The feel of his hard length against my thigh pulled a groan from my mouth. I positioned myself over him, my knees oneither side of his hips, and lowered myself down, teasing him with the heat between my legs. He growled, his eyes half lidded with pleasure as he watched me take control. Taking him in my hand, I guided him to my entrance and then lowered myself down, sheathing him slowly. His hands gripped my hips as we both moaned in unison.
I rocked back and forth, setting a slow, sensual pace, our bodies moving in perfect rhythm. His hands moved up to cup my breasts, thumbs flicking over my nipples as he thrust upward into me. I moaned his name again and again, lost in the sensation of being so close to him after feeling like I might lose it all.
I closed my eyes, arching my back as I rode him harder, trying to prolong the moment. His thrusts were deep and deliberate, each one hitting that sweet spot inside me that made my toes curl. “Dominic,” I moaned, gripping his shoulders tightly. He groaned in response, his hips bucking upward as he met my rhythm.
The orgasm built again inside me, faster this time, like a freight train barreling down the tracks. “Oh God, baby,” I panted, my nails digging into his skin. Dominic’s grip on my hips tightened as he angled himself even deeper, his breath coming in ragged pants.
“Van,” he grunted, and we both went over the edge together in an explosion of color and sensation that left me breathless.
I sucked in air, leaning over him as my body jolted and I felt him flood me. The sensations were incredible.
Dominic’s hands slid up my back, his fingers entangled in my hair, and he pulled me down for a searing kiss. Our tongues dueled, tasting each other, and the room seemed to melt away. The past was gone, and all that mattered was now.
Finally, we broke apart, both panting for air. Dominic’s eyes were dark with desire and something else I couldn’t quite name.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered, his voice rough with emotion.
“I’m sorry too,” I managed to say around the lump in my throat.
It was over, and we lay tangled in the quiet that followed, our limbs still linked beneath the sheets. The only light came from the window, dimming slowly with the late hour. I shifted, resting my cheek against his shoulder, my fingers tracing a small circle on his chest.
“If we’re doing this,” I said, turning toward him so he could see my face, “I need to know you’re staying, not just for them—for me.”
He didn’t answer right away. His hand closed gently over mine and his thumb brushed slowly across my knuckles. The look in his eyes was clear and steady. He wasn’t surprised by my statement and he wasn’t uncomfortable. He understood exactly what I meant.
I watched his expression for any trace of hesitation, but there was none. He pulled me closer, resting his forehead against mine, and I exhaled. I felt safe there, but that didn’t mean I felt certain.
His hand skimmed along my back slowly; I waited for him to say something—anything—but the silence stayed between us. I wanted to believe it meant peace, that he was here not out of obligation, but because he wanted a relationship.
Because even now, some part of me worried. Would he have come if my father hadn’t forced his hand?
Whatever came next, I needed more than comfort.
I needed to believe he chose me.
30
DOMINIC
Savannah’s phone buzzed from where it sat on the dresser. She crossed the bedroom and picked it up, thumb hovering for a moment before she turned the screen toward herself. I watched her from where I stood by the window, rolling my cuff and adjusting the sharp crease in the sleeve. The change in her posture told me everything I needed to know before she opened her mouth.
“It’s my dad,” she said. “He wants to see me—now.”
Her tone was calm, but her fingers tightened around the phone, betraying the nerves she was trying to hide. I walked toward her, closing the distance between us until we stood almost toe to toe in front of the mirror. The conversation we’d just had was intense, and I was looking forward to seeing the boys and meeting them, but I had the rest of my life for that.
“Then we go,” I said, giving her elbow a squeeze. “We shouldn’t let this drag out longer than necessary. Okay?”
“But the boys …”
“Believe me, baby, I want to meet them as soon as possible, but I want this weight off your shoulders now.” I leaned in, pressed a kiss to her forehead, and she smiled.
Nodding, she unlocked her phone to fire off a quick message. Her brows furrowed slightly as she typed. “I’m texting Thea,” she said without looking up. “Telling her I have to leave, but we’ll hang out with her and the boys tomorrow.”
I pulled away and watched her finish the message before setting the phone face down on the dresser. She turned toward the mirror again, slipping in her second earring with a smooth flick of her wrist. Her reflection looked composed, but I saw the way her chest rose on a deeper breath than usual. The nerves were there, sitting just beneath the surface.
I fastened my second cufflink and straightened my collar. There was tension between us, but not in the same way there had been for weeks. This time, we were each gathering ourselves for the same thing, just coming at it from different angles.
She glanced at the clock. Less than fifteen minutes had passed since the message came through, but her posture said she wished we were already there.