I head to the bathroom to brush my teeth and wash up, and then I remove my clothes and put on a pair of lounge pants.

I tiptoe to the other side of the bed and get in. I try not to disturb her, but—

“Mmm… Hey, you.” She snuggles into my shoulder.

“Shh. Go back to sleep.”

“I love you,” she says. “I love you so much. Nothing you can ever say or do will change that.”

Where’s this coming from?

I have no idea, but it’s only going to make tomorrow harder.

Hell, nothing can make it harder than it already is.

It’s going to break my heart and hers.

“Love me,” she says softly.

“I do. I love you.”

“Mmm. Not what I mean. Make love to me.”

My dick responds abruptly.

Maybe I can.

I’ll do it this time. Make love to her the way I’ve dreamed of. The way she deserves.

I get rid of my pants quickly and efficiently. Ashley’s already naked, so no worries there. I climb on top of her, grab both her wrists and secure her arms above her head. I hold her there, bracing my own weight so I don’t crush her.

Then I kiss her.

I begin slowly, ignoring my throbbing dick. I lick her lips, first the top and then the bottom, sucking its plumpness between my teeth. Then I ease my tongue between her lips, swirling it around her silky mouth.

She responds, kissing me back, and though my instinct is to deepen the kiss, it’s the middle of the night, and I’m determined to go slowly.

To relish this last moment with her.

For tomorrow…

But I won’t think about that now. No. This is me loving my wife. God, my wife.

What was I think—

No. This time I deepen the kiss. I need to keep thoughts at bay. I want to feel, only feel. I want her to feel, only feel.

I want to make this something she’ll remember always.

I leave her lips then and trail kisses over her perfect jawline, across her cheek to her earlobe. I suck the lobe into my mouth and tug.

She groans.

God, her flesh is like silk against my lips and tongue.

So soft and supple.

How can I—

No.

I slide downward, then, over her chest and to her breasts, where I lick one hard nipple. Her hips rise, and my cock tightens further.

She spreads her legs. An offering. She wants me to slide inside her. So tempting, but I suck on her nipple instead, eliciting sweet moans of satisfaction from her. What color are they? To me, they’re a soft pink, but that’s only my imagination. She actually sees color in sounds.

She’s so wonderful.

“Mmm,” she says softly. “Inside me. Please.”

I let her nipple drop from my lips with a soft pop.

Her plea strikes my heart. My soul.

And my cock is more than willing. I nudge my cockhead over her folds and then enter her, determined to go slowly.

Once I hit balls deep, my body shudders, quivers, as if all of me, not just my dick, is gloved within her heat.

I wrap my arms around her and pull us both onto our sides, still joined. I look down between our bodies, at my dick submarined inside her. I pull out slowly, gritting my teeth so I don’t go too fast. I watch myself emerge and then bury again inside her warmth.

God, it’s beautiful, our bodies coming together.

Then I meet her gaze. “Open your eyes, Ashley.”

She obeys, and our gazes meet.

“Look at me,” I say. “Look at me as I make love to you slowly. Never take your eyes from mine.”

Her blue eyes sparkle, even in the darkness of our bedroom in the dead of night.

So much love is reflected back at me.

So much…

“Look at me,” I say again, “and see how much I love you.”

“Your eyes,” she replies. “They’re playing that joyful music. The green music, Dale. So beautiful.”

“Together, we are music, Ashley. The most beautiful tune ever written.”

I slide in and out, going slowly as well as I can.

But soon, I no longer have the control. I need her, and I go faster, savoring every ridge inside her pussy. Every touch of her flesh to mine. Every look from her gorgeous baby blues as I thrust harder, harder, harder…

“I love you, Ashley. Always. I’ll always love you.”

“I love you too.” Her words come out on a moaning sigh. “Always.”

I hear the truth in her words, but she doesn’t hear the truth in mine.

For though the words are far from a lie, they’re also something else.

They’re goodbye.

Chapter Forty-Eight

Ashley

I wake with a smile on my face, the sun streaming in through the east window in Dale’s—our—bedroom. I reach for my husband but find his side of the bed empty.

Of course he’s gone. It’s late. I should have been up hours ago. He’s no doubt at the winery, checking on his old-vine Syrah. Timing is critical.

Except…

The horror that Talon and Ryan revealed rises to my surface. Last night was so beautiful between Dale and me. I let myself forget, for those few timeless moments, what he’s been through. What must haunt him every day of his life.

Tags: Helen Hardt Steel Brothers Saga Erotic
Source: readsnovelonline.net