“You’re my future,” she says.
“The past doesn’t control your present,” I intone.
She repeats me, her voice soft. But I can tell she’s not quite convinced. It’s okay. I hold enough conviction for the both of us.
“You aren’t alone anymore, do you hear me? The only person who can keep you from me is you. In that sense, He Who Must Trip on a Shoe Tassel and Boil in Lava is right. You are in control, Tess. You’re in control of this,” I say, taking her hand and splaying it over my heart. “You’re in control of us. If you walk away, that will be your choice. If you stay, that will be your choice too. The door to my heart will always be open, and I will never seek to control you—”
“But you’re in control too,” she says. “You could walk away. You could shut me out.”
I just laugh. “Have you seen you, Tess? Have you seen these lips?” I brush my fingers over her mouth. “Have you heard your laugh? It stops me dead in my tracks every time.”
Her gaze softens as her body sinks into me, craving my closeness.
“Have you watched the way you cross a room in a pair of heels?” I bend lower to brush a kiss against her temple, my hands smoothing down her arms. “Have you ever felt what it is to hold all your attention?” My hands graze over her breasts, and I love the feel of her nipples hard against my palms.
The energy between us turns on a dime, and now I know my Tess is fully here, ready to put her crown back on. She’s ready to fucking own me.
And I’m ready to let her.
Inching away from her, I drop my hands to the hem of my Rays tech shirt and jerk it off, dropping it to the floor.
“What are you doing?” Her heated gaze takes me in. Oh, yeah, my sweet devil loves my body. She loves to tease it. Loves to wind me up and make me moan. She needs to feel in control right now? Fine. My Tess gets whatever she wants.
“Tess, I’m yours,” I say, taking her hands by the wrists and placing them palm-flat on my chest. “I’m yours. There will never be anyone else. Take me.”
She steps in, her hands smoothing over the hard planes of my chest, down my ribs.
I want her so goddamn much. My dick is twitching in my pants, turned on by her presence as much by her beauty or her touch. The truth is that I breathe easier just being in the same room. “I’m yours,” I say again, shucking my pants down my hips to the floor.
She looks at me, eyes wide, watching as I strip. “Puppy, what are you doing?”
“I’m giving myself to you.”
I step out of my pants, my dick hardening as her hungry gaze devours me. I love her eyes on me. I never want her to look away. I wiggle my toes at each heel, slipping out of my thin athletic socks, until I’m standing before the woman I love, naked except for my neoprene knee brace.
“I’m yours,” I say again, feeling the hold on my own control slipping away. I’m giving it all to her, every piece of me. I’m safe with her. All she has to do is hold out her hands and take me. “I want you to be the wild, happy Tess I met on the beach, all curls and confidence and killer curves for days. I want you to be powerful and free. That’s all I want.”
“I want that too,” she admits, her voice soft.
“Then be free with me,” I beg. “Tess, baby, I choose you. You’re my one. My only one.”
Her gaze takes me in, and I feel my body heat all over.
Slowly, I drop to my knees, gazing up at her, begging her with every piece of my soul. “If you want me, Tess, take me. Make me yours.”
I watch the column of her throat as she swallows. Then she takes a small step closer on bare feet, her hand reaching out for me. I lean into it like I did on my first night here, chasing her touch. She brushes her fingers through my hair, cupping the side of my head. I don’t bother holding back my groan.
“You want me to take you?” Her thumb brushes my temple.
I nod, turning my face to kiss her palm.
“Tell me what you want, Ryan.”
Reaching out, I take gentle hold of her hips. “My entire life revolves around me holding onto control—my diet, my exercise, the game, the puck. It’s not easy for me to let go.”
She nods, understanding in her eyes.
“But with you, it feels so easy,” I admit. “I trust you, Tess. I love you and I’m yours. Please, just end my agony and say you’ll be mine.” I say these last words as I sink forward, my face pressing against her stomach, my hands sliding down her hips to grip her thighs.