Chapter Fifteen
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Rachel made it home with a half hour to spare but Dean was already there waiting for her.
Pulling the bike into the garage, she removed her helmet and hung it from the throttle. Then she turned and stepped into his open arms.
Dean smelled of laundry softener and good, clean man. Rachel couldn’t get enough of him.
Pulling back he grinned down at her. “You look so good to me. I see you and my heart melts.”
Chuckling, she shook her head at him. “Whatever…”
He cocked his head, giving her a severe look and she rolled her eyes.
“Fine, even though I haven’t showered or brushed my helmet head, I’m beautiful to you.”
“You are,” he whispered, bending to press a kiss to her lips.
Rachel sank into him, loving the feel of being cradled in his arms. It had only been a few days but it seemed longer. Already her body was readying for him. And it was obvious that he was ready for her.
“Let’s move this inside.”
Dean peered beneath her hair. “You still have the earrings on.”
“Of course. I love them. Nobody has ever given me anything like them before.”
Dean grinned. “And nobody better now, either,” he growled. “But me.”
Rachel shut the garage door and led the way into the house. Grunt met them at the door, howling furiously for more food. Rachel threw a handful of food in the bowl, but it was a little difficult because Dean was reaching for the button of her pants. He’d already tugged up her t-shirt and unfastened her bra.
She giggled as she navigated her way to the bedroom, swatting at his hands. It didn’t matter. She was as bare as she could be without stopping to shed her boots. Collapsing to the mattress she ripped at her laces, desperate to have them off. Dean was shucking his own clothes and only had to kick off his tennis shoes. Then, as she struggled with the damned laces, he was fondling her breasts and ran a line of kisses up her back.
Finally, she was free of everything and turned to him. He immediately fell back on the bed with her sprawled across him. Rachel spread her thighs across his hips and sat up.
“Oh,” he sighed, his bright gaze running over her. “You’re going to get tired of hearing this but you are stunning. I love your breasts. I love your strength. I could look at you forever.”
Rachel leaned down to press a kiss to his lips. “Thank you.”
Dean wrapped his arms around her, sitting up easily in spite of their combined weight. He looked her in the eye and cradled her head in his hands. “I’m completely in love with you, Rachel. Not just one thing but everything about you. My heart recognizes you as its other half. I knew when I stopped at that crash that something big was happening when I talked to you. You showed such courage sitting in that mangled mess. And you show courage in so many ways every day. I wish I had been there to see you climb in that helicopter.”
Rachel laughed, but it came out more as a sob. “It was amazing,” she whispered, her throat tight. “This entire day has been amazing. You know I love you, too. I don’t have the words like you do but I will forever be there for you. I am so amazed at what has happened between us. I never expected to find anything like it.”
Dean pulled her close, his arms secure around her. “Then I’m going to tell you how much I love you five hundred times a day, until you believe it.”
She laughed lightly, her head nestled against his chest. “I’m going to hold you to that.”
Then she began nibbling his skin. She rocked her hips against the erection she could feel between them. Doing a little maneuvering, she guided him inside her, sank down and wrapped her legs around his hips. Then they rocked together, mouths fused, hearts beating in time. Rachel bore down, loving the feel of the orgasm rolling toward her. Dean held her hips in his hands, forcing her down against his body. Rachel panted and cried out, convulsing in his arms. His own orgasm struck suddenly and he cried out, burrowing his face in her hair. Then, unable to hold them up any longer, he rocked to his back with her on top of him.
“I love you, Rachel.”
“And I love you, Dean.”
* * *
Every hour he fell more in love with her. It was one a.m. and they sat at the kitchen table noshing on snacks. Rachel was recounting her day as she stroked Grunt.
“I think I want to fly again,” she admitted.
Dean laughed. “You’ve always wanted to fly, whether you admitted it to yourself or not. I could see that the day I picked you up from the hospital.”
She sighed, propping her head on her hand. “Yes, I think you’re right. I just didn’t want to be disappointed if it wasn’t as amazing as I remembered it. But when Jack pulled us up into the air, I got that same feeling in my gut. That same excitement.”
Her golden eyes swam with a glorious light and Dean knew he would move heaven and earth to keep that light burning. “Then I vote that we call Jack soon, just to get you back into the air.”
Rachel laughed, nodding. “That we will do. Thank you, Dean.”
He shook his head. “Don’t thank me. Just love me.”
Her eyes turned serious. “I do, completely. More than I ever thought possible. I will always be thankful it was you who stopped that day. As soon as I saw your sexy eyes everything else just faded away. I thought I had dreamed them,” she sighed. “Then you came to the hospital and I couldn’t believe it. When I look into your eyes, it’s like a different kind of flying. It makes me more complete than anything else in the world.”
She leaned over the table and he met her halfway, his throat tight with emotion. That was one of the most eloquent things he’d ever heard his former Marine say. “I love you, Rachel, and I’ll fly with you anytime.”
Grinning, she kissed him as if he were her every tomorrow. And if he had anything to say about it, he would be.
The End…