Page 104 of Keeping a Warrior

I’m going to miss you. Your unselfishness, the million little ways you care for me. I had no idea how much I needed someone like you in my life.

“Hey, you,” she croaked. “Get up here.”

He kissed his way toward her waiting lips, taking his sweet old time, with stops at her navel, her nipples, her throat. When he at last settled his mouth over hers, Devon clutched him, desperation in her grip.

Don’t want to let you go.

Rhys’s erection dug into her hip, his heart beating a mile a minute against her palm. He drove his tongue deep, sharing the sweet saltiness of her own flavor with her.

“Make love to me, Rhys.” Devon grabbed up one of the condom packets she’d strewn over the bed earlier and tore it open, reluctantly letting go of him so he could kneel between her legs to roll it on.

“You look so pretty,” he rasped, hands on her knees spreading her wide. “I’ve dreamed of seeing you like this.”

He teased her aching clit with the sheathed head of his cock, circling it over and over, until, with one powerful thrust, Rhys buried himself to the root.

Devon raked her nails down his sweat-slick back, and his breath hissed out between his teeth.

“You’re killing me, darlin’,” he gasped into her ear. “You’re killing me.”

Stuffed full of him, Devon wrapped her legs tightly around his hips, buried her face in his shoulder and hung on tight. “Fuck me.”

Planting his knees on the bed, Rhys stroked into her, hard, giving her every inch.

“Oh, God,” she cried. “Feels so good. Don’t stop.”

Rhys pushed up on his hands and hung his head to watch. “Touch yourself, baby. I need you to come.”

As she slid her trembling fingers down to rub her clit, Rhys suddenly surrounded one pebbled nipple with hot suction. He drew it deep, tugged at it, groaning as her pussy clenched tightly around him in response.

“That’s it,” he growled around his mouthful of breast. “Come all over my cock. Let me feel it.”

Devon’s clit swelled under her fingers just as Rhys scraped his teeth over her nipple, the double jolt of sensation sending another climax sweeping over her. She arched beneath him, crying out her pleasure.

He followed her a half dozen thrusts later, his big body shaking in her arms, his cock throbbing deep inside. Devon held him close until he calmed, palms sweeping up and down his back, knees still hugging his ribs.

I love you.

The words crowded into her throat, but Devon refused to let them free; it wasn’t fair to him. Not when she was leaving.

After he’d dealt with the condom and returned to bed, Rhys propped the pillows up and lay back with a sigh, stretching his arm out to pull Devon against his chest. She put her cheek on his shoulder and twirled her fingers through the hair between his pecs, wishing she could bottle the smell of his skin, the sound of his quiet breathing.

“You okay?”

It took several seconds before Devon could answer without the sound of tears in her voice. “Yeah.”

“Thinking about Shane?”

That sounded better than the truth, that she was grieving the impending goodbye.

“Thinking about everything.”

And suddenly, she was. The frightened Afghan women and children, the insurgent she’d killed, the smell of Shane’s blood...

Rhys tightened his arm around her when she shuddered.

“I’m here,” he whispered, his lips at her temple. “I’m here.”

Devon rolled on top of him. “Then help me forget, Rhys.”