He wrapped an arm low on her waist, cupped her jaw with the other, and looked directly into her eyes. “These have been some of the best days of my life, Ellie.”
Her smile widened and softened. “I was just thinking the same thing.”
He wanted to stay upbeat, stay positive, play the no-doubt-in-my-mind card, but he had so much of his heart riding on this, on her, on them. He ran his thumb across her soft cheek and searched her crystal-blue eyes. “Please tell me we can make this work.”
Instead of fluffing him off with promises, instead of assuring him with all her heart, doubt and worry crept into her eyes, darkening them to twilight. “I guess we still have a lot to talk about.”
His angst turned to fear and burned like a hot coal deep in his gut. He slid his hand around the base of her neck and held her gaze. “We’ve both been able to set everything else aside and put each other first for the last few days. I know we could find a way to mesh our personal lives with our professional ones. It won’t be easy, I know that too. But I’m more than willing to do what it takes if it means more of this.”
He dropped his head and kissed her with all the love, all the passion he’d had locked away for so long, leaving them both breathless. He pushed his hands into her wet hair and tipped her head back until her eyes met his. “Are you willing, Ellie?” he asked, half-terrified of the answer but still needing one. “Am I worth the work, the sacrifice, the trouble it will take to keep us together?”
“What kind of question is that?” she chastised with a frown. Then stroked his jaw, her expression softening. “Of course you’re worth effort and sacrifice. And yes, I’m willing to make them. I love you. I just think you’re oversimplifying our situation.”
Frustration and fear tangled with all the love from the past, more love from the present, and created a messy knot of desperation around his heart. One that could turn dark if he let it. One that would turn dark if he lost her again.
“Baby, there’s never been anything simple about you or me. Put us together and you can kiss simple good-bye. I’ve known that from day one. But none of it could make me turn away from you.”
She stroked his cheek with cool fingers and searched his face with those beautiful eyes. “God. I wish I had half your strength. You’re so amazing.”
“Are you kidding? You’re twice as strong as I ever was. And together, Ellie, we’re unbeatable.”
She smiled again. Nodded. “You’re right about that. Together, I do think we’re unbeatable.”
Hope sparked in his heart. “That’s my girl.”
But something still felt off when they wandered into the kitchen and Giselle pulled open the fridge, staring into it but not actually looking for anything.
“Hey, have you seen my phone?” she asked, finally, drawing out two water bottles and turning to hand him one. “I should touch base with Chad. We’ve got a lot pending right now.”
Troy’s spark of hope flared into a lick of panic.
She scanned the kitchen counter, picked up a few things to look underneath, then checked the table and everything they’d pushed onto the floor a few days earlier before strolling into the living room.
“I can’t remember the last time I had it,” she said. “God, I hope I didn’t lose it. All my contacts are in there.”
He caught up with her in the living room as she straightened from rummaging around the coffee table, and slipped his arms around her waist, nuzzling her cheek.
“You promised me a week. It’s only half over.”
She turned in his arms with a soft smile. He leaned close, but instead of kissing her, ran his tongue over her lower lip. She responded the same way she always did—her body softened and her lips parted. It was so hot. So damn sexy to see and feel her respond to him like that. To feel her want him like that. An instant and powerful turn-on. He set his water on the coffee table and pressed his very cold open hand against her belly.
She gasped. “Oh God.” She laughed and pulled at his wrist. “That’s colder than the ocean.”
“I know just how to warm it up.” He slipped his fingers beneath the edge of her bikini bottoms and kept his eyes on hers as he pushed slowly over her mound and stretched his fingers over her sex with a long, low growl. He stroked back and forth a few times, and by the time his fingers were seated into her soft folds, her eyes were heavy-lidded.
“I love touching you,” he said in a rough whisper, moving the tips of his fingers against her opening. “I love feeling every part of you.”
She grabbed his bicep with one hand for balance. Her lids were heavy, her eyes sparking with lust. “God, that feels…”
She wriggled her hips a little, moving her body against his fingers, and her eyes rolled back in her head. Her teeth sank into her lower lip.
“Baby, that’s so hot. Feeling you rub on me.”
“Goddammit, Troy…” She lifted into his hand, and he met the rock and roll of her hips, spreading her wetness over her folds, pressing his palm against her clit. She moaned and dropped her head back, lips parting. “So good.”
With his free hand, he pulled the ties on her top, and it fell away, leaving her almost naked. He pressed his hand to the middle of her back again, arching her spine to bring her breasts closer, then bent his head to stroke and tease her nipples with his tongue. One, then the other, then back to the first, while his fingers probed and stretched. teased between her legs.
Her sounds of pleasure soaked into him like tendrils of fire, snaking over his skin, invading his blood. He felt like he was burning from the inside out.