His salvation stood right in front of him, the concern on her face tearing right through him.

“You know what I need? I need you. I don’t want to talk, Evelyn. I need to put my mouth on you and sink inside you and just not f**king think for a while.”

She lifted up and swept her hand around his neck, placing her trembling lips against his.

“Then take what you need, Gray.”

It was all he needed to hear. He wound his arm around her waist, picked her up, and moved a foot toward the door. He pressed the lock button, then carried her to the bed. He laid her on it and followed her down, his mouth on hers in a frenzy of passion and need. Her tongue wound around his, her whispered moans a balm to his aching psyche.

He lifted her shirt and found the silken softness of her skin, not realizing how much he’d missed touching her until that very moment. He raised her top and unclasped her bra, cupping a breast in his hand, soaking up her cries with his mouth as he teased her nipple. Each sound she uttered made his dick harder. He rocked his hard-on between her legs, the driving force of his need.

He raised up and slid between her thighs, teasing her. She licked her lips and raised her legs, locking them around his hips.

“Please,” she whispered.

He needed to make her come, wanted to hear her cries as she came apart for him.

He drew down her pants and underwear and buried his face in her pussy. She smelled and tasted like sweet heaven, soothing his soul as she grasped a handful of his hair to hold him in place as he licked and sucked her clit, holding on to her as she writhed in pleasure beneath him.

“Gray,” she said. “I’m going to come. Oh, yes, I’m going to come.” He lapped at her pussy, then latched onto her cl*tand took her there. She grabbed the nearest pillow and screamed into it as she let go. He held on to her h*ps and licked her until she was moaning again, and then he unzipped his pants and sank into her while she was still quivering.

Her eyes widened with shock as he grasped her hands and lifted them above her head.

“I want you to scream again for me,” he said, pulling back only to thrust harder and bury himself deep.

She reached underneath his shirt and scraped her nails down his back. “Yes. Just like that. Harder.”

He loved that she matched him, that she arched against him, squeezing his hand as he powered inside her, faster and faster, grinding against her until she tightened around him.

He kissed her, his tongue sucking hers inside until she whimpered and bucked against him. He wanted her to come again, wanted to feel her pu**y grab his dick in a tight vise and squeeze the come right out of him. And when he felt the tremors, he rubbed against her, rocking his pelvis over her sensitive flesh until she cried out against his lips. He raised her knee and buried himself deep, lifting her butt with his hand and powering up into her as he came with a harsh groan, emptying himself into her.

Out of breath and sweating, he rested his lips against her neck, loving the feel of her soft fingertips stroking his back.

When he came to his senses, he realized what he’d done.

He’d taken her, fast and furious—and without a condom.

He’d used her. He’d satisfied his own needs and taken, without thought for her needs or what she wanted.

He was no better than his father.

NINETEEN

EVELYN FLOATED BACK DOWN TO REALITY, NOT EVEN caring they were at his parents’ house, that someone might have heard. What they’d shared was passionate and wild and like nothing she could have ever imagined.

But she could tell the moment everything had changed. One minute she and Gray were locked together. He was kissing her neck, lazily stroking her leg. The next, he tensed, and his head shot up, panic written all over his face.

“Oh, shit. Evelyn, I’m so sorry.”

She frowned. “For what? For this? I’m not. I know it’s a little unorthodox, being at your parents’, but honestly—”

“No.” He jumped off the bed and she realized they were both still half clothed, which made what had just happened between them so much—sexier.

She sat up. “What’s wrong?” He’d been so upset earlier, and she had no idea why, though she suspected it had something to do with his father. She wished he would open up to her, talk to her about what bothered him.

He grabbed his pants, slid them on, and zipped them up. “I didn’t use a condom. I am never—and I mean never—irresponsible like that. I can’t apologize enough.”

“Oh. I’m on the pill, Gray. You don’t have to worry about me becoming pregnant. I assume you’re always careful about protection, as am I.”

He sat on the bed next to her and picked up her hand. “I am always careful. I’ve never been with a woman without protection before. I hope you believe that. I’ll get tests. I get tested frequently. Jesus, I am so sorry.”

She felt so bad for him, for this day he was having. She stroked up and down his arm. “Quit beating yourself up over this. I loved sharing this moment with you today.

Didn’t you?”

“I used you to make myself feel better.”

“You made me come—twice. I hardly feel used.”

His lips curved in a hint of a smile. “That’s good. But I still feel shitty.”

“Well, if you’re going to continue to self-flagellate, I suppose you could buy me some diamonds.”

He snorted out a laugh. “You don’t seem like the diamonds-as-apology type of woman.”

“That’s quite possibly the nicest thing anyone’s ever said to me.”

She got up and went into the attached bathroom to clean up. Lord, her hair was a mess, her lips were puffy, and she had to do some definite damage control. She smoothed her hair and corrected her clothing, but there was nothing she could do about the flush on her face. Hopefully people would think it was the heat.

Gray came in and wound his arms around her, then kissed her temple. “I love making love with you. But I was wrapped up in my own head—” He pointed to his forehead. “This one. And not thinking about covering up the other one. I’m sorry for not thinking about your protection.”

She turned in his arms, then lifted up to kiss him. “Thank you. But I got caught up in the heat of the moment, too. Remember, it takes two people. We’re fine, okay?”

“Okay.” He kissed her. “And I’m sorry about that shit with my dad. He screws with my head even without trying. I ruined your day.”

“You didn’t ruin my day at all.”

“Let’s go do the speech and photos thing.”

“Don’t do that on my account, Gray.”

“I am doing it for you. And for my mom. But most important, I’m doing it for me. I made a commitment and I’m going to stick with it. The old man isn’t going to run me off anymore.”

She slid her fingers up his arms. He was relaxed, no tension in his muscles. “If you’re certain that’s what you want, let’s go.”

“I’m sure.”

They found the senator outside with Loretta. He looked concerned when they met up, not upset or angry.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

Gray gave a curt nod. “Fine. Sorry for the delay. Are you ready to get started?”

Evelyn squeezed his arm. “I’ll get the media in place, then we can begin.”

She got everyone assembled, then went up to the podium and introduced Gray.

He was perfect as he spoke about the holiday, what it meant to him, and thanked those in service for fighting for his country. And though he didn’t highlight his father’s accomplishments as senator, you couldn’t tell there was friction between them or what Gray personally felt about his dad as he introduced him. He was polite and courteous as he made the introduction. Then the senator stepped up and they hugged briefly before the senator took the podium to make his remarks.

All in all, a great few moments, and she’d have good quotes, photos, and sound bites for social media.

“Did I do all right?” Gray asked when the senator finished speaking and the crowds began to disperse.

“You did great. Thank you. I know that wasn’t easy for you.”

He shrugged. “It was over fast. That part was good.”

She laughed. They grabbed more food and drink, and Gray crowded around with Trevor and Drew, laughing while they told him about the golf tournament. She was glad he was relaxed now. She worried for him after that tense exchange with his father. Though not many words had been said, there were undertones of history between them, things from Gray’s past she obviously didn’t know about that ran deep and upset him.

She wished he would talk to her about them, but he obviously didn’t trust her enough yet to open up. And she wouldn’t force it. Maybe someday.

At dark, there were fireworks, a spectacular forty-five-minute display that left Evelyn in awe. After, the guests began to leave. Evelyn made sure to thank the media who’d come for the speech and to make arrangements to receive copies of the sound bites and photos. She’d already grabbed some photos and quotes and put them up on the senator’s social media accounts since it was important to be in real time for the senator, but she’d do more in the coming days.

They had already made arrangements to spend the night on the ranch. Evelyn was glad they didn’t have to drive to the airport and fly out tonight. It had been a long, exhausting day and she was ready for bed.

Though it would have been nice to go to bed with Gray, they had separate bedrooms. And since this was his parents’ home, sneaking into his room would not be a good idea.

So he walked her up to her room and said good night. Since his mother had also walked up with them, his good night was very short and curt.

“See you in the morning,” he said, his gaze lingering.

She looked over his shoulder at his mother, who stood at the top of the stairs, obviously wanting a word with her son. So she smiled. “Good night, Gray.”

She closed the door, washed up, and put on a tank top, then climbed into the bed in the guest room she’d been assigned. She worked on her laptop, posted some photos to Facebook and tweeted, caught up on her email, then set her laptop aside and turned out the lights. She stared up at the whirring ceiling fan while she mentally rehashed the day in her head.

There was a lot in her head, from her conversations with Carolina to the questions surrounding Gray’s relationship with his father to the heat-inducing sex she’d had with Gray in this very room earlier today. She smoothed her hands over the cool sheets, recalling the desperate way he’d taken her, the way it had felt when he was inside her, the way he’d made her come. He knew her body, knew what it took to bring her right to the brink, then make her fall.

Her body swelled with arousal. She softly sank her teeth into her bottom lip and slid her hand into her panties, her mind filled with visuals of Gray sinking into her today.

Then her phone rang.

“Crap.” She turned and looked at the display.

Was he psychic? She grabbed her phone and clicked it on.

“Gray.”

“You sound out of breath. What are you doing?”

“Uh . . . nothing.”

“Where are you?”

“In my room.”

“What are you doing?”

“I was restless.”

He was silent for a moment, and she could imagine him smiling. “And just what are you doing alone in your room, Evelyn?”

“Thinking about you and hating that I’m not in your room.”

She heard shuffling. “Oh, yeah? Is that why you’re out of breath?”

“You could say that.”

“Were you touching yourself while you were thinking of me?”

He made it so easy. She settled back against the pillows and cradled the phone against her ear. “Yes.”

“Do it again.”

“What are you doing?”

“Now that you’ve made my c**k hard, I’m stroking it.”

She took a deep breath. “I feel like a teenager.”

“Did you ever have phone sex when you were a teenager?”

She stifled a laugh. “No. I’ve never had phone sex at all.”

“Then you’re about to have a first. What are you wearing?”

She laughed. “A tank top and panties.”

“Did you slide your hand inside your panties and stroke your pussy?”

The man had to be psychic. “That’s what I was doing when you called.”

She heard his low hum of approval. “Then I’m glad I interrupted you before you got to the really good part.”

The sounds he made as he shifted in bed were driving her crazy. She had to use her imagination to visualize what he might be doing.

“We could . . . video chat, you know.” She knew what kind of phone he had, and he did have that feature.

“Hmm, we could, couldn’t we?”

She pressed the button, and within thirty seconds his face was on the screen. He gave her a lopsided grin. “You look sexy.”

“It’s dark in your room.”

“I like it this way. That way you can see me, but not really see me.”

All she could see was his face and upper body, but she saw his shoulder move.

“What are you doing, Gray?”

“Rubbing my cock. When you answered the phone, you made that out-of-breath sound you make when I’m f**king you.”

She sucked in a breath and shifted down, then spread her legs, sliding her hand over her sex. “I didn’t know I made a certain sound.”

“Oh, I’ve memorized all the sounds you make. Your breath catches when I rub your cl*tor suck your pussy. And your moans—I really like those.”