Holding her the entire way, the kiss grew more intense as they gravitated toward the bed, neither of them willing to let go of the other. Their lips and tongues mated in possession and need.

Their fingers clutched at the other’s clothes as they fought to get rid of anything keeping them from being one. In almost a blur, their clothing was ripped away. Maverick lifted her with his muscled arms before gently laying her on the bed, not breaking their connection for even a moment as he climbed on top of her.

She sighed and panted into his mouth as his beautiful fingers skirted across her skin, touching every single place on her body before delving down to her core. He slipped inside, finding her hot and wet—ready for him.

He groaned against her lips before his mouth trailed down between her breasts, one hand pinching her nipple and making her whimper in total abandon. She squirmed beneath his expert touch.

“You taste so good,” he murmured as he licked his way down to her center. Spreading her legs wide, he ran his tongue along her pulsing pleasure. She arched off the bed as he tasted her, teased her, and intensified the flames that were already out of control.

As she reached higher and higher toward her climax, he seemed to know the moment she was about to set sail, because he would move his luscious mouth and temper the flames before going back and doing it all over again.

He seemed to want this to never end, which was just exactly how she felt. Though the build-up was nearly destroying her. She reached into his thick dark strands of hair and tugged on him, all to no avail. He was on a mission and nothing was going to detour him from it.

Whimpering and begging did her no good. He continued devouring her body in endless delight, his groans of pleasure making hers that much better. She needed to touch him, though, and he was denying her that. She was growing more insistent in her tugs on his hair.

Finally, he climbed back up her body, his cheeks flushed, his skin hot and damp to the touch, his beautiful green eyes dark with desire.

Right now, in this frozen moment of time, they belonged to one another. There wasn’t a single other soul in the world. It was a connection that couldn’t be faked. She desperately wanted to tell him of her love, but somehow managed to keep the words locked in her throat.

Reaching beneath her, he clasped tightly to her butt as he pulled her up against his straining erection, making the heat in her core go even hotter.

“I can’t get enough of you,” he whispered as he leaned down, their mouths mating again as their bodies molded as one. He slowly slipped inside her, letting her take him inch by precious inch until the connection was solid and complete.

“Then take all you want,” she told him, giving everything she had of herself. No matter where life took them, she would always be his. No one would have this piece of her, no matter how much time passed, no matter who she met in the future.

This was beyond lovemaking. This was a merging of souls. She hoped she had changed him too, that he wouldn’t be the same ever again. Yes, they would live healthy, productive lives, but she wanted him to leave with a piece of her, just as she wanted to take a piece of him.

Her eyes closed as he began moving in and out of her body, picking up the pace as their breathing filled the air around them. Their desire grew and grew.

“So beautiful,” he groaned as he held tightly to her butt and pounded against her flesh. “So tight—hot—wet.”

He continued whispering words against her ear as they moved in perfect rhythm against each other, their bodies damp with sweat, hot with desire.

And then she couldn’t hold out any longer. In an overwhelming blindness, she exploded, her tight core closing around him as she shook in his arms.

His hot breath rushed out against her ear as he hugged her close and spilled his seed deep within her womb. They both shook as they came down from the high of such intense lovemaking.

Neither moved for what might have been hours as their hearts beat against each other in perfect rhythm. Lindsey knew that when she fell asleep, he would slip away into the night.

And she also knew that he’d made sure she would be okay.

Nothing would make her regret her time with Maverick. Not even saying good-bye.

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

Tossing his flight bag on his bed, Maverick glared at the light on his answering machine, blinking over and over again, telling him he had a message—or a dozen messages.

He’d been in a bear of a mood for the past two weeks. And his damn family didn’t want to leave him alone. Mav knew the mood would pass. His behavior wasn’t dependent on if he missed a woman or not.

Time would make things better. That was, if his family would just leave him alone. He was back at work, and happy to be there. Hell, he’d just come back from a flight to Oregon where he’d done some low maneuvers that normally would put him in a great mood.

It seemed nothing was putting him in a good mood these days, though.

Mav was always the life of the party, the one to smile when everyone else was scowling. He was the one who laughed when other people were in foul moods. So why in the world couldn’t he pull himself out of this constant anger he seemed to be feeling?

It certainly wasn’t over a woman—even a woman as amazing as Lindsey.

Moving over to his liquor cabinet, he undid his shirt, letting it hang open as he poured a double shot of whiskey. He threw his head back as he let the amber liquid burn its way down his throat.

Even the fire pouring through him wasn’t enough to help. He seriously needed to pull himself together. Looking over at the phone again, the temptation to call Lindsey was almost so overwhelming he thought about tossing the phone through his window.