Slowly, reverently, Bear pressed into her, watching her face for any sign of discomfort. The feeling of her body welcoming him, hot and tight and perfect, nearly overwhelmed him. He had to pause, to breathe deeply, to regain control. He absolutely refused to rush through this.
But then she wrapped her legs around his waist, drawing him deeper, and he groaned—a deep, gravelly sound he could hardly recognize as coming from him—as he sank fully into her. For a moment, they stayed like that, connected, adjusting to the sensation, their eyes locked and breath mingling.
“You feel like home,” she whispered, the words so soft he almost missed them.
Something in his chest cracked open at that, raw emotion flooding through him. He captured her mouth in a deep kiss as he began to move, setting a gentle, methodical rhythm that had them both gasping.
It wasn’t just sex. It wasthem—all the years of want, of longing, of holding back. It was slow and aching, hands grasping, lips murmuring soft reassurances.
Joy moved with him, meeting him thrust for thrust, sliding her hands over his back. He tensed slightly when her fingers brushed the edge of his scars, but she didn’t linger there, didn’t seem to notice the rough texture in the darkness. The room filled with the sounds of their pleasure—soft gasps, quiet moans, the whisper of skin against skin.
Bear could feel Joy’s body tightening around him, could see the flush spreading across her chest and neck, and he knew she was close. He slipped a hand between them, his fingers finding that spot that made her sob his name.
“Let go,” he murmured against her ear. “I’ve got you, Joy. I’ve always got you.”
She came apart beneath him, her body arching, her inner muscles clenching around him, his name a broken cry on her lips. The sight of her—eyes closed, head thrown back, completely lost in pleasure—was his own undoing.
With a low groan, he followed her over the edge, burying his face in her neck as release crashed through him, wave after wave of pleasure so intense it bordered on pain.
Afterward, they lay tangled together, hearts racing, breath gradually slowing. Bear kept her close, unwilling to break their connection just yet, unwilling to let this moment end.
Bear pressed a kiss to her temple, letting his hand glide up and down her spine, savoring the softness of her skin, the weight of her against him. “You okay?” he asked quietly.
She hummed, nuzzling closer, pressing a soft kiss to his chest. “Better than okay.”
Bear smiled against her hair, pulling her tighter against him. She felt right in his arms, like she belonged there. Had always belonged there.
Yeah. He was definitely better than okay too.
Chapter17
Joy had never felt safer than she did in Bear’s arms.
The fire crackled softly in the cabin’s hearth, casting flickering shadows against the wooden walls. The weight of his arm draped over her waist was the only thing keeping her tethered to reality. Her body was still humming, sated and warm, her heart thrumming in her chest. She pressed a lazy kiss to his shoulder, inhaling the familiar, woodsy scent of him.
“Mm,” Bear rumbled, his voice thick with sleep. “Why the hell did we wait so long to do that?”
Joy smiled, stretching beneath the blankets like a contented cat. The cotton sheets caressed her bare skin as she moved against him.
“Hey, that’s on you,” she teased. “I tried to talk sense into you five years ago.”
He chuckled, his lips brushing against her hair, the vibration of his laughter rippling through his chest and into hers. “If I’d known it would be like that, I probably would’ve risked the eternal damnation and prison time.”
She slapped playfully at his arm, feeling the solid muscle beneath her palm. “I was two whole months from turning eighteen.”
Bear caught her hand, bringing her fingers to his lips and kissing them gently. The tenderness of the gesture made her heart flutter.
“I would’ve loved to have been here to help you celebrate that milestone birthday.”
“Yeah, I actually—” The words caught in her throat, and she glanced away, suddenly unable to meet his eyes.
“Hey.” He pinched her chin gently between his thumb and forefinger, his touch light but insistent as he brought her gaze back to his. The intensity in his brown eyes made her breath catch. “Keep going with that thought.”
Shit. Why had she even brought it up? It was humiliating enough just knowing it had happened, forget actually telling him about it. The memory burned hot in her chest, a secret she’d carried for five years.
“It’s no big deal. That was a long time ago.” She tried to keep her voice casual, but the slight tremor betrayed her.
His eyes darkened with concern. “What happened on your eighteenth birthday? Something bad?”
