Page 36 of The Stars

He chuckled and pulled her closer. “We’re here now. I guess that means we weren’t fated to be together until now.”

She softened against him. Her hands went to his shoulders. “Three thousand years give or take. I guess it was bound to happen sometime,” she whispered just before their lips met.

There had been a few times in his life when he’d felt his mind, body, and heart were out of control. The moment Amy’s mouth touched his, he lost every single sliver he’d ever had. His body, his desires, and his feelings for her consumed his every heartbeat.

His body stilled as she ran her hands over his arms slowly until her fingers lay flat over his chest.

“Dante,” she whispered. “I don’t know what’s happening here but tell me you feel it too.”

He nodded, unable to voice just what he felt. His fingers were firmly gripping the golden dress she wore. He was afraid that if he touched her, his very essence would explode.

“Dante, touch me,” she said after the kiss deepened.

“If I do… what will happen?” he asked as her lips trailed over his neck. Then she stilled.

“I’m still me,” she whispered, leaning back to look deep into his eyes. “You’re Dante, I’m Amy. That’s all I know.”

He sighed and rested his forehead against hers.

“Neither of us can promise that,” he said softly, pulling back. “If I touch you, there won’t be any going back for me.”

Her hand came up slowly and cupped his face.

“For either of us. There’s no going back no matter what we do,” she said as their eyes locked.

The sadness in her eyes almost overtook him. The pain, the sorrow of what she’d witnessed in the future. The loss she’d experienced had brought an empty look to her eyes. That look was gone when she looked at him.

“Whatever the future holds, right now, we’re here. Together.” She smiled slightly. “That’s enough for me.” She lifted on her toes and brushed her lips across his. “Let that be enough for tonight.”

Feeling her body vibrate against his, he was at a complete loss. Without a word, he gently lifted her in his arms and carried her inside. When he laid her on the bed, he realized that from the moment he’d seen her again, the moment she’d come back into his life, he’d lost his heart to her.

Maybe it had never really belonged to him and had been hers all along.

Her slight smile took away the last of his strength. When he covered her body, everything he had been before melted into one thing. One goal. To protect her from whatever came next.

This time, he didn’t hold back when he kissed her. His hands roamed over her body, pushing, pulling the soft material up, away, until the soft skin of her silky leg was under his fingertips.

Her nails scraped against his exposed skin. When she released a soft chuckle, he stilled.

“How do you remove this thing?” she asked, tugging on his clothes.

He smiled and in one quick swipe he had the tunic falling away.

“You’re going to have to teach me how to do that.” She smiled up at him. “I like this getup almost as much as your cop uniform. Sexy.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

“Later,” he promised and covered her body with his, settling between her thighs as she wrapped her legs around his hips. Only a thin sliver of silk separated them.

“You kept these?” he asked, running his fingers across her silk panties.

She smiled. “The last little connection to the future. Besides, I’d just purchased them.”

He chuckled as he slid a fingertip over them, making her breath catch.

“I have no idea what they did with the rest of my clothes.” She sighed. “You?”

He shrugged. “I hadn’t thought about it.”

“Dante,” she whispered as she arched for him and he trailed his mouth over her shoulder.