You would have thought I told her I had the nuclear codes. That’s how dumbstruck Ari looked when I told her she played a role in my decision.

I knew she wasn’t dense. She was a goddamned genius, after all, but sometimes she missed the simple things right in front of her face. I probably should have been insulted that she didn’t think I realized just how amazing she was and wanted to see where this could go. I’d have to be a moron to miss this opportunity.

Which, apparently, I was for years.

But no longer.

Maybe there was some truth to the idea that things happen when and how they’re supposed to. I never would have believed any good could come out of the fucked-up events of this week, but I was willing to admit when I was wrong.

Figure out what you want and go after it.

That’s exactly what I was doing. My life was in ashes, so this was the time to rebuild. Something new. Something good. With Ari.

And right now, I needed some of that good.

I cupped her jaw and lowered my lips to hers. What surprised me the most was how fast and how hard she threw herself into the kiss. It had to be crazy spikes in adrenaline that we’d been running on throughout this roller coaster of a night.

Ari slid to the edge of the seat so quickly, I wondered if she might climb right onto my lap, which for the record, I wouldn’t have had a problem with at all. One hand went behind my neck and the other dived into my hair. I groaned against her mouth, adjusting my grip to pull her closer.

Fuck it. I dragged her over the center console of the Jeep. She straddled me, leaning up higher and pressing down.

My dick, which I would have sworn would be dormant for days after tonight, went rock hard.

She kissed me like she needed it more than air. Like this was all that was holding her together. I let it go on for another long minute, because I couldn’t find it in me to push her away, but I knew I had to stop it soon. If I didn’t, the first time I’d have Ariel Sampson under me would be in the front seat of my car after an exhausting, emotional night.

I pulled back. “Ari, sweetheart.”

“Shut up,” she whispered, going after my lips again.

That’s when I finally understood. She needed this, and that meant I was going to give it to her . . . to a point.

That point being the one I was about to hit in five . . . four . . . three . . .

My countdown didn’t make it any further because someone knocked on the window and Ari jerked away and screamed.

I yanked her against my chest and reached for the gun hidden between my seat and the center console. I had it pointed at the form beyond the window before conscious thought kicked in.

Carver.

Releasing my grip on Ari, I tucked the gun away and reached for the button to roll the window down.

“Oh. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean—”

“You need something?”

I had to give the guy credit. He kept his eyes off Ari, which was the exact right thing to do.

“I just wanted to make sure there were no issues and that Mr. Sampson was doing well.”

Ari shifted in my lap, brushing my half-hard dick as she straightened. I suppressed a groan as she replied.

“He was banged up and has a hip fracture, but it won’t need surgery, just rehab. Thank you for asking.”

Carver nodded. “That’s good news.” He paused for a moment, not turning away like I expected. “Um, Ms. Sampson. One more question.”

“Yes, Carver?”

“Will Mr. Hennessy be staying? For security measures, it would help me to know.”

Ari stiffened in my lap, clearly taken off guard by the question, but I didn’t hesitate.

“I’m staying.”

Her grip tightened on me as Carver’s gaze jumped from my face to hers, and she nodded, repeating my answer. “Yes. Rhett will be staying.”

“Sir. Ma’am. I’ll leave you to it.” He backed away and disappeared into the side door of the massive garage.

Ari’s head jerked toward me, and I wondered if she was going to comment on my jumping in and saying I was staying without consulting her, but she didn’t. Her fingers threaded into my hair again and her lips found mine. This time the kiss was desperate and wild, like she’d lost all inhibitions. Like she was afraid this was the only moment she’d get with me.

It wasn’t. I was going to make damn sure we’d have a hell of a lot more.

I reached for the door handle with one hand and kept the other wrapped around her ass.

“Wait—”

“Done waiting, Ari. Tonight, we’re taking.”

Any other protest died on her lips. She freed me from my seat belt, shifting as I climbed out of the car and hefted her up.

“Wrap your legs around me.” The command wasn’t even out before her skirt was pushing further up her thighs and her legs gripped my hips.

It took extreme willpower to walk to the front door rather than lay her out across the hood of my Jeep and shove the skirt the rest of the way up her legs so I could find out what she was wearing beneath it.

Ari’s lips sucked at my jaw, my neck, and my ear as I took measured steps toward the door. My fingers curled into her ass when we reached it, that willpower losing strength.

I pressed her back against it, using the leverage to pin her to the massive wood panel. “Jesus Christ, woman.”

My words stopped her movements long enough for me to return the favor, scraping my teeth over her jaw and down the tendon of her neck. Husky moans filled my ears and my cock pulsed in my pants. If I didn’t get her inside now, we weren’t going to make it there at all.

Tearing my mouth away, I cupped her jaw. “The first time I sink inside you isn’t going to be up against your front door.”

Her gray eyes hazy, Ari nodded in agreement. “Okay. But maybe the second?”

“I’ll consider it. Keys?”

“Should be open. Carver was here. He would’ve swept the house.”

I didn’t like that answer, but at this moment, I didn’t care because the unlocked door meant there was one less barrier to getting what I wanted. “Hold on.”

Ari gripped my shoulders, and I stepped away from the door and tugged open the handle.

“Down the hall,” she said as she pointed, and I wasted no time striding toward the massive master suite.

Even though I was determined that this wasn’t going to be a one-shot deal, I was going to treat it like my only chance to show her exactly what it was like to be my woman. Prove to her that I could give her something no one else could.

When I strode into her bedroom, Ari’s lips were on me again, making it harder and harder to concentrate, but I found the bed in the middle of the giant space and laid her down on it.

She reached for me, but I stepped away. I needed light. I wanted to see her face. This wasn’t happening in the dark.

I switched on one nightstand lamp and a soft glow filled the room. She was beautiful. She’d always been beautiful, but I’d never let myself appreciate her until now.

“You’re gorgeous.”

A blush crept up her cheeks.

“Don’t believe me? Because you are. And I’m gonna bet that applies to every damned inch of you, even the ones I haven’t seen yet.”

The blush deepened and I stepped closer to her again, this time reaching out to pull her to her feet.

“What—”

“Time to take this sexy dress off.”