Defender (Seattle Sharks 9)

I started counting in my head to keep my body from taking control, but I kept stroking and petting until she was so wet that she coated my hand.

“Nathan!” she demanded, arching her hips and yanking on my hair. “Stop teasing!”

“Impatient, love?” I asked, nipping her bottom lip.

She sucked in a breath. “Say that again.”

“Are you impatient?” I repeated, my hands shifting to her hips to pull her to the edge of the counter. Fuck yes, she was right there. My cock jerked at the feel of her, wet and ready.

“No, the other thing. What you called me.”

I paused, pulling back to look into her hazel eyes. Every color seemed to shine, none jockeying for dominance, all combining to create the masterpiece I couldn’t get enough of. This was serious to her. I smiled, recalling what I’d called her.

“Impatient, love?” I emphasized that word, dipping to kiss her.

Her breath stuttered, her nails scraping my scalp as she held me there, kissing me back fiercely.

“Do you need me, love?” The head of my cock pushed just inside her pussy. I conquered every reflex that told me to thrust home.

“Nathan,” she said on a sigh.

“Is that a yes?” I prodded. God, if she moved one more time, I was going to be inside her before I gave her what I knew she was looking for but too stubborn to ask.

“Yes,” she groaned.

I pushed forward an inch, sliding further into her heat. Her pussy clenched, gripping me in a vise I never wanted to leave. I’d be happy living here for an eternity.

“Yes, what, love?” I withdrew that inch, almost pulling fully out, and she whimpered.

“Yes, I need your…”

I kissed the soft skin of her neck, and she cried out. She got so hypersensitive while we were making love, every nerve jumping to life. So responsive.

“Need my…” I gave her back that inch but managed not to slam myself home like my body demanded.

Hearing her say it was more important than the actual physical act.

“I need your…” She bit off a whimper as I sucked on that patch of skin just beneath her ear. “Nathan!”

“My what, love? My fingers? My tongue? My mouth? My cock?”

The cock that was about to explode if I didn’t push into her.

“Yes! No!”

Her frustrated cry made me cradle her face in my hands.

“You need my love,” I told her as she bit her lip, fear streaking through her eyes.

I waited a heartbeat. Two. Seven.

“Yes,” she finally admitted with a shaky nod.

“Say it.” I left zero room for interpretation. I wanted the words. I just never knew how much until this moment. Because I’d felt them for longer than I could even put to words. That lurching of my heart when I’d see her, the sweet, satisfied silence we could share. The way she’d drive me crazy with her quirks only for me to realize that those were the very reasons I’d fallen for her.

“I need your love,” she whispered.

Joy hit me harder than any orgasm could have. It wasn’t an admission of her love—I knew that was a longshot with the way her logical mind processed things. But it was right the fuck up there.

“Good,” I answered against her lips as my hands dropped to her hips. Then my hands gripped the curves, holding her still as I slid inside her in one long, steady thrust. “Because you have it. I love you, Harper.”

My gaze held hers as I stretched her with the last of my words. Pleasure rippled through me, hot and sweet and so intense I nearly shook. This woman brought me to my knees without even trying.

Our breaths mingled, ragged and harsh.

“You love me?” she asked, the fear still front and center.

“I love you. I’m in love with you. With your brilliant brain and your smile. I love your body and your laugh. I love the way you kiss me and the way you roll your eyes at me. The way you lose yourself in your thoughts. Your drive and ambition. Your confidence in your intelligence and your hesitance to admit your emotions. I love it all. And I know this can’t last. I just don’t care. The timeline doesn’t stop me from loving you.”

With each word, I watched the fear fade from her eyes until all that remained was the soft glow of happiness.

“You love me,” she said softly, locking her ankles behind my back.

Our physical situation threatened to overcome my self-control, and she swirled her hips, further fraying the thread holding me together.

“I do,” I assured her.

Her smile almost blinded me with its radiance, and my heart fumbled through a few out-of-sync beats. Fuck, I loved her.

“Good,” she said before kissing me softly. “Because I love you, too.”

My breath abandoned me. “You love me?”

“Sheesh, need me to say it twice?” She wound her arms around my neck and laughed.