‘Is it weird that I kinda miss the living-room blanket fort?’ he asked hours later in the early light of the morning. They’d been awake all night, kissing and talking. Making plans. Getting reacquainted. He couldn’t keep his hands off her. He had to keep convincing himself she was real. Any time they dozed off, he found himself waking up with a handful of her ass and a raging erection. It hadn’t been a restful night but damn it had been a good one.
‘No, I miss it, too, sometimes.’
Kira’s head rested on his chest, and he ran his fingers through her hair. Her naked legs were tangled up with his.
‘Maybe that can be our Christmas tradition,’ she said. ‘Sleeping in front of the fire.’
‘That would be nice,’ he murmured, letting his fingers trail from her hair, down her back. He could hardly believe he was here, back in this house, back with Kira in his arms. It was like a dream. Just a few days ago, he’d been home trying his best to live his life without her and now he didn’t have to.
He must be the luckiest son of a bitch in the world.
‘My sister is coming for a visit in the spring,’ she said. This was how it had been all night, little pieces of their life spilled out for each other, filling each other in on all that they’d missed.
‘Sounds good. Can’t wait to meet her.’
‘I’ve still been reading through Edwin’s letters.’
‘Oh?’
‘Yeah, still kinda hoping he left some clues about this treasure.’
‘Any luck?’
She shook her head, her hair brushing across his bare chest. ‘Not yet. But I finally found those Tiffany lamps. They were hidden behind an old dresser in the attic.’
He smiled to himself, happy that she hadn’t given up on finding something. He’d been skeptical all along that old Edwin had left something behind, but Kira dared to hope for good things, and he loved that about her.
She shifted in his arms so she could look up at him. ‘Hi,’ she smiled like she was just as surprised and thrilled that he was here as he was.
‘Hey.’
‘It’s crazy that you’re here.’
‘I know.’
She grinned and he missed her, even though she was right here, he missed her. He needed her closer. He rolled them so he was above her, dipping his head to kiss her. She was sleepy and soft.
He should let her rest.
‘Bennett,’ she murmured.
‘Yeah?’
‘I love you.’
His breath caught, still shocked to hear it, still amazed it could be true.
‘I love you, too, Peaches.’
She smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck, tugging him down into the cradle of her thighs. He braced himself on his forearms so that he didn’t crush her, but she wrapped her legs around his back, holding him tight.
He nuzzled against her neck, breathing in her scent—shampoo and woodsmoke and pine and Kira—that made him dizzy with wanting her. She gasped as he rocked against her.
‘Do you want to sleep?’ he whispered against her cheek.
She shook her head. ‘Not yet. I don’t want to miss any time with you.’
He smiled. ‘We’ll have to sleep at some point.’
‘Not yet,’ she whispered, and he kissed her, stealing the words. He kissed her lips and her jaw; he kissed down her neck, dragging his mouth along her delicate skin. She arched her back as he kissed across her collarbone and down to her breasts. He licked and sucked and kissed until she was gasping for breath, her hips rocking against his, seeking relief even after all the times they’d done this tonight. It wasn’t enough. It wouldn’t ever be enough.
He slid down her body, burying his face between her thighs.
Christ, how he’d missed this.
Her taste, her scent, the feel of her against his tongue. The tug of her fingers in his hair, her gasps and whimpers. He held tight to her thighs, holding her in place for him, not willing to let go for a second.
He’d been an idiot to leave the first time.
Now he planned to hold tight to this woman forever.
‘Ben!’ Her thighs tensed around him, her hips rolling against his tongue. She tensed and then broke, trembling in his hands. He lapped up her pleasure, wringing out every last drop until her body went soft and pliable in his hands again.
He crawled back up her body and found her with a sated smile.
He grinned. ‘Do you want to sleep now?’ he asked and her eyes fluttered open.
‘Not yet.’ Her smile was downright wicked as she tugged him down again. Her legs were wrapped around him again and she was so slick he slid in in a single thrust.
