Fearless In Love(91)

It had been her ultimate dream. And now, her amazing new reality.

“I started falling for you that first day you let me play with Noah in the backyard of the youth home.” She laughed, admitting the truth from the warmth of his arms around her. “I can’t tell you how disappointed I was when you approached me at Charlie’s grand opening just to ask me to be his nanny.”

Matt chuckled with her, and she loved knowing he finally felt safe enough to let go of his fears and truly relax.

“I thought I had to fight my feelings for Noah’s sake. I didn’t want him to think you were going to be around forever when I expected that you’d eventually leave us. And I didn’t want either of us to be crushed the way we’ve always been with Irene.” He framed her face in his hands. “The real truth is that I never wanted to disappoint you. I wanted to step up, give you everything you need, find your brother, take care of you. But I let you down the way I’ve always been afraid I would.”

How could he ever think that?

She opened her mouth, and he kissed her quiet, before saying, “My parents wanted to toughen me up, but deep down they saddled me with the belief that I wasn’t good enough. They made me think I had to be perfect, to take care of everyone else, to make sure nothing bad ever happened, just to prove I was a man. You’ve helped me recognize how far overboard I went. I can’t protect Noah from every bad thing in his life without stunting him or making him feel incapable. I can’t force Irene to be the mother I think she should be. I can’t even be sure I’ll find your brother. I can only do my best.” He brought her hand to his cheek. “I have scars, so deep that even Susan, Bob, and the Mavericks couldn’t heal them. Only you can, Ari.”

“You’re healing my scars too.” Her eyes were damp, and her voice shook slightly. “We’ve both got baggage, and I know it won’t always be easy, but I’ll never give up on us again. Never.”

“No matter which of us makes a mistake in the future, I’ll never give you up. And I will continue to do everything in my power to bring your brother home to you.”

“I’ve never doubted that.” She rested against him for a long, sweet moment, their arms tight around each other. “I just need to keep this place until we find Gideon.” She gazed into his face, so beautiful that she lost her breath the same way she had the very first time. “Then I won’t ever need it again.”

“No, you won’t.” His deep voice resonated through her with a delicious thrill. “You’ll be with me.”

“Have I ever mentioned how much I love it when you get all possessive like this?”

“I wanted to possess you the first time I set eyes on you.” His beard-rough cheek caressed hers. “Even when I told myself I could never have you, I wanted you so bad I couldn’t see straight.” He nipped her earlobe, making her shiver with need. “And a Maverick always gets what he wants.”

Ari threw her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply. “Make love to me, Matt. I need you so badly, need you to—”

He cut off her words by shoving his warm hands under her shirt. Flipping her top over her head, he dipped down to kiss the swell of her breasts, his fingers slipping inside her bra.

“I know exactly what you need, baby.”

He always had.

They both tore at her jeans, then his pants, throwing everything across the room until they were skin to skin on the couch.

“I love you,” he whispered, rocking slowly against her, sensitizing every inch of her skin. “I love everything about you.” He kissed her breasts until she moaned and writhed beneath him. “I want to do so many wicked things to you.”

He worked his way down her body, proving over and over how much she mattered with every bite of skin, every erogenous zone. Finally, on his knees beside the couch, he licked the very center of her, sending her spiraling into sheer sensation. She shoved her fingers through his hair, so silky, so thick, as she reveled in the sweet, hot sensuality of his mouth on her.

Lifting his head, his thumb on the apex of her pleasure, he whispered, “I love you.”

His voice wrapped around the words she’d longed to hear as he moved over her, giving himself to her with no reservations, no holding back. Just pure pleasure.

And more love than she’d ever known was possible.

She gasped out his name as he filled her up, her body, her heart, her very soul. The feel of him inside her was momentous, with spikes of pleasure shooting through her, setting every cell of her being on fire.

“I want this every day. Forever.” His hand on her hip, he pulled her even more tightly against him. His eyes were soft midnight, dark with desire, brimming with emotion as he made his vows to her. “I love you. I will always love you. You are my heart. You’re my everything.”