Woods pressed me up against his chest and held me tightly. “Oh, sweetheart. I’m so sorry. For everything. I’m so damn sorry.”

I wasn’t finished. I wanted to be but I wasn’t. I’d made it this far and I had to keep going. “Braden heard my screams and she came in there to me. I looked up at her and I told her my momma was gone. That’s when I checked out. I don’t remember he calling nine-one-one or the paramedics arriving. I was lost in a world where my mother was alive and I couldn’t reach her. Finally when I came around Braden was beside me, cleaning me. Wiping the blood from my hands. Then she’d changed me into clean clothes and stood holding my hand while I answered questions. There were so many questions. Braden had refused to leave my side. When it was over I’d moved next door to live with her and her parents the next couple of years. She was determined I would live with them. I could tell they were worried about it. She had kept me a secret from them all those years and they were scared of me. I didn’t blame them. They never warmed up to me. I can see it in their eyes. They’re waiting on me to crack. Sometimes I understand them because I’m doing the same thing. Waiting…”

“Don’t you say it. Do you hear me? Don’t you dare say it. You’re not gonna crack. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met. I am in awe at the things you’ve been put through and the fact you can still light up a room when you walk in. When I look at you I see life. I see joy. I see my future.”

I was his future. He was mine. If I had a life with Woods to look forward to I knew I could fight whatever darkness that tried to take me. Before Woods I didn’t know what I was living for. In my search to find myself, I’d found so much more. I knew now why I wanted to live. I understood love. I had found it.

Woods had turned down Braden’s offer for us to stay. She hadn’t fought him on it and I was surprised. Woods had made me bring both my suitcases. We hadn’t gone far because I wasn’t ready to leave Braden just yet. Woods had found a five star hotel in Atlanta and checked us in. The moment the door closed behind him he dropped the suitcase I’d brought in with me on the floor and stalked over and picked me up. He carried me to the king size bed that sat in the center of the room.

“I need you to do something,” Woods said as he pulled his shirt off and tossed it on the ground then started unfastening his jeans.

“Okay,” I replied, watching his hands instead of his face. I loved watching him lower his jeans and seeing him spring free.

“When I’m buried deep inside you I need you to tell me you love me.”

The vulnerable request made me realize I’d never told him. I sat up and put both my hands on his chest as he lowered himself over me.

“You know that I lo—”

“Not yet. When I’m in you. Tell me then,” he said with his finger over my lips to keep me from saying it.

I pulled my shirt off and he made quick work of everything else. His hand grabbed my knee and pushed my legs apart so that he had me open to him. “I need to kiss it. I think it’s missed me,” he whispered and lowered his head until he was settled between my legs.

I bucked underneath him and grabbed handfuls of his hair crying out his name as his tongue slid up my center and then began to run circles around my swollen clit.

“See she missed me,” he whispered grinning up at me before slipping two fingers inside then taking laps of my juices that were freely flowing from the intense pleasure his mouth was causing.

“Yes, very much,” I agreed and held his head still when he pulled my clit into his mouth and began to suck. I was so close to an orgasm but I wanted him inside me. “I need you inside me,” I panted pulling at him to come back up my body and fill me.

Woods slowly kissed a trail up my stomach, chest, and neck until his lips were hovering over mine. He dropped several chaste kisses on my mouth. I opened my legs so that he could fit between them. The head of his erection was brushing my heat and driving me mad.

Woods held himself over me and lowered his hips until he slowly sank inside of me. The feeling of completion overwhelmed me. Woods made me whole. He healed everything that was wrong with me. Having him this close to me was all I would ever need.

He began to move his hips in and out as his arms flexed on either side of me. I ran my hands up his arms and held onto each thick bicep so I could feel it move under my touch. Looking up, my eyes locked with his.

“I love you,” I said without reservation because no truer words had ever been spoken. Woods paused and his throat worked as he swallowed hard. I reached up and ran my nails gently over his neck. Every part of him fascinated me.

“I love you. I’ll never leave you and I swear to you sweetheart that you will never be alone.” His words were laced with emotion. I lifted my eyes from my focus on his neck to see unshed tears glistening in his eyes.

I pulled my legs up over his hips and wrapped them firmly around his body then slipped my arms around his neck and brought him down closer to me. I didn’t have to explain to him what I needed. He knew. I was positive at this moment he needed it too. Our bodies moved against each other. It was as if we’d truly become one. This was a deeper connection than I’d ever known.

“Is this making love?” I asked him as my orgasm began to build.

“Every time I’m inside of you is making love, baby. Every damn time.”

Smiling I kissed his shoulder and held on tight as the waves of pleasure began exploding in my body.