My heart pounds so hard it feels like it could burst from my chest as I run and jump into his arms.

His mouth finds mine and once again I’m drowning in him, sinking faster into his abyss.

But for the first time in days…I can finally breathe.

I feel the rapid thump of Oakley’s heart against my back as he holds me close, keeping me safe and warm in his embrace.

Neither of us have been able to sleep but it has nothing to do with the air mattress.

The fire is coming.

All the news outlets have officially confirmed Royal Manor is next on the path of destruction.

At this rate, it would take nothing short of a miracle to stop the blaze from ruining our town.

“We might die,” I whisper into the darkness.

I expect Oakley to tell me I’m being dramatic and to reassure me we’ll be okay, but he doesn’t.

Instead, he holds me tighter, as if his arms alone can protect me from the impending flames that will turn us into nothing but ash.

Tears blur my eyes as I try to speak. “Oakley?”

I’m so scared.

Not just of dying…but of everything I’m going to miss.

The things I’ll never get to experience.

He presses a soft kiss to the crook of my neck. “Yeah, baby girl?”

Shifting to face him, I peer into his eyes. “I don’t want to die without knowing what it’s like to feel you inside me.”

Heat flashes in his orbs before he closes them. “Baby—”

“Holy shit,” I groan in frustration. “Why won’t you fuck me?” A horrible thought flits through my head. “Oh my God. It’s because I’ve never had sex before, isn’t it? I’m a virgin which means I’ll be bad in bed and you don’t want to have to teach me—”

“Jesus Christ.” He cups my cheekbone. “It’s not that.” A crease forms between his brows. “Fine. You want the truth? Back when we first started hooking up I didn’t want to fuck you because I didn’t want you getting attached to me…but now…”

“Now what?” I urge when his sentence trails off.

He inhales deeply. “I don’t want you being impulsive and making a mistake you’ll end up regretting one day.”

I don’t know what hurts worse. The fact that he obviously thinks our relationship is still temporary.

Or that he thinks I’ll regret him. Regret us.

“Oakley?” I grab his face, forcing him to look at me. “No matter what happens between us, being with you—feeling all the things I feel for you—it will never be a mistake.”

I have to stop myself before I utter those three words. Not because I don’t feel them, but I’m afraid they might push him away when I want to hold on to him with everything I’ve got.

I don’t know what to make of the expression on his face.

“Say something,” I whisper. “I need to know what you’re think—”

His mouth crashes against mine in a kiss so electrifying, I feel it in my bones.

I’m breathless the second I feel his tongue brush mine and he deepens the kiss…as if I’m the thing he needs most in this world.

A knot of hunger forms in my chest when he pushes my tank top past my ribcage, exposing my belly.

“So fucking beautiful.”

The pads of his fingertips skim the underside of my bare breasts, and I swear I lose all my senses when his mouth moves to my neck and his teeth graze my pulse point. “That feels so good.”

Heat flares over my skin when he slips my tank top over my head and his mouth dips lower. “Christ. I love your fucking tits.”

Plumping one in his big hand, he teases my puckered nipples with his lips, barely touching them.

“Oakley,” I beg. “Please—”

“I know what you want.” There’s a wicked gleam in his eyes as he licks a slow, deliberate circle around one of my nipples. “Now be a good girl so I can give it to you.”

God, I love his dirty words. The way he makes me anticipate his every touch.

It’s a struggle to keep still when he finally wraps his mouth around the brown bud, giving it little wet pulls that shoot straight to my core.

“More,” I whisper when he switches to my other nipple, paying it the same attention. “I need more.”

My heartbeat drums in my ears as his hand skates down my torso before disappearing inside my shorts.

Shooting me a coy look, his hand stills above my panties, not going any further.

I shiver, silently begging him with my body while his thumb leisurely coasts along my pubic bone.

His attention drifts from my face to my body as he plucks the waistband of my shorts, causing them to snap against my skin. “Take these off.”

I eagerly do what he says.

My eyes flutter closed and a slow tremble works through me when he strokes the crotch of my underwear with his knuckle. “You’re so wet your little panties are sticking to your virgin cunt.”

Jesus. Sucking in a sharp breath, I ease my thighs apart, desperate for more of his touch.

A groan of frustration leaves me when his movements come to a halt.

“Why are you stopping?”

I hear him rustling around for something in the darkness before the tent becomes flooded with a dim light. “I need to see you.”

His eyes flare with hunger as he drags his gaze down my body.

Slowly, those long fingers slip under my panties and he moves them to the side.

A gruff noise escapes him as his stare zeroes in on my exposed sex. He’s eyeing it like he’s just found the buried treasure he’s been looking for his whole life.

Propping himself up on one of his elbows, he glides a finger down the length of my swollen flesh. “So fucking pretty.”

His hot breath gusts over my nipples as the calloused pad of his thumb grazes my clit. He spreads my slickness around before submerging his finger. “You gonna let me eat this sweet pussy?”

“Yes.” Mewling, I arch into his palm as he curls the long digit inside me. “I’ll let you do whatever you want.”

“Good answer.” I’m completely transfixed as I watch him lick my arousal off his fingers. “Fuck me.” The heat in his eyes is penetrating. “I’m gonna need more of that.”

Making a deep almost savage noise in the back of his throat, he tugs my panties off and spreads my legs as wide as they can go.

I barely have time to blink before his head is buried between them.

Warmth rushes my insides when he drags his tongue along the length of my slit. “Oh, God.”

My breathing speeds up as he fucks me with his tongue, growling against my throbbing flesh like a man starved.

Shifting gears, he sucks my clit and plunges two fingers inside me with a force that makes me cry out his name.

Those blue orbs pierce me, holding me captive as his mouth works me into a frenzy and he fucks me with his fingers.

A delicious curl of desire races up my spine when he hits a spot that lights me up from the inside out. “Oh, Fuck. Right there.”

My legs begin shaking while he deliberately extracts every ounce of pleasure from my body. A low groan leaves him and I watch his shoulders flex as he continues feasting on my pussy like it’s his favorite meal.