too tired to speak. It felt heavenly.
“I thought I was going to lose you today, Tess. I watched you get into that boat and I was scared I’d never see you again. I couldn’t see the gun. I didn’t know why you’d gone with him, and I was so angry to think that this was how I’d lose you.”
She rolled over and rested her hand on his stubbled cheek. Feelings she’d never felt before flowed from their point of contact straight to her heart. “You’re not going to get rid of me that easily.”
He brought her fingers to his mouth and kissed them. “I’m sorry I woke you. Get some sleep.”
“Are you?”
“Hmm?”
She scooted closer to his body and wrapped a leg over his hip. “Sorry you woke me?”
It was his turn to moan. His hand found her thigh under the covers, and skated up to her hip. “On second thought, I’m not sorry at all.” He pulled her closer and rolled toward her, pinning her with his body weight as her legs opened to him.
She buried her face in the crook of his neck and inhaled his musky scent. “The boat was filling with water around me, and all I could think was at least you were there.” She kissed the hollow of his collar bone. “If that isn’t crazy, I don’t know what is.”
His hand hooked over her panties and he brought them down her legs. “I’m crazy for you.”
She giggled, feeling giddy and overtired as she laughed at him. “That’s so corny.”
“It’s a good thing I’m secure in the bedroom,” he joked, kissing her giggling mouth. He got up on his knees and lifted the waistband of his briefs over his erection, his cock bouncing in the dim light as he pushed the fabric down his legs.
She unbuttoned her shirt, exposing her bare breasts to him but leaving the sleeves on. She wanted to feel him inside her right then, wanted to share the intensity of this day with an equally intense lust for the man who’d saved her.
He bent his head to take her nipple in his mouth, and she lifted his face to hers. “I want you now. Please, Wyatt. I’m ready.”
He cursed softly and reached to the floor for his pants and wallet, extracting a condom and sheathing himself before settling between her legs. He filled her with one swift motion, the purest sensation of pleasure washing through her body.
Wyatt.
She fisted a hand in his hair tightly, the other digging into his ass cheek with her nails, pulling him into her center. He moaned and grunted wildly in her ear, her body convulsing rhythmically around his shaft with only one thought in her mind.
Wyatt.
He thrust into her with punishing strokes, sending her over the edge faster than she thought possible. She cried out as he increased the tempo, driving into her, out of control, until his cries mingled with her own.
Wyatt.
She drifted back to earth, the weight of his body against her holding her down, grounding her. She kissed his shoulder, grateful for this man, for the safety of this house, this bed, and his skillful lovemaking. He rolled off her and pulled her tightly to his side.
She was asleep in his arms within minutes, without ever once having thought of her past.