Page 65 of Resilient Love

The room isn’t huge, and it’s nothing particularly special at first glance, but the longer I stand here, dumbstruck as I stare at the peeling wallpaper, the wood-burning fireplace, and the queen-sized bed with the canopy top, the more my heart clenches and twists in my chest.

“This is the place.” I breathe.

The place. The one I showed him in a video I’d seen online last week. Someone did a tour of the area, and with how closeit is to Embershire, I wanted to go. I’d sent it to Rafael because truthfully, I’d wanted to go withhim.

And here we are. Something so seemingly insignificant as a message I’d sent him in passing and here we are, living it.

“It is,” he says, tugging me against his firm chest, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. I melt against him, breathing in his clean, woody scent.

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN

FRIDAY, MAY 23

The sun is startingto rise above the clouds, streaming through the thin white curtains hanging over the balcony doors.

Elise groans, scooting her ass further against me, plastering her back to my front.

My dick happily burrows between her bare cheeks, and a grunt rumbles from my chest.

“I’d think you’d be broken by now,” I whisper against her cheek, nuzzling further into her warm, intoxicatingly sweet scent.

“Maybe brokeninbut definitely not broken. Though the same can’t be said for Mrs. Greene’s settee or the armchair,”she says, reminding me that we’ve only been here a night and I already owe the owner of this small inn a large sum in damages.

“Worth it,” I say, chuckling against her neck.

She rolls over to face me, slipping her hand between us, gripping me roughly in her palm as she teases my tip against her entrance. “You aren’t going to come inside me now, are you?” she asks, her tone a gentle scold.

I shake my head. “I’mnotgoing to come inside you,” I say, biting my bottom lip when she slips me inside her, still lying on our sides. “Okay, well, now I might,” I tease.

She rolls her eyes but settles her hands on my shoulders, rocking her hips leisurely against me until I’m fully seated inside her.

“What are we—” Her eyes roll back. “Oh, god,” she moans, swallowing thickly. “What are we doing today?” she asks.

“You sure”—I suck in a breath—“you want to have this conversation right now?” I bite down on my lip again, pressing my forehead to hers.

“Mhmm.” She flattens her lips between her teeth, her expression twisting as she tries to deny us both what we want.Such a tease.

I blow out a breath, squeezing my eyes shut as I let it all out. “It’s a surprise,mi vida.”

“Another surprise?” She appears breathless as she continues circling her hips with just enough movement to drive me wild but not enough to get me to my breaking point.

“Yes,” I grit out, sliding myself out of her, but before she can protest, I have her on her stomach, ass up as I slide back inside. I bite down on the side of her neck, causing her to yelp before I say, “You’ll get your surprise after we finish up here.”

She moans loudly as I pump myself inside her, already grabbing for the box of condoms on the nightstand.

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT

FRIDAY, MAY 23

My neck is cranked allthe way back as I stare up at the absolute monstrosity before me. It’s stunning with its intricate architecture, carvings of angels and cherubs in the smooth limestone, and pillars to match. What I don’t understand is why we’re here at all.

I straighten my neck out, turning to Rafael. “You wanted to take me to… church?” I ask, my head cocked and my snarky tone not even remotely hiding my disbelief.

He rolls his eyes. “It’s notjusta church,” he says.

I give the enormous building another quick glance before peering up into his onyx eyes. I pop my hip out as I say, “Well, yeah, it’s aCatholicchurch. Cathedral, whatever. Big whoop.There’s one around nearly every corner.” My eyes widen as a lightbulb flicks on in my mind. Okay, it’s more of an opportunity to be a pain in his ass, but same thing. I snap my fingers and lean into him, dropping my voice an octave as I whisper conspiratorially. “If this is because of what we did last night, I don’t think even a priest, all the holy water in the world, and confessional could wash awaythosesins.”

He lets out an exasperated sigh, gripping my chin and tilting my head back, forcing me to meet his disapproving stare.

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