Austin shut off the truck’s engine and lights. He knew that if he brought Hayden upstairs, the night was only going to end one way. They were going to make love because when they were together, they couldn’t resist each other.

What would the new dawn bring?

He’d barely managed to keep from responding to her messages since the last time he swore he was done. Addicted to her, if he fell off the wagon tonight it was going to be nearly impossible to go cold turkey again.

It was the glimmer of hope her final song choice had sown in his heart that made it impossible for him not to persist. He bowed his head and thought about what his family would tell him to do. Jake’s voice came into his mind. “You have to be patient with any animal, including a person, that’s been wounded by another. It takes unbelievable courage to trust again. Be relentless in your kindness. Be forgiving and endless with your chances. Eventually you will be rewarded.”

He thought about the man and how he’d lived his entire life without his soul mate. That much pain could never add up to the small hurt of Hayden leaving again if she chose to later on. He could always try again. Would always try again, because he believed they were meant to be together.

He got out of the truck and held the door open before gesturing for her to climb the stairs. “Come in, please?”

She nodded and took his hand as they ascended together.

Hayden crossed through the kitchen on the way to his bedroom. Neither of them bothered to pretend that wasn’t where they were destined to end up. Her finger trailed along the oven as she passed it before looking up at the photograph of JD and Vicky. He thought he saw her nod, almost to herself. Or maybe to them. What was she thinking?

After months of disappointment and regret, he was afraid to believe her actions tonight could be signs of a lasting change in her philosophy. Pushing her now might drive her away forever.

So maybe he would learn to be happy with what she could give.

Seeing her here again, in his space, had every manly part of him standing at attention. The past month had shown him that something was definitely better than nothing. “God, Hayden, I missed you.”

“I missed you, too.” She looked over her shoulder and asked, “Unzip my dress?”

Fuck yes he would. Austin slid it down her back, admiring the creamy skin revealed and dotting it with kisses as he went. And when it dropped to the floor at her feet, he helped her step out of the flowy material, which left her standing before him in nude heels and the sexiest bra and panty set he’d ever seen. Wine-colored lace decorated her skin and gave him glimpses of the treasures beneath.

“Is that for me?”

“I was wishing you’d come.” She trembled then. “I didn’t think you would, but I hoped…”

“Shit, I’m sorry I cut you off like that.” He rushed to her and kissed her because he couldn’t stand not to for another moment.

“I hurt you.” She frowned as she took another taste of his lips. “I didn’t realize I had the power to do that.”

“I think that’s the problem here. All along you haven’t seen what I’ve seen. You haven’t known how strong you are. I do. It’s one of the things I love best about you.”

“Is the way it feels when you fuck me another thing you like best?” She bent over the bed and crawled onto it, flashing her ass, which was hardly obscured by her tiny thong. She’d been tempting before when she’d been kind of broken and timid. This side of her, the wildcat side, was utterly irresistible.

“Hell yes.” Austin kicked off his boots, then tore at his shirt and pants as if they were the sort strippers used with Velcro along the seams.

He stalked to the bed and joined her. Tonight he wasn’t holding anything back. She’d proved she was tough enough to handle him. All of him. So he planned to give her everything he had.

Austin grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head with one of his hands. “Don’t move.”

“Or what?”

“I’ll spank your ass until you’re so damn hot you beg me to fuck you,” he swore.

“Can’t we skip all that if I beg you now? I need you, Austin.” She spread her legs, tempting him to rush.

“No. Some things are meant to be savored.” Besides, he had to make this the best sex of her life if there was any way he was going to convince her to stay this time.

Once he started making love to her, he got a little carried away. It might have been hours that he spent kissing her all over as his hands caressed and teased. He spent quality time suckling her breasts and fully appreciating the lingerie she’d bought and worn for him before he removed it.

Then he slithered down to slip her heels from her feet. He massaged them as he licked a path from her ankles back toward her core. And when he peeled her panties down her thighs and flung them somewhere in the corner of the room, he buried his face in her pussy.

Overwhelmed by her scent and taste, he feasted on her.

When he added his fingers to the mix, she arched from the bed.

“Not so fast.” He withdrew, licking the digits clean. “Tonight I want you to wait for me. Come with me. I want us to be in this together.”

“We are.” She reached for his shoulders, as if to pull him into his place between her thighs.

Austin flipped her over so fast she squeaked, though out of excitement, not fear. She didn’t cower from him. No, she got on her knees and shoved her ass in the air for him.

“That’s better.” He slapped her firm cheek lightly. Just enough to spike her arousal with a hint of pain.

“More,” she pleaded as she rocked toward his palm. So he spanked her a few more times before blanketing her. When he mounted her, she moaned.

So did he.

This was where she belonged, in his bed and in his life. Not only for a night or two at a time, either.

They were made to be together. He was sure of it.

Austin bit her shoulder as he entered her, incapable of finesse. He hoped she understood that this was a claim. Not the sort that would bind her against her will, but a promise to be hers every bit as she was his.

When he’d buried himself balls-deep in her steaming pussy, he grabbed her hips and began to pump. He roared as he tossed his head back and prayed for stamina.

“I’m going to come, Austin.” She groaned and quaked as he pounded into her.

“Not yet.” He reached beneath her and pinched her nipple.

That really wasn’t an effective tool for stalling her arousal. He only seemed to encourage it. She pushed back against him, increasing the pace and power of his thrusts.

Austin leaned forward and pressed his finger to her lips. She opened her mouth and sucked him as wildly as she’d devoured his cock when she’d gone down on him in his truck that day. The memory alone had him slipping toward the edge of rapture.

So he withdrew his now spit-slicked finger and returned it to her ass when he notched it against her asshole.

Hayden kicked her feet and shouted his name as he invaded her rear while riding her faster and harder. She hugged his cock and his hand, doing her best to keep them joined despite their wild pistoning.

And when her thighs gave out and she fell forward on the mattress, he knew it was time.

He used his free hand to wrap in her hair and turn her face to the side.

Then he followed her down so that as much of their bodies were connected as possible when he took her mouth in a searing kiss.

Austin paused only to shout, “Now, Hayden! Let go.”

She spasmed on the bed beneath him, making it impossible for him to resist. He joined her in orgasm, sure his come was splashing into the deepest parts of her. He’d never felt so connected to someone as he did in that moment, and not because of his cock or his finger buried within her.

It was her eyes, which flew open and stared directly into his as she shattered, that grounded him. Another wave of his climax crashed over him while she watched. He continued to empty himself into her until she’d taken every last drop he had to give.

And only then did he reluctantly withdraw from her body.

He reached for his shirt to clean them up, then gathered her to his chest. They were silent for a while, exchanging periodic kisses, like the last bit of popcorn popping before it was done.

They floated back to earth together.

Eventually Hayden hummed and stretched, then cleared her throat. Austin braced himself for her farewell kiss. It would slash his soul to bits after what they’d just shared. He begged the universe to let him be strong enough to watch her go again if she chose to leave.

Because the truth was…he loved her. And if this was what it took for her to be happy, so be it.

Never did he expect what came out of her lush lips next.