Hook worried about Felicity the entire way back to Bear Lodge.

Since he’d found her looking so lost, standing apart from everyone outside the mansion, she’d been quiet. After agreeing to report to the sheriff’s office the next morning to offer his statement, he’d walked Felicity back to his truck and bundled her into the passenger seat with a blanket he’d pulled from the back of his vehicle because she was shivering uncontrollably. And although it was a balmy night, he turned on the heat inside the SUV.

He likely broke speed laws all the way back, because he was in a hurry to get her home and alone. To strip her of her clothing and pull her into bed, where he’d hold her, skin to skin, to give her comfort. Nothing more.

At the hotel, he led her, her hand clasped inside his, to their rooms. Then he sat her on the side of the bed. He noted that her lips were a little blue. “Stay,” he said softly, and went to the bathroom to draw a bath.

When the tub was full, he removed her clothes, working as efficiently as he could, no lingering touches, although the temptation was there. Once he helped her into the tub, he left and made her a cup of hot tea laced with three sugar packets. When he returned, he handed her the cup and sat on the floor beside the tub. Just to keep her company, so she’d know she wasn’t alone.

She sat in the water for a long time, holding the cup between her hands, with her head tilted back and her eyes closed. He didn’t mind. Whatever she needed, he’d give.

At last, she stirred and took several sips from the cup. In profile, her lips trembled. The sight almost broke his heart.

“I thought I wanted to yell at him. Hit him. But when I stood in front of him, I just felt…empty.”

“He isn’t worth your anger,” he murmured.

She turned her head, and her deep green gaze met his. “I don’t know what’s next,” she whispered.

“Do you mean, for us?”

She nodded.

“Everything, Felicity. The whole wide world. Whatever you want.”

Her expression remained remote, but after a moment, she sat up and handed him the cup. Then she scooted toward the middle of the tub and wrapped her arms around her knees. “I want you to join me.”

He drew a long, deep breath. Of course, he’d known that at some point they’d share a bath, a shower. That he’d have to shed his prosthetic. He’d hoped for more time, so that she didn’t see the arm, just…him.

He stood and stripped, and when he was nude, he faced her and shrugged off the loop around his left shoulder, then pulled off the apparatus that allowed him to mimic being whole. Lastly, he tugged off the sock.

Her gaze swept his stump, and then she patted the side of the tub. “Come.”

With his belly churning, he stepped into the tub behind her and sank, stretching his legs on either side of her body in the narrow space. When he settled against the back of the tub, she gripped the sides and lay back against his chest. “Hold me.”

He put his left arm around her waist.

“Both arms, Hook.”

Feeling a little shaky inside, he placed his shortened limb beneath her arm and slid it slowly around her belly.

She snuggled against him, turning slightly to her right side, and then lifted his stump in both hands. She cupped it between both of hers. When she traced the long, ugly scar across the bottom with her thumb, he couldn’t help letting out a trembling breath. When she bent closer to run her lips over the pocked scarring from the shrapnel that had torn off his forearm, the backs of his eyes burned.

Felicity tilted her head toward his. “Dylan, I don’t care that you don’t have a hand. Sure, I’m sorry you went through so much pain, and that you face so many inconveniences. I simply and truly don’t care whether you have one hand or no hands. You aren’t any less a man.”

Her words stunned him. In that moment, he was incapable of replying. His jaw was too tense for him to open it.

“Dylan…”

She said it so softly, he had to lean closer. He swallowed the lump in his throat to rasp, “Yes, baby?”

She drew a delicate breath, closed her eyes, then said, “I love you.”

Hook’s chest expanded outward as he drew a deep breath. He cupped the side of her face with his palm and kissed her.

She loves me. Joy so profound it left him shaken swept through him.

He knew she needed a response. She kept her eyes closed, waiting, like she expected to be disappointed.

“Fel…” He kissed her nose, her cheek, her chin, then he settled onto her mouth and stroked deep inside. When he pulled back, he said, “Look at me.”

She shook her head and squeezed her eyelids tighter. A tear fell from one corner. “You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know.”

“Baby, please.”

Her eyelids fluttered open. Her gaze locked with his.

“I didn’t want to overwhelm you,” he said, stroking his thumb over her pretty mouth. “I didn’t want you to feel rushed, or…” he wrinkled his nose because he wasn’t sure he knew the right word, “…beholden…to me. Because I’ve been here, protecting you, looking over you. I knew you were scared.” Another tear fell, and he wiped it away. “But I can’t imagine my life without you.”

He drew a deep breath then said the words he’d never said to another woman… “I love you, too.”

She let out a small sob and turned fully in his arms, her knees digging into his thighs, but he didn’t care where they hit, not when she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.

Later, they lay in the middle of the bed, their skin cooling after making love in the bath. He grinned in the darkness, because she’d said ‘I love you’ over and over as she’d come, and the sound had echoed around him, filling all the empty places inside him.

Her hand moved slowly over his chest, up and down; her fingernails lightly scratched his skin. “I think Monica’s going to offer me a job.”

“You can take your time, if you like, looking for work. I can support us.” He rather liked the idea of providing for her. He was also sure that Fetch would find little projects for her, if she wanted the work. Brian could certainly use the help. He was uncertain how he felt about her working for Monica and her mysterious organization.

“I won’t take it if the commute’s too far.”

Now, he felt a twinge of guilt. She assumed she’d be the one to have to make all the adjustments. “If it is far, and this is work you want to do, we’ll find a place closer to RIPs offices. I can commute.”

“You’d do that for me?”

“Haven’t I proven I’d do anything for you?”

“Hmmm.” Her hand made another swipe, this time lower on his belly.

“You sound doubtful,” he said smiling, because he knew she was moving lower on purpose.

“It’s just, you’ve given me everything. Shouldn’t you expect some sacrifice from me in return?”

“I don’t expect sacrifices, babe.”

“What do you expect?”

Her fingers brushed the base of his cock, and his breaths deepened. “I expect you to be truthful with me, always.”

“Do you expect obedience?”

“If I did, sweetheart, you’d have been in trouble today,” he said wryly.

“You were awfully angry…”

He heard the smile in her voice and knew exactly what she was angling for…

“You’re right, I was. And if today hadn’t been so important to you, I would have punished you for being so…disobedient.”

“Oh…”

She sounded disappointed.

“However, on second thought, maybe I shouldn’t give you the impression I’ll be so easy going forward.”

“I don’t know whether I like the sound of that,” she said, although she sounded breathless. “What do you consider a fitting punishment?”

He gave an exaggerated sigh. “I don’t know. It has to be something equal to the seriousness of your…crimes.”

“I did escape Brian’s custody. And I stole your 4Runner.”

“You came to a stakeout for a very dangerous criminal.”

She gave a little snort.

Okay, so maybe that one was a stretch. “The form of punishment should be something that leaves an impression.”

“Or five…”

She’d said that in a tiny, strained voice, and Hook nearly laughed. Oh, Felicity, be careful what you wish for...

Felicity wondered if he had a clue how turned on she was. The tips of her nipples were as hard as little metal spikes, and she was so wet between her legs that moisture had leaked onto her inner thighs.

The thought of him spanking her tantalized. She’d never been spanked. Not even as a child. He was such a sweet man. She knew the only reason he considered doing it was because he cared about her. And while the feminist part of her, the ex-soldier who’d never let a man look down on her because of her size or gender, was appalled at the idea—the sex-kitten he’d awakened was ready to give a very loud meow.

“We should probably get this over with,” he said, his voice gruffer than before.

She rolled away. “I’m ready,” she said in a very small voice, as though she was dreading this.

He coughed, and then sat on the side of the bed. He flicked on the lamp.

When he patted his thigh, as though calling a dog, her instinctive reaction was to hiss.

“No stalling. The sooner this is over, the sooner we can put this past us.”

For some reason, his voice sounded a little garbled.

She rose from her side of the bed and walked around to him. His expression was set, but his laser eyes were sharp as they watched her approach. Feeling awkward, she crouched then stretched herself over his thighs. She steadied herself by reaching out for the nightstand and the side of the mattress.

His large, hot hand settled on her bottom. She couldn’t help the quiver that worked its way through her body. Anticipation, she knew. “Like I said, I’m ready.” She winced because she sounded impatient.

She felt his cock bob against her belly. It was hard. Where it touched felt cool, as though he’d left moisture on her skin. She glanced over her shoulder and discovered that his expression was no longer stony. His skin was reddened. His chest rose and fell quickly. Was he aroused at the thought of punishing her? Should she be worried about that?

But before she had a chance to follow that particular thought, he lifted his hand and swatted her bottom. Not hard, although by the sound of the slap it should have stung.

“How guilty are you feeling?”

His voice was almost a purr. A deep rasp that excited her more than it should have. “Not particularly,” she said, her tone defiant.

Another slap landed, this one harder, and she gasped. The sting was exquisite. She braced apart her legs because her sex was hot and swelling, and she needed to cool it in the air.

Another and another smack landed. Different spots, and this time, afterward, he rubbed her skin with his palm, soothing her. “Now, Fel, are you sorry for what you did?”

“So, sorry!” she blurted, because her back was arching, and her nipples tingled.

His palm slid down the center of her buttocks and below. “Baby, you’re wet.” Fingers traced her slit and sank inside her.

She arched harder and flung back her head. “Dylan!”

Hook moved her off his thighs then stood. His hand guided her to bend over the mattress. His feet nudged hers farther apart, widening her stance, and forcing her to rise on her toes.

The next sensation had her reaching out to fist the bedding. His tongue stroked through her folds. This was punishment? She rubbed her breasts against the coverlet while he latched his mouth around her clitoris and sank two thick digits inside her. Lord, what she would have given to see this, a spectator to her own ravishment. No other word could describe what he was doing.

He held her open and exposed. He penetrated with his tongue.

When his teeth grazed her clit, she sobbed.

“Are you sorry, Fel?” he whispered.

“Yes, yes,” she cried out.

He withdrew and urged her onto the mattress. She crawled forward then went still when he caught her hips. She braced herself on her arms and widened her knees. When he prodded her with his cock, she bucked backward to meet him.

But he evaded her, smacking her bottom in warning.

She froze as he slid his cock along the center of her folds. She bit her lip to keep from complaining as he teased. When he drew backward, she held her breath, not letting it go until he nudged her center, once, then twice, and then pushed slowly against her slick flesh until the head submerged.

Her arms trembled, and she dropped to her elbows.

His hold wasn’t particularly gentle as he gripped the side of her hip and plunged inside her.

Felicity was sure she bleated when he rushed inside. Then she pressed her forehead against the bed as he stroked deeper and harder, his grip adjusting, pulling her backward, pushing her forward. She rocked, captured in his rough embrace, glorying in the fact he was losing control, and his movements were quickening.

Then he released her and pulled free. She glanced over her shoulder to see him kneel on the bed, his cock straight and glistening. He held out his hand.

She turned, gripped his hand, and crawled over his lap. With her hands planted on his broad shoulders, she lowered herself onto his shaft. “This feels so good,” she said softly.

He smoothed back her hair. “I like this, too. I can see your eyes.”

“Why does that matter?”

“Your beautiful eyes are my favorite part of you.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Not the part I would have guessed.”

He scooped his lips against hers then cupped the side of her face. “I know everything you’re thinking when I look into them.”

She tossed back her hair and widened her eyes. “And what am I thinking now?”

“That you were never sorry at all.”

She grinned and ground down on him. “Think so? Is there more?”

“That you wish I’d stop talking and just ‘get down to business’ as you like to describe it.”

“He has a superpower!”

Only Hook didn’t smile at her quip. “Baby, you have to stop worrying.”

Confused, her smile faltered. “I’m worried?”

“Yeah, you are. You think this isn’t going to last, but you’re wrong.”

Felicity’s smile faded completely, and she glanced down at his chest. How could he know for sure? Wasn’t it too soon for them to be pledging forever? While she was pretty sure she’d never feel like this about another man, she would hate it if, someday, down the road, he changed his mind.

He tucked his thumb beneath her chin and forced her gaze back to his. “Just so you know, I’m not ever letting you go. Babe, I’m sure about this…about us. I’m all in.”

She stayed silent for a long moment, looking into his eyes. They reflected the same certainty she felt all the way to her toes. In that moment, she believed.

Wrapping both arms around his shoulders, she pressed her body against his, mashing her breasts on his chest, trying to get closer. If she could, she’d crawl right inside him. She rubbed her cheek against his. “I should be thanking Cameron.” She felt him smile. “Without him…”

“Yeah, we can send him a card when he’s in prison.”

Felicity kissed his cheek and sighed. “I’m a little sad.”

His arms enclosed her. “Baby, why?”

“Because I don’t know how I’ll ever feel happier than I do at this moment.”

His exhale feathered across her cheek. “Have a little faith. We’re just beginning.” He gave her another hug then lowered his hand to her bottom. “I’ll show you.”

And he did.