Page 87 of Hold the Line

Lowering his forehead to mine, he pleaded, “Please, sugar. Tell me.”

My lashes fluttered until they stayed up, and my eyes focused on his. “I love you.”

His exhale was a blast of such sweet relief it was staggering. “I almost didn’t show tonight.”

“I know.”

“And you still love me.”

“You’re here.”

“I’m screwed up.”

I didn’t believe that. But he did, and that was what mattered. His wounds wouldn’t heal overnight, but I’d keep loving him until he saw himself the way I did—a beautiful man who had overcome circumstances that might’ve broken someone with less grit.

“As long as you show up, we’ll figure it out,” I promised. I’d hold on until he had no choice but to believe he wasn’t the sum of his past.

“Phoebe,” he croaked, “how are you mine?”

“It’s just the way it is, Deacon.” I touched my lips to his. “Okay?”

“Yeah, okay.” His fingers in my hair balled into a fist. “You have to know I love you too, angel.”

Then his mouth was on mine, and there was nothing soft about it. He kissed me like he’d been away for years, yearning for me. Deep, hard, searching, he found every corner of my mouth and laved it with his tongue. Helovedme, and he was showing me just how much he meant it.

His hands were all over me, moving with more freedom than he’d ever allowed himself to have. He didn’t stop to ask permission before he shoved my bodice under my breasts and pulled my nipple into his mouth. Nor did he ask if he could explore beneath my skirt. He helped himself to all my softest parts as he kissed me into oblivion.

Something had shifted between us. A wall had been knocked down, and we were touching each other in a way we never had. I’d never been shy with him, but Ihadbeen careful. Now, all I wanted was to show him how much I loved him in every way I could.

I yanked his shirt free from his pants to get my hands on his smooth abdomen and the long, taut planes of his back. Then I dipped inside his waistband, cupping his ass and pulling him as close as we could be in this position. It wasn’t enough, so I tugged at his hair, bringing his mouth back to mine.

Our kisses were messy and urgent. Our touches were bordering on desperate. He hiked my skirt up to my waist, and his fingers were inside my panties, sliding through my folds and over my clit. I shuddered as he caressed me there and latched onto my throat with his warm lips.

“Deacon,” I cried softly. “I love you.”

He sucked harder, groaning against my skin, rocking his thick erection into my stomach.

“I didn’t intend for this,” he murmured into my throat. “This isn’t why I wanted to be alone with you.”

“I don’t care about intentions. I need you.”

“Now?” he asked thickly.

I nodded vigorously, my nails digging into his chest. “Right now.”

He walked me back until I collided with the wall and my breath whooshed out of me. Then he hooked his hand under my knee, lifting until he could prop my foot on a stool. He cupped between my spread thighs, dipping two fingers inside me. I was so soaked and needy. When the heel of his hand rubbed against my clit, I jerked and moaned.

“Yes, yes!” My head fell back, and I rode his hand as he thrust and ground exactly where I needed him. “Keep going, just like that.”

From beneath heavy lids, I watched him pleasure me. His gaze roamed over my body, pausing for long beats on his fingers disappearing inside me. The way he looked at me turned me on to the point where it was impossible to hold back a second longer. His eyes came to meet mine at the last second, so heated they were the spark I needed to explode. Writhing and wild, I grasped at his shoulders so I wouldn’t fall—not that he’d ever let that happen.

My orgasm had barely crested when Deacon slipped his fingers from my body, stepped between my legs, and drove into me—hard and deep. Raw nerves were set alight as he fucked me into the wall, and I continued coming around him, rasping my pleasure uncontrollably.

He covered my mouth with his, muffling the wild noises I was making, and I wrapped my arms around his shoulders. Our bodies were aligned, chest to chest, belly to belly, toe to toe. He kissed me like a tidal wave and fucked me like a tornado, leveling me to the ground. Consuming all in his path and leaving his mark forevermore. Even as it was happening, I felt changed and made over. I knew I’d never had anything like this before. This connection, this deep bond…it was something Deacon and I had formed, and it belonged solely to us. Special, hot, loving, and unbreakable, so long as we tended it.

“I love you,” I uttered, shaky and thick, as he bounced me on his cock.

“Love you more,” he gritted out, his gaze burning into mine. “I’m all yours.”

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