It’s the last time that gets to me in my frenzy, slamming into her, rattling the desk—hell, maybe the whole building—with deep, controlling strokes that almost edge her womb.
“Brina!” I belt her name back and my unfastened tie falls over her neck.
The weird, possessive splash of color reminds me how far gone I am, how I’d give up my fortune to spend every damn night inside her.
Fuck yes, I explode.
Magnificently.
The surge of my seed sends her off again, and we spend the next few minutes quaking in rapture, entangled, our bodies locked as I empty myself until she overflows.
My desk is properly christened by our sex when I finally pull away, giving her one last kiss, watching the hot mess I’ve left behind leaking out of her.
I scoop her up off the desk and seat us in my chair, her on my lap, cradling her so close I feel her heartbeat under her skin. I find my jacket on the floor and fold it around her bare shoulders, leaving us skin-to-skin, with nothing else between us.
“Thank you.” She drops her head to my shoulder.
I chuckle. “For what?”
“How I feel right now.” Her voice is still low, her words one soft moan.
I hold her tighter.
“That’s not something to thank me for. You were an equal player.” I kiss her. “Besides, that was primal and savage. You also deserve sweet kisses under city lights.”
And I do exactly that, laying a heavy kiss on her lips, turning her chin softly to look out the window.
I’m almost expecting fireworks any minute, the whole city of Chicago celebrating our fuck. Or, more importantly, the moment I dared to think I’m in love with this woman.
“Fine, give me all the kisses,” she giggles. “I’m not sure how that could’ve been better.”
I don’t know either.
The L-word confession lingers on the tip of my tongue as I stare into her eyes, but just when I’m about to say it, my phone goes off.
I glare at the screen.
“Shit, sorry, sweetheart. I better take that. It could be Jordan.”
She stands so I can find my pants and fish the phone out of the pocket.
The call hits me like an arrow through the chest.
It’s amazing I can even pull up my briefs before the phone disconnects.
I drop the cell on the desk, my fingers numb.
“Get dressed,” I say, hating how her curves tempt me even now, and hating that I hate it.
“Mag?” She plucks her clothes up off the ground, a worried crease in her face. “Is something wrong?”
“No. Maybe? I don’t know,” I say. “Marissa Quail just woke up. We have to get Jordan now and go to the hospital.”
“Holy crap!” Her eyes go huge and she grins. “That’s fantastic! He’s going to be so—”
“Excited? Let’s hope so.” I pull my pants up and fasten the belt like my life depends on it.
What I don’t tell her is the sudden dark gut punch of worry that hits like a premonition. Apparently, I’m outdoing Miss Superstition tonight.
Still, I can’t relax until I see Marissa alive and well, with her brain intact.
Anything could go wrong.
When the elevator opens, Jordan runs ahead with Brina and I trailing behind him. He darts into Marissa’s room before we catch up.
She looks at me. “Are you ready for this?”
“It’s now or never.” I take Brina’s hand. “I’m glad she woke up. If everything seems normal, it’ll be a huge weight off Jordan’s shoulders.” I squeeze her palm, tracing a circle on the top of her hand with my thumb. “And it also means we’ll be talking to Ruby soon.”
She beams up at me.
We’re a few inches from the door when Jordan pops his head out.
“She’s asleep?” he asks, wearing a deep frown.
“Hit the nurse button,” I say. “They told me she was awake twenty minutes ago.”
We step into the room together.
Sabrina sits in the chair and I stand next to Marissa’s bed with Jordan. The boy hits the call button on the bed just as a nurse and doctor stroll through the door.
“Sorry, I guess we shouldn’t have hit that,” I tell them.
“No problem,” the nurse says.
The doctor looks at Marissa, crumpled in the bed, totally inert and breathing slowly.
“You just missed her,” he sighs, adjusting his glasses. “I was in this room five minutes ago, and Miss Quail was fully conscious and talking to us.” He turns his head to face Jordan. “She asked about you. I told her you’d been here almost every day, and you’re well taken care of.”
“Why’s she asleep again?” Jordan asks, thorns in his voice.
“She’s on a lot of medication, I’m afraid, and she’s been unconscious for some time,” the doctor says kindly. “It’s not like it is in the movies. Some coma patients can only stay awake for a few minutes, gradually recovering their stamina over weeks. In this case, some of her sleepiness is a response to the pain and medications in her system.”
He gives an encouraging smile, but I also want answers to the question Jordan asks a second later.
“But she’s okay?”
“She’s on the mend. Her vitals look great. The brain tissue doesn’t seem to be scarred. Of course, we’ll be able to give a full assessment when she’s feeling better. If she doesn’t wake up before you leave tonight, she’ll likely come around tomorrow,” the doctor says.
“Thank you,” I say, finally a bit relieved.
The doctor leaves, and the nurse checks Marissa’s vitals again, scribbling something on the digital board before she exits.
“We’ll hang out for a few minutes until the end of visiting hours,” I say. “But if she doesn’t wake up, we need to let her sleep and come back in the morning. She needs rest.”
“Damn, I just wanted to talk to her, but...I’m glad Mom’s okay.” An unsure smile brightens his face.
“Me too, Jordan,” I say with a smile.
For him, I manage, but I’m still not relaxing totally until I see how Marissa acts.
Thankfully, Brina’s smile in the corner is a lot more honest.
Jordan spends the next fifteen minutes at her side, doing nothing but watching her, gently muttering a few words.
I’ve never seen a kid his age more intent on anything that wasn’t a cell phone.
I hate to even walk up and lay a hand on his shoulder.
“Okay, bud. It’s time to go.”
Jordan stirs, almost as if he forgot we were there, and kisses his mom’s cheek. “All right. I’m ready. I’ll be back soon, Mom.”
“Should we grab some ice cream on the way home?” I ask, searching for a happy distraction. “We all needed some good news.”
“Yes!” Both Brina and Jordan say it together.
I chuckle at their shared enthusiasm. It’s hard as hell not to kiss her right then.
Jordan goes out the door first, heading into the main lobby.
“Jordan?” A man calls his name.
A voice I know.
It can’t fucking be.
I burst through the door, leaving Sabrina trailing behind me, hoping to everything holy I’m hallucinating.