“Last chance to back out.” The words sounded painful coming out of his mouth.
“Don’t you dare.”
He smiled, lowered his body to hers. The thickness stretched her, filled her, and left nothing but mindless joy in its path.
“You OK?” he asked.
She opened her eyes, smiled. “I won’t break, Neil.”
Just when she thought she’d absorbed all of him, there was more. She was filled and completely enveloped him as he started to move. Slow at first like a runner warming up for a long marathon. Hot waves of desire bundled deep inside her started to tighten even more.
He wove his fingers with hers, kept her arms spread as he kissed her and possessed her all at the same time.
Gwen matched his pace and squeezed him with her thighs and the muscles deep inside her womb. Neil moaned and moved faster. He plunged with such force the bed slammed against the wall and she wanted more.
She wrapped her legs around his waist and tilted closer. The tight spot of passion blossomed and spread until she ripped her lips from his to breathe his name. Her body exploded into a million stars like a desert night sky.
His fingers gripped hers as Neil followed with his release.
He came to rest on the side of her. Gwen kept her thigh over his hip, refusing to back far away. He kissed her knuckles and held her hand between them.
“I should feel guilty about that,” he told her. “I don’t.”
“Glad to hear that. Otherwise I might have to tie you up in the night and purge you of such thoughts.”
He laughed and smiled. She loved his smile, wished he’d grace her with one more often.
“You surprise me, Princess.”
“Really? How’s that?”
“You take bugs outside, flirt like a wicked woman, dress like a lady, and make love with your whole being.”
If he knew she’d never made love like they just had…not even close, would she scare him away?
“Go big or go home,” she said.
He laughed hard and released her hand to tuck her into his side.
For the first time since she’d met him she heard his breaths even out and Neil fell asleep.
Chapter Eighteen
“I have Raven in my sights, Mac.” Billy’s face was lowered over the rifle, his finger inched toward the trigger.
Mac twisted on the inside. Squeeze the trigger. Damn it, just squeeze and take back all the pain.
“Damn.”
“What?”
“Gwen. His kids jumped in Gwen’s lap.”
No! That can’t be right. She’s not here. She’s back at the tower. Safe. I locked her in myself.
Mac shoved Billy back, looked himself. Just like he thought. Kids were in Raven’s lap. Not Gwen. She’s safe.
Billy jumped up, turned an accusing finger his way. “You should have done your job. You didn’t make the call and I’m a walking dead man.”
Everything moved slowly. Boomer, Robb, and Linden followed Billy through the dark heat. They penetrated the compound, took out three in their path.
“This time we’ll all come back alive,” Mac whispered to himself.
Boomer and Robb moved in first, Linden close behind. The kid was there, just like before. This time Mac was ready for him. Only this time the boy ran to her…he ran to Gwen. Then blew them both to pieces.
“Neil! Neil!”
He jerked awake, his arms around something.
“Neil, wake up.”
Gwen lay in his arms. Alive.
“Can’t. Breathe,” she gasped.
Neil released his vise grip. “Damn. Sorry. Did I hurt you?”
She sat up and ran her hands up and down her bare arms. “I’m OK. But you…” Gwen pushed his hair back. “That must have been an awful dream.”
He pulled her back into his arms, gently this time. “Go back to sleep.” He checked his watch. He’d slept longer than he had in years, but it was still only four in the morning.
Gwen wrapped her arm around him and intertwined one of her legs with his. “Do you have nightmares like that often?”
Not like this one. “Sometimes,” he told her, hoping she’d not pry. His heart rate needed to slow down. The image of her blowing into a zillion pieces was fresh on his mind.
“You don’t want to talk about it.”
“I don’t.”
They lay there for a few minutes, neither of them talking, neither of them sleeping. Gwen ran her hand over his chest as if trying to calm him.
He kissed the top of her head and assured himself she wasn’t gone. That Raven hadn’t removed her from his life. Neil closed his eyes and tried to think of something pleasant.
Gwen’s face as she came. Now that was a much better picture to take to bed.
Gwen ran her leg up his and between her touch and his memory, his body responded.
“Hmmm,” she hummed. Her fingers moved lower on his stomach. “Let me erase the nightmare, Neil.” He always thought her hands were tiny. Compared to his they were, but she found him, gripped him, and he shot to full attention.
Then he remembered the lack of condoms in his wallet and cursed under his breath. He stopped her playful fingers. “I’m out of condoms.”
She shook off his hand and ran her fingers up his length. “Good thing I bought a whole box.”
His brow drew together. “When did you do that?”
“At the store with the hair dye and the shampoo.”
He grinned. “You planned on this the whole time?”