Chapter 90

He was about to beg her to shut up until sunrise, just a few measly hours to give his shattered heart a reprieve, but she opened her mouth first.

"Will you go with me to the police station tomorrow?"

Stunned stupid, he stared unblinking.

"To give an official statement so they can hold my uncle on charges. Nate said he'd be there the whole time, but I want you with me, too. Please?"

"Yes." Was she kidding? "Of course, I'll go with you." He always knew she was brave, fearless, but he'd underestimated her level of courage. And damn, he was buying the whole auto lot out of motorcycles for Nate. Seriously, no lie. "I'm debating whether we should have us surgically joined. It might be my only peace of mind."

She laughed, and nothing sounded sweeter. "How about I promise to love you forever instead? Less awkward than going under the knife and we wouldn't have to get insurance involved."

In answer, he sealed his lips to hers, sank deep with a slow glide until he was under the influence and she contentedly hummed. His world righted and his lungs inflated and his heart rhythm finally waved a white flag.

They were going to be fine, the two of them. Just fine.

When he pulled away, he brushed his nose with hers and smoothed her hair from her face. "How would you feel about getting married again, this time to the right guy?"

Blink, blink. "Was that a proposal?"

"Not yet. Answer the question." He nibbled his way down her throat.

She tilted her head. "Well, if Charlie Hunnam asked, I wouldn't say no. I'm"

He smacked her ass. Hard.

"Okay, okay. And rawr for Alpha Nakos." She sighed. "I would feel favorably about the situation."

Good. He was already plotting as he traced her cheek with his fingertip. "Promise me something. No matter what, we'll have no more secrets. You and me, Ames. Nothing between us."

"Deal." She gave him a brief kiss and smiled against his lips. "For the sake of honesty, I need to tell you something. It's important." Her expression grew stoic.

His pulse tripped. "What?"

"I'm very, very overheated in this outfit you put on me."

He narrowed his eyes.

"I mean, I know my clothes were wet from the storm, but I was only a little chilly stepping into the air conditioning."

Tongue in cheek, he cleared his throat. "You were shivering."

She gestured down at herself. "Hello, overboard. And, wow. You just tossed those wet clothes aside. It reminded me of when I try on an outfit and it doesn't look good on me. I throw it on the floor and say, no, you don't deserve to be hung up. You sit there and think about what you've done."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"Just a little." Sexy impish grin. She'd pay for that in a second.

He flattened his lips to avoid a smile and almost failed. "I was this close to needing a straightjacket and a padded cell, and you're teasing me?"

"This close? Nakos, they have you scheduled for basket weaving on Tuesday." She patted his shoulder, placating. "It's the middle of summer. I look like I'm ready to climb the Laramie. In January."

Grabbing the hem of her sweatshirt, he jerked it over her head. "Better?"

"Getting there."

It would take the rest of his natural life and hers to keep up with her. And he was very much looking forward to it. He laid her out on the bed, stripped off her sweats and panties. "How's that?"

She held up her feet, covered in wool socks.

A hearty sigh, and he pulled them off by the toe, flipped them over his shoulders.

Stretching out in all her naked glory, no hint of her previous shyness, she grinned. Arched her back. Bit her lip.

Gorgeous. And his, heaven help him.

"You're overdressed, too."

He took care of that problem quickly by shedding his clothes, then rose over her. She accepted him in the cradle of her thighs as he lowered himself to her. The skin-to-skin charge was both a jolt and a welcome home.

"Anything else, anim?" He kissed her neck, loving the blush that started at her collarbone and infused her cheeks.

"Just one more thing." Her heavy-lidded gaze met his. "Don't let go."

Hands buried in her hair, he stared at herthose amazing eyes framed by thick lashes, her lush mouth, her dark strands spread over the sheets. She'd said the same thing all those months ago when he'd carried her out of the barn. The day his world stopped on its axis. She may have been bruised and bloody, but he'd been the broken one. That terrible moment had begun this wonderful path for them by kick-starting his heart when, in truth, it hadn't beaten until she'd given it reason.

She owned him, all of him, and probably always had. Always would.

"Never," he said, feathering his lips over hers. "I promise, I'll never let go."