Page 113 of Secrets in the Deep

She made a noise. Maybe a moan. Maybe a hum. Maybe something in between that couldn’t be defined.

She hadn’t gotten nearly enough when he lifted his head.

His attention lingered on her temple. Then her neck. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You can’t. Not like this.” It would hurt more to stop. She needed this. Needed him.

She pulled him back, but his mouth was only on hers for a second before grazing over her throat. Then the curve of her shoulder. Gentle, feather-like kisses that slid over her skin like she was fragile.

His carefulness made her chest ache.

God, she loved him. A whole-heart, whole-body kind of love that no time or distance could erase.

In one tug, he pulled her shirt over her head so she only wore panties. But she didn’t feel naked. He covered her. Held her. Surrounded her.

When he lowered his head and took one nipple between his lips, she whimpered, her fingers going intohishair this time, pulling.

Her breaths grew short and shallow, her heart starting to pound. “Ryan…now.”

He teased her bud with his teeth before releasing her. She pushed herself up so that he could slip her panties down her thighs. The material had barely hit the floor when she reached for his shorts. She’d just slid her hand inside and pulled him out when he froze. Going so hard that for a moment, everything in him seemed locked into place.

Slowly, she ran her palm up his length, then back down. His temple fell into the crook of her shoulder, his fingers tight on her waist.

She stroked upward again, unhurried, her thumb tracing a slow path along the underside, before her grip loosened into a featherlight drag down.

His breathing turned into short pants as it hit her neck.

When she placed his tip to her entrance, those fingers cinched her waist. She tightened her thighs, nudging him inside her just a fraction.

He growled.

It wasn’t enough. She wanted more of him.Allof him.

She looked up, found his mouth, and kissed him as he entered her. Slowly. Fully. Deeply.

Ryan stilled,his forehead against Emily’s, his heart fucking racing. Her arms were locked around him, the heels of her feet against his back like she was holding him in place.

And maybe she was. Maybe she was the only thing keeping him standing.

He’d been running on controlled rage since opening that door to see her on the floor. Since hearing her scream. Seeing the blood and the bruise. He’d shoved it down. Compartmentalized. Focusing on Ward and his team and her safety.

Now, there was just her, wrapped around him. Her beating heart against his chest.

And all that control just disappeared.

He started to move, long, deep thrusts. In and out, absorbing every groan from her.

He lifted his head, watching the flutter of her closed eyes.

Jesus, she hypnotized him. No one could demand as much of him as she did. And he was powerless not to give her everything.

He continued to move, to pull out slowly before driving back in hard. Her hand came to his face, cupping his cheek. And when her eyes finally opened, he only had a second to look into them before she pulled him back to her, her mouth covering his, her tongue tasting him.

One kiss. One taste. Then her forehead touched his again.

He cupped her breast, palming her. Running his thumb over the sensitive nipple. Loving the way her breathing caught. How a shudder rolled down her spine.

She fisted his hair and said his name. It was only a whisper. But fuck, it hit him hard.