“I’m sorry,” I muttered, my hips pounding against her now of their own accord. Heat snaked up my shaft, and my cock bucked as I realized with a rush of relief that she was moving beneath me, her own soft hips crashing against mine.

“For what?” she breathed.

“Being too rough with you.” I clenched my teeth, my ass muscles flexing as I pumped harder.

“Feels so good. Don’t stop.”

Her whimpers became shouts as I filled her again and again, plowing forward until I hit bottom, her channel working me over in a sensual assault.

“I’m going to come,” she groaned, her fingernails tearing into my shoulders.

“Fuck, yeah. Come for me, Evie.” The headboard slammed against the wall in a steady rhythm as she shattered around me.

“Smith!”

Thank God.

Evie’s back bowed, her breasts smashing against my chest as she came. She clutched my ass, melding her body to mine, dragging me over the edge with her.

“Fuck.”

My muscles clenched as heat thundered through me. Her gaze locked with mine as I unloaded inside her, coming so hard, I almost blacked out. I flexed my hips, drawing out our pleasure, pressing deeper and holding true until the last wave subsided. Then I collapsed on top of her with a groan.

“Boy, when you finally do it, you do it right,” I murmured in her ear.

Her breathy laugh warmed my neck, and she pressed a kiss to my shoulder. “All credit to you, good sir. It makes me really glad it was you, Smith.”

It wasn’t until she said the words that I realized how much it meant to me that she felt that way.

I rolled to the side, tugging her with me as I went, and tucked her under my arm. “I’m glad it was me too, Evie.”

She was totally right. You could have a do-over. No one could take this from us. It was perfect.

We lay there for a long time in each other’s arms, totally silent, just soaking in the warm glow. I almost could have fallen into a light sleep until I felt her soft lips graze my ear.

“It felt like that was a good start, but there’s so many more questions I have,” she murmured, her soft hand traveling down my abs slowly until my cock leaped up to meet her.

“Looks like you’ve come to the right place,” I growled, grabbing her by the hips and yanking her on top of me.

Her squeal of laughter rang through me like a song, and I pulled her mouth down to mine.

Tomorrow, we’d talk it all through, and I’d find out if her heart was in the same place as mine.

Tonight?

I just wanted to make her scream again.

Chapter Twenty-Four

The room was too warm. That was the first thing I realized as I blinked open hazy eyes. The second thing I realized was that I was butt naked and sprawled out over Smith’s body.

As I scrambled off him into a sitting position, my body ached in places I had never ached before.

“Evie?” Smith’s sleepy voice asked.

Rubbing my eyes, I looked at the digital clock and saw it was just past midnight. We’d made love twice and then had fallen asleep in each other’s arms.

“Be right back,” I whispered, climbing from the bed. Padding naked and barefoot into the adjoining bathroom, I flipped on the light and sank onto the toilet to relieve myself.

After washing my hands, I tiptoed back into the bedroom. Smith was lying quiet and still in the center of the bed, the sheet draped over his waist. My throat tightened as I watched his chest rise and fall in a steady rhythm.

This night was everything I’d dreamed it could be. It had been the most amazing sexual experience of my life, and Smith had been the perfect man to share it with. He was so attentive, so giving and loving, and I’d been completely lost in the moment. But now? Now I was freaking out a bit.

Feeling around on the floor, I located my underwear and jeans, and slid them on. My bra was hanging off the back of a chair, and my shirt was nowhere to be found.

Exiting the bedroom as quietly as I could, I headed for the living room and spotted my shirt on the hallway floor.

The need to be in my own space outweighed everything. I had to process what had happened tonight and my growing feelings for Smith. And I needed to do it in the safety of my own home.

I’d grown closer to Smith in these past few weeks than I’d ever imagined was possible. It was no longer just about sex. Yes, we’d had an amazing time between the sheets, and I was sure no man would ever compare, but things were so much more complicated than that. He’d let me into his life, introduced me to his lovable yet chaotic family, shown me what it was like to let go and have fun.

And now that it was over? I was more heartbroken than I’d ever imagined.

Dressing quickly, I slipped on my shoes and coat, scratched out a quick note, and fled.

• • •

Pushing open the heavy glass door to the office Monday morning, I forced my mouth into a smile. “Morning,” I said to my brother.

“Hey, Evie,” Cullen said, his eyes still trained on his computer screen. “Is there a reason you’re”—his gaze dropped to his wristwatch—“forty minutes late?”

I sniffed. I’d been frozen in fear this morning, sure that my brother would read guilt and heartache all over me. “Sorry about that. I’m not feeling very well today.”

His gaze swung over to mine and softened. “If you need to go home and take it easy today, it’s no big deal.”

I nodded. “Thanks.”

We worked in silence for a few minutes until I couldn’t help but ask the question burning a hole in my brain. “Where’s Smith? Did he call in sick or something too?”