Page 89 of Heart & Hope

“But what, beautiful?”

“Will you be okay, I meanreallyokay, when I leave?”

Her eyes search my face, breaths coming quicker now. She’s worried about me. Fuck.

“I will be fine. You’ll be busy with your career, and I will be surrounded by people every day. I won’t have time to freak out, I promise.”

Her eyes flicker to the side and close. “That’s not what I meant.”

I cant my head, brows lowering.

If this isn’t about my anxiety, then what is it about?

“Ruby?”

She sucks in a breath and forces a smile. “Never mind, let’s celebrate, hey?” Her hands grab the hem of her shirt and it’s on the grass a second later. She wriggles out of her shorts and turns, heading for the water, hips swaying. Naked.

The blood supply that was fueling my processing of whatever she was trying to say to me disappears south. Distraction successful.I see you, Robbins, and raise you.I rip the clothes from my body, tossing them with hers and run, buck naked, to where she stands toeing the waterline. She turns, too slow, whenshe hears me coming, and I scoop her up and jump into the water.

When the water settles and we are both huffing laughs and wiping hair from our faces, I tug her into my body. She wraps her legs around my waist, and I drop my head to her shoulder. With a quick inhale to breathe her in, I wade toward the waterfall.

Ruby dots kisses over my face, hands in my wet hair. The cool water does nothing to douse the raging hard-on I have. And her body is hot on mine, her breasts pushed against my chest. The waterfall cascades behind Ruby’s back. I move closer so it hisses over her skin, and she moans.

Inching her further into the water, I watch the smile that grows on her face. “Into the water, baby.”

She leans back, letting the water tangle through her long hair and rush over her shoulders. Back arched, her nipples are pointing up at me. I latch on to one with lips and teeth, sweeping my tongue over every place I can. The whimper that tumbles from her lips makes my cock twitch.Fuck me, Ruby Robbins.

I suckle and nip each breast as she writhes on my hips. I know what she needs now. The same thing I am desperate for. Her wrapped around my cock. Her tight, wet heat.

“Inside me now, Reed Rawlins,” she growls.

I huff a chuckle and line up my tip with her center. Hungry, she kisses my mouth. I pry those pretty lips open with my tongue. She lets me in, eyes slammed shut, nails digging into my shoulders. Hungry and on the brink of losing control, I thrust up into her. She gasps, light and airy, into my mouth, and I swallow every sound she makes as I move harder, faster.

“Reed,” she whimpers, eyes flying open.

“Yeah, baby,” I rasp, barely able to catch my breath.

“I—” Her face cracks, her body rocking with each delicious wave as she milks my cock. With a groan, I pluck her nipple with my teeth, sending her higher. Every breath she takes is linedwith a little desperate cry. And the overwhelming feeling that things have unwound into yet another level for Ruby and me sinks into my soul.

A sharp ache flashes through my chest, and I swallow past the rock in my throat. Willing it away with every erratic thrust I make. Her strawberry scent that weaves through my senses has me entranced.

I’m a dead man walking.

And the minute this is over and she leaves, you may as well bury me, because I will never be alive like this ever again. Without Ruby, my days are going to be one hellish stretch after another.

Her hands are on my face. And if I look anywhere near the way I feel right now, that look of worry on her face is warranted. Becausefuck.

Closing my eyes, I slam into her as she whispers my name on repeat. Spilling hot and fast into her, I swear the sound of her soft plea will haunt me for the rest of my damn life. The moment I open my eyes and her hands lift my face to hers, a tear rolls down her cheek. Not water from the fall behind her. No, these drops I witness swell, bob, and then slide over her lashes, tracking a path down her cheek.

“I love you, Reed.”

My heart cracks in two. I let my eyes fall shut as something tight snakes through my rib cage. “Don’t say that, Rubes, please...”

Her breath hitches. “Look at me.”

I can’t.

“Reed.” My name is breathy desperation, and my heart squeezes tighter still. Sucking in a long, burning breath, I raise my gaze to hers. Her chin wobbles. She tries to compose herself and fails. Tears burn the back of my eyes at seeing her this way.

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