Hands fisted, he stood. “You were always enough for me, but I was never enough for you, and I know that. I’m not talking about my past, either. Because I’m the best man you know. You said so.”
“I changed my mind.”
“That just means I have the chance to change it back. Just give me a chance. Please.”
Strong, strong, strong. “I told you nothing you said would make a difference, that if you pushed me away you’d lose me. You pushed me away. We’re done, that’s what you said.”
Shame fell over his face, a curtain. “I will never forgive myself for that. I was stupid and afraid, thinking to protect you.”
“Instead, you broke my heart. Hurt me worse than anyone ever has.” Tears burned the back of her eyes. “And one day you’ll be stupid and afraid again. You’ll accidentally burn me and the risk will be too much for you.” She spun around, facing the foyer before those damn tears started falling. She’d cried in front of him once; she wouldn’t do it a second time. “Good-bye, Hector. You can see yourself out.”
Just as she’d done in the warehouse, she walked away from him without ever looking back. She pounded up the stairs, her heart breaking all over again. He’d just offered her the world, everything she’d ever wanted, and she’d basically said no thanks.
Had to be this way.
A tear at last fell, followed quickly by another. When she reached her bedroom, she flipped on the light. There was her new bed, an oversize king with the softest cotton sheets. Red, one of her best colors. Hector would never enjoy her there. She would never enjoy him there. Never—
A pound of furious footsteps behind her. A gasp catching in her throat, she swung around. A scowling Hector rounded the corner. Without a word, he increased his speed, picked her up and launched her backward. She bounced on the mattress. Before she could right herself, he had her pinned.
“I love you,” he snarled down at her, “and I’m not letting you go again. Ever. For any reason. Not even your reasons. I should have listened to you, and you can forever hold that over my head. You can remind me at every holiday and every time I leave my socks on the floor. I’ll deserve it. I should have stuck around, rather than giving in to my fears. But now you’re doing the same thing. Cutting and running because you’re afraid. I understand, I do, but you better listen up, baby. You once had to chase and seduce me. Now I’m chasing and seducing you. That’s what I’ve been doing, but clearly I need to step up my game the way you stepped up yours.”
His lips smashed into hers, and his tongue swept inside her mouth. He tasted of mint, just like before, and she moaned as desire began to burn through her sorrow.
His hands … his hands stripped her, stripped himself, and then caressed her everywhere. He left no place untouched, was worshipping her. His fingertips learned her face. Kneaded her br**sts. Traced over her stomach, her legs, even her feet.
“I’ve wanted to do this since the moment I met you,” he whispered fiercely. “You’re so soft, so warm. So sweet. Spread for me, baby. Please. I need to put my fingers in you.”
Passion fogged her brain, and she obeyed without thought, needing him, loving him.
One thick finger slid inside her. “Oh, damn, baby. You feel so good. Better than I imagined. And I imagined doing this to you every damn night.” Another thick finger entered her.
Groaning at the erotic sensation, she arched her hips, sending him deeper. A third finger joined the others. His skin was hotter than a normal man’s, but that’s what she needed. She felt him there, so wonderfully deep, arousing her in the most beautiful way.
“I want to do this to you every night, want to wake you up this way every morning. And if not with my fingers, with my mouth. I want you all over me, in me. You were right, baby. You’re it for me. There’s no one else. There’s never been anyone else and there will never be anyone else. Just you. Only you.”
As he spoke, he rocked those wanton fingers inside her, surging in, pulling out, until she was sobbing, desperate for relief. Then he scissored them, stretching her, and the sensation was so strong, so amazing, she had to grip his shoulders to keep herself from flying off the bed.
“I want to feel you this way,” he rasped, “coming on my fingers.”
“Yes.”
In, out, slow, so slow, then faster, faster. Then his thumb brushed over her clit, and she shot off like a rocket, spasming around those fingers still pumping in her, sending her over a second time. She cried out at the bliss, the utter rightness.
“Hector! More, give me more.”
“Always.” He moved on top of her, his c**k sinking inside her, his chest pressing against hers. Her legs wrapped around his waist. His mouth returned to hers, his kiss now slow and drugging. He tangled his fingers in her hair, angling her head. Touching her, always touching her.
He made love to her as if he needed to savor her. As if he didn’t want to move too quickly for fear of scaring her away or ending things before he’d gotten enough. As if she were everything to him.
One of his hands moved down, down, plucked at her nipple, making her shiver, then slid between their bodies and found her most sensitive place. He rubbed as he continued stroking in and out, finally picking up the pace, just a little faster … faster.
Her muscles clenched, readying for another release. He pressed harder, and she shot off again, this climax so intense she left claw marks in his back. “Hector!”
“Noelle, my Noelle.” Just like that, he erupted, her name roaring from his mouth, his hot seed shooting inside her.
When he collapsed on top of her, he immediately rolled to the side so that she could breathe, but he didn’t allow any separation between their bodies. He held her tightly, panting, sweat sheening them both.
“Baby, please. Tell me you still love me.” He cupped her cheek, his thumb tracing the rise of the bone. “Tell me you’ll give me another chance, just one more, and I’ll do everything in my power to make you happy. I swear I will. And I will never leave you, never change my mind,” he added in a rush before she could reply. “I know what it’s like to be without you. I can deal with anything but that.”
She felt his heart beating against her ear, pounding in an uncontrolled rhythm.
He wasn’t done. “I’ve been working with my arms, and I’ve got control. It’s all about channeling the heat. I can atomize my entire body now, keeping the flames inside. I can also release the heat in continuous, manageable streams, all the time, so that I never overheat and catch fire if I don’t want. Am I still a little scared I’ll hurt you? Yes. And if I accidentally burn you, I’ll be even more scared, but we’ll work through it together.”