Chapter 35

Amelia

I walked beside Cade down the hallway at the hotel. He’d been quiet since he’d returned from his shower to find me in the waiting area back at the station. His hair was still damp, and he had on clean clothes. Levi had hollered over to me that Cade was all stitched up, so we’d said our goodbyes to Rex and hopped in the rental car he’d arranged for us. I was relieved Cade was quiet because I was awash in nothing but emotion. My body was thrumming with need, and I could barely think past it.

I had the keycard in my hand, but had no recollection of our room number. I stopped in the hall. He glanced to his side, arching a brow. Sweet hell. With his damp brown curls, his green eyes and his body of nothing but muscle, I wanted to tackle him right here. My breath hitched and my pulse lunged.

“I don’t know which room, do you?” I asked, my voice coming out raspy.

Cade’s mouth curled at the corner as he shook his head. He reached for the key card and turned it over. It was blank. Next, he tugged the receipt from the reception desk out of his pocket, scanning it quickly. “Room 34,” he announced.

We stood beside room 30. In seconds, we were at the door to our room. Cade shouldered though, tossing his bag to the floor with a thump. The door barely closed behind me before he was on me, his mouth crashing to mine in a fierce kiss. Need spread through my veins like wildfire. I couldn’t get close enough fast enough. He molded his body to mine, pressing me against the door, his hands roughly mapping over me as he yanked at my clothes. I was as rough and frantic as he was, tearing at his clothes. We stumbled away from the door, rolling against the wall in the short hallway as we left a tangled trail of clothing behind us.

The only pause came when Cade flinched, just barely, when I shoved his shirt off his shoulders. I tore my lips free. “Oh God! Are you…?”

“Fine,” he bit out before his lips blazed a searing trail along my neck.

Goose bumps rose on my skin, chasing in the wake of his touch. I shoved his jeans down around his hips, biting back a groan at the feel of his cock as I curled my palm around it. His lips closed over a nipple, his teeth nipping just enough to send a bolt of need straight to my core.

My thighs were damp, my channel slick with need. He still had too many clothes on though, so I roughly pushed his jeans down. He palmed one breast in his hand and teased me, while his lips, teeth and tongue nearly drove me mad. He kicked his jeans free and spun around, lifting me high against him. I loved how strong he was, how it didn’t matter that I wasn’t exactly petite. He held me easily, injured shoulder and all. I’d completely forgotten about that with the feel of his cock against my folds. He took a step, bringing my back to the wall, and adjusted me in his arms.

With my legs curled around his hips, he paused, his dark green gaze locking with mine. My heart pounded wildly and my breath came in shallow gusts as I stared back at him, caught in the web of his gaze.

“Just so we’re clear…” He arched his hips subtly into mine. Pleasure spiked through me, and I gasped. “It’s you I want. Only you. Always you.”

Despite being nearly lost in the thrum of desire and need, my heart felt so full I could burst. I couldn’t do anything other than nod with my throat too tight for words. With his fierce gaze on me, he adjusted his angle and sank inside me in one swift surge. His forehead fell to mine on a ragged breath, and he held still for a beat. I could feel his heart pounding against my skin. After a moment, he began to move, slow, deep strokes into me. I was so wet, his motion was one endless slide and pull inside my channel. So close to release already, I tried to hold back. The pressure built and built, pleasure starting to ripple through me.

I curled my legs tightly around his hips and bit my lip.

“Don’t,” he murmured, his low voice a caress.

“Don’t what?” I managed to gasp.

“Hold back.”

With a subtle adjustment, he drew back and sank in to the hilt. I let go, my release uncoiling in a snap and hitting me so hard, I cried out sharply. He was right there with me on the next stroke. He went taut as a bow and let out a rough growl, his head falling into the curve of my neck as he shuddered and spent himself inside of me.

I thanked the stars I had a wall behind me and Cade holding me up because otherwise I’d have melted into a puddle. We remained like that for several long moments, our breath heaving. As my pulse slowed, I ran a hand through his damp, rumpled curls and traced along his neck to his shoulder, following the tidy square outline of the gauze over his stitches.

He lifted his head, catching my eyes. “You can only ask once an hour if I’m okay,” he said, a sly grin curling the corner of his mouth.

I giggled. “I can manage that.” I reached up to trace his brows, sobering as I looked at him. “I love you, and I went a little crazy missing you.”

“Ditto.” He paused, his throat working with a swallow and his gaze direct to my heart. “I know it’s been a long time apart. Just focus on what matters—us. Don’t let anything or anyone else tell you otherwise.”

At that, he dipped his head and caught my lips in a quick, fierce kiss before tightening his grip on me and spinning away from the wall. “I think we need another shower.”

Not much later, we were lounging on the bed with takeout pizza between us. I looked over at him propped on the pillows, his ridiculously muscled chest gleaming in the soft light, and thought maybe I could figure out how to love him as fiercely as I did and not lose my mind.