“Soon,” he promised, his breathing harsh against my neck. “Fuck, it’s good to get you alone. That was intense. But I’m proud of you for standing up for yourself. You did good.”

“Thank you. You think we’ll understand when we have kids, like my mom said?”

He looked up at me, his beautiful face and serious eyes so wonderfully familiar I could cry.

“We’ve never talked about kids,” he said. “Do you want them?”

“One day. Do you?”

“One day, yeah. After we’ve had a few years’ worth of alone time.”

“Sounds good,” I said. “You going to show me this condo of yours?”

“Of ours. Absolutely.”

“I think you’re going to need to take your hands out of my top if you’re planning on driving us there.”

“Mm. Pity.” He gave my br**sts a final squeeze before slipping his hands free of my clothing. “And you’re going to have to hop back into your seat.”

“Okey dokey.”

His hands wrapped around my hips, helping me climb back over to my side of the vehicle. I refastened my seat belt while he took a deep breath. With a wince he adjusted himself, obviously trying to get more comfortable. “You’re a terror.”

“Me? What did I do?”

“You know what you did,” he grouched, pulling back out onto the road.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t you give me that,” he said, giving me a narrow-eyed look. “You did it in Vegas and then you did it in Monterey and LA too. Now you’re doing it in Portland. I can’t take you anywhere.”

“Are you talking about the state of your fly? Because I’m not the one in control of your reactions to me, buddy. You are.”

He barked out a laugh. “I’ve never been in control of my reactions to you. Not once.”

“Is that why you married me? Because you were helpless against me?”

“You make me tremble in fear, rest assured.” The smile he gave me made me tremble and fear had nothing to do with it. “But I married you, Evelyn, because you made sense to me. We make sense. We’re a whole lot better together than apart. You notice that?”

“Yeah, I really did.”

“Good.” His fingers stroked over my cheekbone. “We need to get home. Now.”

I’m pretty sure he broke several speed limits on the drive. The condo was only a couple of blocks back from Ruby’s café. It was located in a big old brown-brick building with Art Deco stonework surrounding the double glass front doors. David punched in a code and led me into a white marble lobby. A statue of what looked like driftwood stood tall in the corner. Security cameras hid in the ceiling corners. He didn’t give me time to look, rushing me through. I practically had to run to keep up with him.

“Come on,” he said, tugging on my hand, drawing me into the lift.

“This is all very impressive.”

He pushed the button for the top floor. “Wait ’til you see our place. You’re moving in with me now, right?”

“Right.”

“Ah, we’ve got some visitors at the moment, by the way. Just while we record the album and that. A few more weeks, probably.” The lift doors slid open and we stepped into the hall. At which point David took my handbag from me. Then he bent and set his shoulder to my stomach, lifting me high. “Here we are.”

“Hey,” I squeaked.

“I got you. Time to get carried over the threshold again.”

“David, I’m wearing a skirt.” It nearly went to my knees, but still. I’d rather not flash his guests and band members if I could avoid it.

“I know you are. Have I thanked you for that yet? I really appreciate having that easy access.” His black boots thumped along the marble flooring. I took the opportunity to grope his ass because I was allowed to. My life was f**king fantastic like that.

“You’re not wearing any underwear,” I informed him.

“That so?”

A hand felt up my rear. Over my clothing, thankfully.

“You are,” he said, voice low and growly in the best way possible. “Which ones you wearing, baby? Boyshorts by the feel.”

“I don’t think you’ve seen these.”

“Yeah, well we’re gonna change that real soon. Trust me.”

“I do.”

I heard the sound of a door opening, and the marble beneath me turned to a glossy, black-painted wooden floor. The walls were a pristine white. And I could hear male voices, laughing and trash-talking nearby. Music played in the background, Nine Inch Nails, I think. Nate had been playing his music at the apartment and they were a favorite of his. Of course the condo looked amazing. There were dark wooden dining room chairs and green couches. Plenty of space. Guitar cases were strewn about the place. From what I could see, it looked beautiful and lived in. It looked like a home.

Our home.

“You kidnapped a girl. That’s awesome but illegal, Davie. You’re probably going to have to give her back.” My hair was lifted and Mal appeared, crouched beside me. “Hey there, child bride. Where’s my hello kiss?”

“Leave my wife alone, you dickwad.” David lifted one booted foot and negligently pushed him aside. “Go get your own.”

“Why the f**k would I want to get married? That’s for crazy folk like you two fine people. And while I applaud your insanity, no goddamn way am I following in your footsteps.”

“Who the f**k would have him?” Jimmy’s smoother voice moved up alongside me. “Hey, Ev.”

“Hi, Jimmy.” I took a hand off the seat of my husband’s jeans and waved at him. “David, do I have to stay upside down?”

“Ah, right. It’s date night,” my husband announced.

“Got it,” Mal said. “Come on Jimmy. We’ll go find Benny-boy. He was going to that Japanese place for a bite.”

“Right.” Jimmy’s sneakers headed for the door. “Later, guys.”

“Bye!” I gave him another wave.

“Night, Evvie.” Mal left too and the door slammed shut behind them.

“Alone at last.” David sighed and started moving again, down a long hallway. With me still over his shoulder. “You like the place?”

“What I can see of it is lovely.”

“That’s good. I’ll show you the rest later. First things first, I really need to get into those panties of yours.”

“I don’t think they’d fit you,” I giggled. He slapped me on the ass. White hot lightning, though it was more of a shock than anything. “Christ, David.”

“Just warming you up, funny girl.” He turned into the last room at the end of the hallway, kicked the door shut. My handbag was thrown into a chair. Without a word of warning, he upended me onto a king-size bed. My body bounced on the mattress. The blood was rushing around in my head, making it spin. I pushed my hair out of my face and rose up onto my elbows.

“Don’t move,” he said, voice guttural.

He stood at the end of the bed, undressing. The most amazing sight in existence. I could watch him do this always. He reached back and pulled off his shirt and I knew bone deep I wasn’t the luckiest f**king girl in the world. I was the luckiest f**king girl in the entire universe. That was the truth. Not just because he was beyond beautiful and I was the only one that got to see him do this, but the way he watched me through hooded eyes the entire time. Lust was there, but also a whole lot of love.

“You have no idea how often I’ve imagined you lying on that bed in the last week.” He pulled off his boots and socks, tossing them aside. “How many times I nearly called you in the last month.”

“Why didn’t you?”

“Why didn’t you?” he asked, undoing the top button on his jeans.

“Let’s not do that again.”

“No. Never.” He crawled onto the bed, smoothing his hands down my calf muscles. My shoes went flying and his fingers slipped beneath my skirt, easing it up, higher and higher. Without breaking eye contact, he dragged down my boyshorts. He obviously wasn’t interested in checking out my panties after all. The man had priorities. “Tell me you love me.”

“I love you.”

“Again.”

“I love you.”

“I missed the taste of you so f**king much.” Big hands parted my legs, exposing me to his gaze. “I might just spend a few days with my head between your legs, alright?”

Oh god. He rubbed his beard against my inner thigh, making my skin prickle with awareness. I couldn’t speak if I tried.

“Say it again.”

I swallowed hard, trying to get myself back under control.

“I’m waiting.”

“I l-love you,” I stuttered, my voice sounded barely there, breathy. My pelvis almost shot off the bed at the first touch of his mouth. Every bit of me was wound tight and trembling.

“Keep going.” His tongue parted the lips of my sex, sliding between before delving within. The sweet, firm feel of his mouth and the ticklish sensation of his beard.

“I love you.”

Strong hands slid beneath my ass, holding me to his mouth. “More.”

I groaned out something. It must have been enough. He didn’t stop or speak again. David attacked me. There was nothing easy about it. His mouth worked me hard, driving me sky high in a matter of moments. The knot inside me tightened and grew as his tongue laved me. Electricity streaked up my spine. I don’t know when I started shaking. But the strength went out of me and my back hit the mattress once again. I fisted my hands in his hair, fingers gripping at the short, gelled strands.

It was almost too much. I didn’t know if I needed to get closer or get away. Either way, his hands held me to him. Every muscle in me tensed and my mouth opened on a soundless cry. Fireworks filled my mind. I came and came.

When my heart eased up on the hammering, I opened my eyes. David knelt between my legs. His jeans had been pushed down and his erection grazed his flat stomach. Dark blue eyes stared down at me.

“I can’t wait.”

“No. Don’t.” I tightened my legs around his hips. One of his hands remained beneath my ass, holding me high. With the other, he guided himself into me. He didn’t rush. We were both still at least half dressed, him on the bottom and me on the top. There was no time to waste. We were too needy to wait and do this skin to skin. Next time.

He entered me so slowly I couldn’t breathe. The only that mattered was feeling. And God, the feel of him thick and hard pushing inside of me. The perspiration on his bare chest gleamed in the low lighting. The muscles in his shoulders stood out in stark relief as he began to move.

“Mine,” he said.

I could only nod.

He looked down on me, watching my br**sts jiggle beneath my top with each thrust. Fingers gripped my h*ps hard. Mine clutched at the bedding, trying to find purchase so I could push back against him. His expression was wild, mouth swollen and wet. Only this was real, me and him together. Everything else could come and go. I’d found what was worth fighting for.

“I love you.”

“C’mere.” He picked me up off the mattress, holding me tight again him. My legs were braced around his waist, muscles burning from how hard I’d been holding on. I wound my arms around his neck as he sat me on his cock.

“I love you too.” His hands slid beneath the back of my top. We moved harshly together. Our furious breaths mingled into one. Sweat slicked both our skins, the fabric of my shirt sticking to me. The heat gathered low inside me again. It didn’t take long in this position. Not with the way he ground himself against me. His mouth sucked at the section of skin where my neck met my body and I shuddered in his arms, coming again. The noises he made and the way he said my name … I never wanted to forget. Not a moment of it.

Eventually, he laid us both back on the bed. I wasn’t willing to let him go so he covered my body with his. The weight of him pressing me down into the bed, the feel of his mouth on the side of my face. We should never move. In the best-case scenario, we’d just stay like this forever.

But actually, I did have something I had to do.

“I need my bag,” I said, squirming beneath him.

“What for?” He rose up on his elbows.

“I have to do something.”

“What could be more important than this?”

“Roll over,” I said, already urging him in that direction.

“Alright. But this had better be good.” He relaxed and let me roll him. I scampered across the mattress, trying to tug my skirt back down at the same time. It must have looked a treat because David came after me with snapping teeth.

“Get back here, wife,” he ordered.

“Give me a second.”

“My name looks good on your ass,” he said. “The tattoo has healed very nicely.”

“Well, thank you.” I finally got off the mattress and set my pencil skirt to rights. In the month we'd been apart, I'd ignored my ink. But now, I was glad it was there.

“That skirt’s coming off.”

“Just wait.”

“And that top. We have a lot more making up to do.”

“Yes, in a minute. I've missed my topless cuddles.”

He’d dumped my bag on a blue velvet wing-backed chair by the door. Whoever had decorated the condo had done a hell of a job. It was beautiful. But I’d check it out later. Right now I had something important to do.