New Year's Eve

Joe sat up, looking baffled. “Then I don’t understand.”

Drawing up my courage, I exhaled slowly. “I’m sorry I hurt you or made you feel like your feelings aren’t reciprocated. Of course they’re reciprocated, Joe.” I hurried on before he could interrupt. “But I’m scared. Scared of needing you as much as I do. Scared of losing you.”

His expression hardened. “You don’t trust me.”

“No!” I pushed off the stool, crossing the room only to stop midway as Joe stood up too, dumping his beer on the side table as he did. “I… everyone goes away. That’s just the natural course of life. I knew I had to just suck up the fear of losing Shaw because I loved her and there was no changing that… but I wanted to go through life protecting my heart as much as possible. Trying to love as few people as possible.”

“Baby,” his voice was thick with understanding.

“But whether or not I push you away, there’s no getting around it. I love you. And I can throw off my fears and enjoy a life with you… or I let fear win.”

“So what have you decided to do?”

I smiled tremulously. “I won’t regret you. I won’t look back on my life and remember this moment and wish I’d done something different. I love you and I can’t believe you love me back. I will never throw your love back in your face again. I promise, Joe, I pr—” the words were cut off by his kiss as he hauled me into his arms.

Between hungry kisses we divested each other of all our clothes and I found myself sprawled across the rug in front of the fire. Joe towered above me, all muscle and solid masculine beauty. His erection strained toward his taut stomach as he dragged his gaze slowly down my body.

“Open your legs, baby,” he murmured.

I did as commanded and grew wet at the hitch in his breathing. “Come inside me, Joe.”

“First I’m gonna kiss you.” He lowered to his knees, pushing mine apart and then he buried his head between my legs.

My gasps of pleasure filled the cabin as he licked and sucked until the tension was too much and I shattered into a million blissful pieces. I was tight and swollen from my climax as he pushed inside of me, but I didn’t care. All I cared about was being connected to this man in every way possible. I wrapped my arms around him as he moved over me, in me, our eyes locked in passion.

“I love you so fucking much,” he groaned.

“I love you too.”

“I’m never letting you go.” His thrusts grew harder, his words catching on his pleasure, “You’re not going back to that apartment.”

I moaned, gripping my thighs to his hips, rocking into his throbbing drives. “You’re not the boss of me.”

“Ryan,” he warned, grabbing my hands to pin them to the floor.

I couldn’t think past the heat building deep inside of me. “Joe—”

“You’re moving in with me.”

“Ask nicely!” I managed to bite out.

He slowed his thrusts, laughing softly. “Okay, baby, move in with me. Please?”

“Yes, yes, yes,” I pushed my hips against him, “Just make me come, Joe. Don’t stop.”

“Ask nicely,” he murmured against my mouth.

I grinned, pushing against his hold. He released me and I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him closer. “Please fuck me to orgasm, my darling Joe.”

Dark desire saturated his expression. “Say it again.”

Knowing exactly what he wanted, I brushed my lips against his and whispered hoarsely, “Fuck me, Joe. Fuck me, hard.”

My words shattered his control and soon I was coming around his powerful thrusts.

“Ryan!” Joe roared out as he flooded inside me.

His chest heaved against mine as he tried not to crush me with his weight. I held him to me, loving the feel him of him over me, inside me. Face suffused with wonder and satisfaction, he shook his head. “It’s never been like this. Never.”

“For me either,” I promised.

Joe grinned, his obvious happiness filling me with joy too. Then his eyes flickered up to above the fireplace where a clock was mounted on the wall. “It’s past midnight. We missed bringing in the new year.”

I laughed, caressing his face, drawing his gaze back to mine. “I think we brought in the new year perfectly. After all, we should always start the new year the way we mean to go on.”

His deep chuckles filled my ears as he rolled to his side, pulling me with him. I rested my cheek on his chest, my leg curled over his, keeping him inside me.

“I meant what I said,” he broke our pleasurable silence a few minutes later, “I don’t want you going back to that apartment. It doesn’t make you not strong to lean on me a little. And I want you with me. I want to wake up every morning to see you sleeping beside me.”