“He’ll find out. He might need to take your phone for a while, to give it to the state cyberforensics people to analyze, but we’ll figure it out. We’ll get you a new one when we get to town, so you can still communicate with your mom and Susie.”
Carlise stared down at the man under her. The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, giving the room a slight glow. “Riggs,” she whispered.
“This is normal,” he said with a small shake of his head and a serious expression. “This is what a man does for his woman. He protects her. He goes out of his way to make sure she’s happy and safe. He looks after her. Just as she does for him.
“You haven’t had a good example of what a relationship should look like, but I’ve got you, Carlise. If you’re hungry, I’ll feed you. If you’re cold, I’ll bring you some blankets. If you’re scared, I’ll keep you safe, and if you’re happy, I’ll do whatever I can to keep you that way.”
Carlise couldn’t speak at that moment if her life depended on it. She was overwhelmed, in a good way. How the hell had she found this man? The odds were astronomical. And yet, here she was, in his bed, in his arms.
She lowered her head without thought. Without hesitation. Without any doubts.
Her lips touched his, and he immediately opened for her. She kissed him almost desperately, expressing with her lips the words she couldn’t get past the lump in her throat.
The kiss turned passionate in seconds. What had started as a way to say thank you turned into something infinitely deeper in a heartbeat. Riggs rolled until she was under him. One leg was between hers, and she could feel his erection pulsing against her core. All that separated them was their underwear. And that was suddenly too much.
“I want you,” she panted when he pulled back to take a deep breath. His lips were swollen and wet from their kiss. Even as she watched, his tongue came out to swipe his bottom lip, and it was all Carlise could do not to pull his head back down to hers.
“Are you sure?”
“I’ve never been more sure of anything in my life,” she replied.
In response, Riggs leaned over and reached for the small table next to the bed. He yanked the drawer open, swearing when he used too much strength and it ended up on the floor. He shifted off her and fumbled on the floor for a moment.
Carlise giggled and held on to his waist so he wouldn’t fall off the bed.
When he righted himself and hovered over her body, he had a condom in his hand. They’d never discussed protection, but she appreciated his willingness to glove up. Tommy had bitched and moaned about having to wear one. Though, she already knew she couldn’t compare the two men in any way. Riggs would come out on top every single time.
“I bought them to keep the end of my shotgun dry if I have to go out in the rain or snow,” he told her seriously. “Not because I’ve ever had a reason to use them before now.”
Carlise believed him. How could she not? He was going out of his way to reassure her, to make sure she was safe. She had no reason to doubt him. She nodded and licked her bottom lip, wanting him more than was probably normal.
His amber eyes bore into hers as he placed the condom next to the pillow, then lifted off her onto his knees and reached for his T-shirt. He pulled it over his head, and Carlise took in all that was Riggs as he knelt over her. He was gorgeous. She hated seeing the scars on his torso because she knew now how he’d gotten them, but they didn’t detract from his beauty in any way, shape, or form.
Her hands lifted without thought, and she placed them flat on his pecs, running them slowly up and down his body. Riggs didn’t move. Was still as a statue, in fact, and Carlise began to get worried. “Riggs?”
“Yeah?” he asked through clenched teeth.
She stilled and stared up at him. He really didn’t look like he was enjoying her touch. She lifted her hands uncertainly. “Do you not like me touching you?” she whispered.
“Not like it?” he asked as his brows drew down in confusion. “I’ve literally thought about nothing but your hands on me for the last week. I’ve masturbated in the shower every day as I dreamed about how you’d feel against me. I’m harder than I’ve been in years, and it’ll be a miracle if I can last long enough to put this condom on and get inside you. Not like you touching me? Impossible.”
His words made Carlise feel better, although she was still confused. “Then why aren’t you doing anything? Touching me back?”
“Because I don’t think I can move,” he admitted. “I’m afraid I’m going to lose it if I do.”