Page 18 of Curvy Girl and the Grumpy Cowboy

When I can breathe again, I tug at his shoulders. "Come here."

He moves up my body, his expression both satisfied and desperate with his own need. I pull him down for a kiss, tasting myself on his lips.

"I love you," he whispers against my mouth. "Never stopped. Not for a single day."

"Show me," I reply, wrapping my legs around his hips. "Show me how much."

He rises to his knees, unbuckling his belt with steady hands, the moonlight gleaming off his broad shoulders. The soft clink of metal as he tosses it aside is followed by the rustle of fabric as he removes his pants and underwear in one smooth motion.

Jackson Covington has always been an impressive man, and time has only enhanced his strength. I run my hands over his chest, feeling the solid beat of his heart beneath my palm. When my fingers trace lower, he catches my wrist, bringing it to his lips.

"Not yet," he says, voice strained. "It's been too long. I want this to last."

He positions himself between my thighs, one hand guiding himself to my entrance. Our eyes lock as he pushes slowly inside, both of us gasping at the sensation of being joined after so many years apart.

"Sarah," he breathes, his forehead dropping to mine once he's fully seated. "God, you feel... you feel as good as ever. Better."

I wrap my arms around his shoulders, holding him close as we both adjust to the overwhelming intimacy.

"Move, Jackson. Please."

He begins to rock into me with measured strokes, his control evident in the tension of his muscles beneath my fingertips. Hislips find my neck, trailing hot kisses along my pulse point as his hips maintain their steady rhythm.

I arch beneath him, my body remembering this dance like we'd never been apart. The familiar weight of him, the scent of his skin, the way he angles his hips to hit exactly the right spot—it's like coming home to a place I feared I'd never see again.

"I missed this," I gasp as he drives deeper. "Missed you."

His only response is to capture my mouth with a passionate kiss, his pace increasing as our bodies demand more. I wrap my legs tighter around him, meeting each thrust with one of my own, my fingers digging into the solid muscle of his back.

"Look at me," he commands softly, pulling back just enough to meet my gaze.

When I do, his eyes burn into mine with an intensity that makes me tremble. He shifts his angle slightly, driving deeper, reaching places inside me that make stars burst behind my eyelids. Each powerful thrust feels like a promise – that he's here, that he's mine, that we won't lose each other again.

The sheets tangle beneath us as I grasp them with one hand, needing something to anchor me as pleasure builds again. Jackson's breathing grows ragged, his control slipping with each passing moment.

"Wait," I whisper against his lips. "I want to change positions."

He stills immediately, concern crossing his features. "Everything okay?"

I smile, pushing gently at his shoulder. "Perfect. But I want to ride you. I've missed looking at you from above... seeing you fall apart beneath me."

Understanding dawns in his eyes, followed by a flash of heat that makes adrenaline rush through me. Without a word, he rolls onto his back, bringing me with him.

I brace my hands on his chest, adjusting to the new angle as I straddle him. Like this, I can see all of him—the powerful body tensed with pleasure, the vulnerable longing in his eyes, the absolute surrender in his expression as he gazes up at me.

"You're beautiful," I tell him, slowly beginning to move. "The most beautiful man I've ever known."

His hands find my hips, guiding but not controlling as I set a rhythm that has us both gasping. I watch him unravel beneath me—the way his head presses back into the pillow, how his eyes darken to nearly black, the flush that spreads across his chest.

"Sarah," he groans, his fingers tightening on my hips. "I'm not going to last much longer."

I lean down, pressing my forehead to his, our breath mingling as I move faster.

"Then don't hold back. Not with me. Not ever again."

His control finally breaks. With a low groan that sounds almost like pain, he thrusts up to meet me, his release triggering my own. I collapse against his chest as waves of pleasure wash through us both, our hearts racing together.

When I can finally speak again, I press a kiss to his jaw, tasting the salt of his skin. "Definitely worth the wait."

---