As he dipped just the tip of his finger inside, my body detonated.

“Oh my gosh,” I repeated an unknown number of times as he pumped into me, seeking and finding his own release as I spasmed around him.

“Fuck, how does it get better every time?” he murmured as he turned off the water, still holding my limp body in his arms.

“I don’t know, but it’s amazing, Owen. I had no idea.”

He wrapped us in one oversized towel, with my legs still wrapped around his waist, and  carried us to the bed. After tugging back the sheet, he set me down and then slipped in behind me. I turned around and nudged one of my legs between his as I cuddled closer to his chest.

“You know, I’ve never been much of a cuddler,” I told him as I nuzzled my nose against his chest. Owen had a distinct scent that was all him. I even asked recently what cologne he wore, so I could buy some to keep on hand when he left, but he didn’t. The man used generic soap. Somehow, he had this naturally intoxicating fragrance that sent the butterflies in my stomach into a tailspin.

“I wasn’t either. Not until you,” he added as he stroked my bare back. “Can you stay the night, or do you need to get back?”

I thought about, considered my options. My duty to my family, or my duty to the man I’d fallen in love with. One would be by my side for the rest of my life, the other was leaving next week. Our time was fleeting.

“I’d like to stay,” I answered truthfully, and the smile Owen sent my way was one I’d dedicate to memory. I didn’t think I’d ever seen him smile with such sincere happiness before. “I should probably grab my phone though. In case my family needs to reach me.”

Without another word, Owen rolled out of bed and returned a minute later with my bag in hand. I reached inside and grabbed my cell, noticing a few texts from Jenna. I swiped them open to find screenshots from Owen’s ex’s social media pages.

Giggling, I set the phone on the nightstand. “Seems like your ex-fiancée is still convinced you’re getting married.”

My bag dropped to the floor with a thump as he rolled his eyes. “That woman is driving me nuts. Thankfully, my lawyer and security are handling it.”

When he slid back into bed with me, I trailed a finger across his chest, asking a question that had been on my mind since our fake relationship turned real. “Do you think she’ll be a problem when you go back to California?”

“I can’t make the promise that she won’t, but I’m doing everything I can to keep that from happening.”

I wasn’t the jealous type, but something about Vanessa rubbed me the wrong way. But I had to trust Owen if we were going to make this work. And I wanted nothing more than to have this work.

“You can trust me, cricket. You’re all I see. You’re all I’ve ever seen.”

“I know. I’m not worried. I do wonder what made you want to be with her though.”

“Clearly, I had no idea who she really was. Up until the wedding, she was mostly amenable, just pushy about the things she wanted. I suspected most women like her were like that. Honestly, I think I was just blinded by the fact that I wanted to settle down, and she was there.”

“Did you love her?”

Owen took a second before responding, his hand stroking my bare shoulder. “I think, at the time, I thought I did. But when I caught her and her best friend together, I felt… nothing. I wasn’t angry. I wasn’t sad. I wasn’t ecstatic. I was just…. I don’t know. It didn’t affect me at all. So, knowing that. I don’t think I ever really loved her. I loved the idea of being married.”

“I get it. You love love. You’re a hopeless romantic, Owen Ramsey.”

He shrugged as if he didn’t care. “Maybe. I just think, in the end, I knew she wasn’t the one for me. I didn’t feel the desire to brand her on my skin like I did with the little cricket I had back home.”

“As much as I hate that nickname, that’s a good answer.”

“Now, your turn,” he schemed as he rolled me onto my back, his hips pressed between my legs.

“I don’t have any relationship history, a scorned fiancé, nor a love life to speak about.”

“Ex-fiancée,” he corrected. “No, what I want to know is why you’ve stayed single all these years. I’ve never heard of you with a boyfriend.”

“No time. I’ve been busy since I was ten and could reach the pedals on the riding lawnmower.”

“That’s not the real reason. I know that’s what you use as your excuse to everyone else, but I’m not them. I want to know why you held yourself back from having a romantic relationship.”

Squirming beneath his steely gaze, I ran through a list of lies to tell him, but instead, I chose the truth. If he could share, then I could too.

“I was scared. Scared of making myself vulnerable to someone. Scared of having my heart broken. Scared of never finding my person. Scared of never having what my parents have. Scared of love in general. It was easier to close myself off than to put myself out there. But I promised Jenna I’d try… and now, here we are.”

“Here we are,” he repeated as he pressed his lips against mine. “And thank you,” he added as he brushed a kiss along my cheek and then nose.

“For what?”

“For telling me the truth and for giving me a chance.”

I started giggling, which earned me a cocked eyebrow from Owen. “I guess I should thank Vanessa for screwing up and being late to the altar. Otherwise, you may have never returned home.”

He rocked his hips against me, instantly silencing my laughter. “Yeah, I’ll make sure to send her a bouquet of dead flowers.”

“Yeah, you do that.” I gasped as his velvety cock glided across my mound.

“Are you sore?” he asked, his voice laced with concern.

“A little, but please don’t stop,” I begged. “I want you to make love to me, Owen.”

“We didn’t use anything in the shower. I’m clean. I get tested by the team, and I had a test done after the Vanessa fiasco.”

“I’m on the pill. I want to feel you bare again.”

Owen coated his cock in slick heat before guiding himself slowly inside my pussy. This time, his touches were tender, his pace slow. But as I hitched my leg higher on his hip, Owen’s stride grew crazed. I met him thrust for thrust. Until he spilled inside me and we fell into a heap of sweaty bodies.

“Fuck, I love you,” he mumbled next to my head as he yawned.

“I love you too,” I replied.

Owen planted a quick kiss on my forehead and rose from the bed to retrieve a washcloth to clean up between my legs.

“Get some sleep, beautiful.” He tucked my body up against his, and I drifted away, listening to the steady thumping of his heartbeat.

Tomorrow was going to be a new day with all new responsibilities and what ifs, but for right now, I was exactly where I wanted to be.

Chapter Twenty – Owen

Dad loomed over me with one of my new baseball bats. I’d begged him for one of the fancy aluminum ones all the other kids used at games, but he said I was only good enough for a wooden one. He’d prefer it if I used a stick.

Coach Rudicell saw I hadn’t come to practice with the type required by the school. I lied the first few times and told him I’d forgotten, but then, in my locker, I found a brand-new bat waiting for me. It had been my favorite colors too—blue and green.

Coach didn’t have to say anything. I knew it had come from him.