This girl...goddammit, this girl. I've never wanted anything the way I want Reece. The way I crave Reece. Having her soft body twined against me repairs all the jagged edges of my heart. Kindles the wounded embers of my being.

That catalyst crackles through me like a firework. I never thought she'd let me hold her like this again, let me taste the sweetness of her mouth. Yet here she stands, declaring the words I've so desperately needed to hear. Forgiving me. Wanting me. Loving me.

Then she goes and makes that demand, all fire and passion, and I'm gone. Nine days of agony disappear. I can't remember a time when she didn't claim my tongue with hears, own me with those big brown eyes and gorgeous soul.

Drawing a ragged breath at the pressure of her thigh against my desperate arousal, I separate. She looks furious, like she's about to kick my ass for breaking the kiss.

I smirk, emitting husky laughter. "If the lady insists."

Then she's up in my arms bridal-style with a soft squeal of alarm. Hands go around my shoulders, clutching me. I kiss her damp hair, the shell of her ear, savor her weight. She's here, she's real, and I'm the luckiest man alive.

The doorknob to her apartment is just within reach as Reece latches onto my lips anew, drowning me with soft, tantalizing strokes against my tongue. I moan into the sensation, balls tightening when her teeth snag on my piercing and suck. It will be a miracle if I manage not to combust before we make it into her apartment.

I manage the door clumsily, still focused on keeping my hands full of her smooth skin. Vaguely, I'm aware of a woman's shocked yip, the excited shuffle of a puppy. Hard to focus with Reece climbing me like a tree, shimmying that little body all over my torso while I struggle not to just say "fuck it" and ravage her against the wall.

Reece manages to shift so her arms twine around my neck, chest to chest with me while her legs lock in the small of my back. I kick the door shut and she loses her towel. Fuck if I can care, though. More skin bared to me, more scars and ink and Reece to admire. Damn winter and the three layers separating my flesh from hers.

"Down the hall and to the left," the owner of the yip directs.

By some bizarre luck, I manage to find Reece's bedroom. The moment the door closes and I twist the lock on the knob, she dismounts and starts clawing at my clothes. Between desperate kisses, heated moans, and repeated declarations of wonder, I'm stripped of my jacket, hoodie, and t-shirt. They fall to the floor in a heap while I desperately try to get closer.

Finally, I feel her bare breasts against my chest. Her skin hardly holds a chill from her galivant outdoors. Like me, she's fevered, frantic. Those pink nipples stiffen against my skin, just the friction of my body against hers spurring arousal.

"God," Reece sputters.

I nip her collarbone as I undo my belt and wrench it from my jeans. "I still go by Bas."

"Get on your knees." Hard fingers latch into my hair, give a cruel tug. Just the way I like. "Show me how much you missed me."

Sweet baby Jesus.

I moan my consent, walking her backward so her ass is against the bed and she has something to hold on to. She'll need it. It's been too long since I've adored her.

Dropping to my knees, I kiss along the tattoos of her stomach, trace them with my tongue ring. Then the scars, her navel piercings. Even when the hard pressure comes in my hair, I tease and torment. It's been hell without her and I'm not about to let her go without a bit of torment.

"Bas," she emits a low, sexy groan. Her hips roll forward where I kiss up her thighs, nip and suck her puckered skin. Then one knee comes up and hooks over my shoulder, dragging me into the heat of her arousal.

And I can't hold back anymore.

Delving in, I make twisting, probing motions into her honeyed heat. She coats my tongue, my lips. So wet and hot and ready. Her head falls back, fingers finding my hair. I ache.

I go hard, soft, tease with circles around her clit with my piercing. The flavor of her hits like the best high: delicious, heady, and fucking amazing. This is my favorite – more than fucking. Tasting the pleasure I give her; feeling it echoed in her moans and whimpers and shudders.

Reece collapses under my ministrations, holding herself up by the elbows on the mattress. She's wild and loud and I can't get enough. I'm going to worship every inch of her perfect pussy. I'm going to torment her with my tongue until she sees stars. I'm going to—

"Coming," she moans loud enough to wake the dead.

The walls of her arousal quiver in climax. I groan, lapping up every twitch and spasm she gives me. When she finally goes still, I ease her off my shoulders and onto the bed. She lays panting and picturesque in the soft light of the setting sun.

I withdraw a condom from my wallet, shuck my jeans and boxer briefs. I never again thought I'd be opening it with Reece. For Reece.

Crawling over her, I plant my elbows at either side of her head. Our eyes meet, hers hazy with lust and love, mine burning with the same. Swallowing, I lower my mouth to hers on a soft kiss. She tastes herself on my mouth, emits a graveled noise of approval. It sends my mind reeling.

"I love you," I promise, trailing my lips down her neck, her sternum. "I've always loved you."

"Bas!" Reece practically levitates from the bed as I capture one pebbled nipple between my tongue ring and the roof of my mouth. The other I knead in the webs of my fingers. Her nails snag on my skin, raking furrows down my back. "I need more."

The pain makes me shudder, my dick slobber. I never have been able to deny this girl. Pulling back, I rip the foil open with my teeth.

"No." Reece surprises me, sitting up and plucking the latex ring from my fingers. "I'm doing it."

This is new.

I love this alpha side of her, the part she always had and was too scared to see. That's all changed now. She slew her demons, fierce and strong. My girl. My Reece.

I'm capable of rolling on my own condom. Watching Reece do it, dainty fingers coaxing and teasing the material over my hard length, I almost lose it. She feels so good and I'm already so close.

Giggling wickedly, she shoves me hard in the chest. I topple backward onto the mattress. Then she straddles my hips, positions, and lowers slowly onto my cock. "Bastien."

"Ohfuckohfuck." I tug the sheets, wring them between my fingers. "Reece..."

She's too good, the pressure incredible. If I last more than five strokes, pigs must really fly. Then again, this is Cincinnati, the city known for flying pigs.

The angle is incredible where she adjusts so I'm hitting her just right. Her palms press against my chest offering her tits up like a buffet to a starving man. My mouth waters, my heart hammering in a frenzied tha-thump in my chest, my ears, my groin. I grip her hips, encourage her cadence.

She's wet and wonderful and perfect, all tousled damp hair and scarred skin. Starry-eyed adoration glitters where she looks down at me. My world is reduced to her body and mine, joined again at last. She's incredible. I always knew it, but now I'm feeling it.

"You come, you're taking me with you," I warn, desperate to hold off my release. I want these sensations to last forever.

Reece makes a beautiful, broken noise. Her hips roll, dig, and grind. I know she's close. Color flutters high in her cheeks, lips parted, and brows knit in rapture.

That look does it for me. She rips my orgasm from me as she bears down. Both of us shudder, clutch, moan. I rock into her, not ready to let go of this moment, milk myself for everything I'm worth.

"I love you," I pant, heart in my throat where I stare up at her in absolute awe.

She giggles, the movement tightening her abdomen. It increases the pressure on my spent dick where I remain embedded inside her and I groan. Pink lips press against my cheek, gift me with a smile. "I love you, too, Bastien."

"Thank fuck." I growl, drag her face to mine.

**

Reece and I barely leave the bedroom in those late hours. Except to shower, eat, and take care of Sally. Maybe we're making up for lost time. Maybe it's celebrating the release of our shackles. Whatever the reason, we fall asleep that night blissed out in each other's arms.

Sun shines through the blinds as Sally makes a little grunt, nuzzles her cold wet nose into my neck. I roll my shoulder, grumble. I'm glad she came house-trained, but damn puppy bladders are small.

"Five more minutes." Reece turns her cheek into my chest, small hand fisting in the middle of my stomach. Her leg tightens, holds me close where she drapes across me. I melt.

"Mon belle," I murmur against her hair, "I need to walk her."

"Mm," she protests. "Warm."

Chuckling, I extract myself from the cuddle-puddle, help Sally off the bed. The discussion of whether to forbid the dog up on furniture never occurred. We both just sort of accepted the Aussie pup as a snuggle buddy.

Pulling on my hoodie, I step out of the bedroom and into the hall, Sally tucked under my arm. The smell of sizzling bacon and warm blueberry muffins assuage me. My stomach howls, reminding me that I haven't paid it much attention since dinner last night.

Kaila and Spencer stand in the kitchen, glance as I approach. The latter hadn't been there when I'd woken with Reece to take out the puppy at six am. Kaila must've shared the good news.

"Paused in the sex-capades long enough to join the land of the living?" Spencer taunts.

"Spence!" Kaila swats him with an uncharacteristically pointed look. Grinning at me, she prompts, "Joining us for breakfast?"

"The little lady needs her potty time," I bounce Sally on my hip. "Then we'll see."

"Puppy!" A little blond head appears from between Kaila and Spencer, bounding toward me with glee. I suddenly understand Kaila's pointed look. "Can I hold her?"

I blink. Why is there a child here? It takes a minute for my brain to catch up.

This isn't Spencer's week with Brixton. It means Anneliese blind-sided him, switched up the schedule again. I just wasn't expecting to see the toddler here of all places.

I glance at my teammate with a cocked brow. Bringing the kid to meet the hook-up? Really? Kaila's cool, but I know Spencer. His heart is still bruised.

He shoots me back a look over Kaila's shoulder, daring me to question anything about this situation. So I don't, just squat down to the boy's level.

"Sure, bud," I smile. "Let me take her out for a walk, first, eh?"

"Can I come?"

A quick peek at Spencer gives me an approving nod. "Sure. Didn't catch your name." Of course, I know his name, but I think the last time I saw him he was too young to remember me.

"Brixton," the boy declares proudly, smile just like his father's. "Brixton Haart."

I stick out my hand, even while Sally whines at the delay. "Bastien Killfeather."

"Cool."

"Wait!" Kaila calls as Brixton and I shove our feet into boots and nab Sally's leash. "Coat, Brix."

The boy pouts. "Bastien's not wearing one."

"Bastien's crazy," she scolds, hands on hips. She's grinning under her matronly tone, though. "Coat."

Effectively bundled, Brixton and I head outside. Sally makes it two steps into the grass before squatting and relieving herself. Then, because she's a puppy, becomes occupied with making a snowplow out of her face in the accumulation.

I give Brixton the leash, content to supervise while the two yip and frolic in the falling flurries. After all, a tired puppy is a good puppy.

Reece appears at my side, shuddering under a jacket and PJ pants tucked into boots. "I forgot Spencer had a kid."

I glance down at her, smirk. "Knew you were awake for part of that car ride to Kalamazoo."

She leans into me and I drape my arm around her shoulders. "His mom?"

"Yeah," I hesitate. "Haart's ex is a bit of a psycho."

Reece tenses beside me, and I know she's worried for her friend. I squeeze her shoulder in reassurance. Spencer isn't a bad guy. He and Blue will be fine.

Brixton tumbles in the snow and Sally pounces on him, jabbing him with her paws in a playful gesture. The coil of discomfort dissolves and we both laugh. Then she kisses my cheek, snowflakes making artwork against her long lashes.

"Bastien?"

"Hm?"

"That interview," she breathes, breath fogging in the air. "Thank you."

I shiver, though it has nothing to do with the cold. "I meant every word."

"I know." Another brush of her soft lips against my neck. "You broke me with them."

"What?" I jolt. "I didn't—"

Her lips silence me, tongue tracing along my lower lip and chilling me deliciously when she releases me to the cold. "I needed it. You were hurt and bleeding but never gave up. I hate that I made you the enemy. I never wanted—"

Now I silence her with my kiss. "I love you. That won't change."

"Ewww!" Brixton squeals flushed with cold and exertion. "Gross!"

"You'll understand when you're older." I jab a thumb up to the apartment. "Let's go! I'm hungry."