Page 72 of Duty Unbound

I shifted slightly, changing the angle until I found that spot that made her cry out. Her back arched off the bed, pressing her breasts against my chest as I drove into her again and again. The friction, the heat, the way she clenched around me—it was almost too much.

“Look at me,” I commanded when her eyes fluttered closed. “I want to see you when you come.”

Her eyes locked with mine, green irises nearly swallowed by dilated pupils. The intimacy of that gaze, the connection between us, was almost too intense. I could see everything she felt—desire, trust, and something deeper that mirrored what was building in my own chest.

I reached between us, finding her clit, causing her hips to buckle. She keened at the contact, her inner walls beginning to flutter around me.

“That’s it,” I encouraged, circling my thumb in time with my thrusts. “You’re so fucking sexy.”

But before she could fall over that edge, she surprised me. With a strength I hadn’t expected, she pushed against my chest. “Wait,” she gasped. “I want… Let me…”

Understanding dawned as she urged me onto my back. I rolled us carefully, keeping us joined as she straddled my hips. The new position drove me even deeper, making us both groan.

She braced her hands on my chest, slowly lifting herself before sinking back down. The sight of her above me, hair wild around her shoulders, breasts swaying with each movement, was the most erotic thing I’d ever seen.

“God, you’re beautiful,” I breathed, my hands finding her hips, guiding her rhythm.

She began to move faster, finding her own pace, her own angle. I watched in awe as she took her pleasure, her head thrown back, soft moans escaping her lips. My hands roamedher body, caressing her breasts, her stomach, everywhere I could reach.

When I felt her beginning to tighten around me again, I slid one hand between us, finding that sensitive spot once more. The dual stimulation was her undoing. “Let go for me, Mel. I’ve got you.”

“Ethan!” she cried out, her body clenching rhythmically around me as she shattered.

The sight of her coming undone above me, the feel of her pulsing around me, triggered my own release. I gripped her hips, thrusting up into her as waves of pleasure crashed through me, her name a groan on my lips.

She collapsed onto my chest, both of us breathing heavily. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close as our hearts gradually slowed. Her skin was damp with sweat now instead of rain, her hair tickling my chin.

“Stay,” she murmured sleepily against my chest.

“I’m not going anywhere,” I promised, pressing a kiss to her temple.

As her breathing evened out in sleep, I tightened my arms around her. Tonight had changed everything. She wasn’t just Nova’s sister anymore. She was someone I couldn’t imagine walking away from, someone who’d gotten under my skin in ways I hadn’t thought possible.

And I’d never leave her behind again.

Chapter 23

Ethan

Dawn light slipped through the hotel curtains, painting a thin gold line across the carpet. I lay still, Mel’s body warm against my chest, her hair tickling my chin with each breath she took. My arm had gone numb beneath her, but I wasn’t about to move. Not yet.

I reached for my phone on the nightstand, careful not to disturb her. The screen showed 6:07 a.m. and several notifications but nothing marked urgent. I opened the team chat.

Need the morning off unless there’s an emergency.

Logan’s response came within seconds.

Got you covered. We’re packing up for the move anyway.

I set the phone aside and settled back against the pillows. Two more shows until the week-long break.Everyone on the team was counting down the days, though no one would admit it out loud. This tour had been more taxing than most—not just because of the threats, but because of the constant vigilance required to keep Nova safe while she insisted on maintaining her public persona.

Mel shifted in her sleep, her hand sliding across my chest. Images from last night flooded my mind. The way she’d looked at me when I’d come back for her at the club. The desperate need in her kiss when we’d finally made it to her room. The sounds she’d made as I’d moved inside her.

I’d had my share of relationships, but nothing compared to what had happened between us. The connection went beyond physical. When she’d taken control, riding me with that fierce determination in her eyes, something had shifted inside me. This wasn’t just attraction or convenience. This was something deeper, something that scared the hell out of me if I thought about it too long.

Careful not to wake her, I slipped out of bed and pulled on my boxers. After popping open a bottle of water, I noticed several of her canvases propped against the wall.

I moved closer, studying the paintings in the growing light. They were all landscapes, variations on the same theme. Rolling hills stretched beneath clear skies. A house nestled in a valley, smoke curling from its chimney. Children playing in the yard, their figures small but full of movement. A dog running across the grass.

---