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She spotted me as well, quickly crossing the road to meet me. My chest eased when her smile widened and she jumped into my arms. I grunted, taking the hit and the glitter bomb of Phoebe’s honey scent and perpetually painted clothes. Worth it every fucking time.

I caught her mouth in a hot, drugging kiss.

She moaned into my mouth and the sunshine inside of her made me realize just how much I’d come to rely on her. To a dangerous degree.

I set her down, slowing the kiss as I pulled away.

She swayed into me. “Well, hello there.”

“I didn’t expect you until the end of the week. How was the trip?”

“Long. I missed you.”

“I missed you too.” My voice was little more than a rumble. “All finished?”

She sighed. “No, they had some setbacks with the builders. I go back in April.” She flicked a paint smudged nail down the buttons of my flannel. “Maybe we could go together. That balcony is pretty spectacular.”

Making plans with her felt easy and right, but when I didn’t answer right away she gave me a wary look.

“It was just an ide?—”

I cut her off, kissing her again. “A very good idea. I saw the mountains from your point of view. And that balcony gave me several ideas.”

She relaxed against me. “Is that right?”

I turned her in my arms, dragging her perfect ass against the front of my jeans. “I could demonstrate a little.” I urged her up the gravel drive of her place, but instead of the house I turned us into her studio.

With shaking hands, she unlocked the door as I snaked my hand down into her yoga pants. Within moments she was wet and pliant for me, my name a moan on her breath.

I pushed her into the sturdy drafting desk, lifting her off her toes as I drove my fingers into her. She turned her head to meet my mouth, the kiss just as heated as each quick thrust of my hand. I pulled down her pants and unbuckled my own enough to get what I needed.

What she needed from me.

I swore as the tip of my cock slipped in bare.

I froze.

She pushed back on me. “Don’t stop.”

“Wait.” I stepped back, already missing that clasping heat. I had to protect her. I spotted the little jar of condoms we’d taken to leaving in the studio.

We learned that lesson the hard way a few times.

I hurried back to her, taking a moment to protect her from being forever linked to me by accident. I couldn’t do that to her.

She threw a look over her shoulder, her hand reaching back for me.

Lust riding both of us, I drove into her hard enough to lift her onto her toes. She held onto the edges of the drafting table, pushing back on me just as ruthlessly as I crowded into her.

I knew just how to touch her.

What she needed.

We were a unit here, in this.

I craved this connection more every day.

Her arm raised, her fingers tangled into my hair, dragging me down against her. I scraped my teeth along her nape, nipping a little too roughly as I rocked into her again and again. Her thighs took each punishing slap from mine. Her body made for me.