We stumbled through the living room and started to blindly climb the stairs, mouths locked together and hands groping in a frantic, needy blur. Mistakenly thinking I had reached the landing, I took a step backwards and nearly lost my balance on the final stair behind me.

Chase's hand flew to my lower back, steadying me just before I fell. He chuckled quietly, breaking our kiss.

"Still clumsy," he said. Adorable as always."

"Or maybe you just have me flustered." Flustered was putting it mildly—I was overcome. My level of desire had sped off the charts, like he'd floored the gas pedal and cut the brakes at the same time. It hadn't even been that long, but now that I knew what I was missing, missing it was torture.

"Well, that is the goal." His hands spanned my waist and he squeezed me, his tone teasing. "Without the falling down part, I mean."

With another, more careful step, we reached the top of the staircase and Chase steered me toward his bedroom, slamming the door behind us. He tugged my soft pink sweater over my head and tossed it aside, walking me backward. The bedroom door hit my shoulders and I drew in a breath as its cool painted wood pressed against my skin.

"Got a thing for doors, Carter?" I looked up at him, biting back a smile. "I feel like there's a bit of a theme going on here. Car doors, bedroom doors..."

He grinned. "I can't help it if they're the perfect thing to pin you up against."

All the wind knocked out of my lungs as his lips crashed down on mine again. He kissed me like it was the first time, like it was the last time, like we were the only people who existed. I lost myself in him, yearning building with every sweep of his tongue.

His broad frame crushed me against the door and his hands curved down the small of my back, splaying to grip me roughly from behind. My palms slid under the hem of his black t-shirt, soaking up the heat of his smooth skin. Now that I'd started touching him, I couldn't stop. I was making up for lost time, my fingertips greedily mapping every inch of firm muscle. He was solid beneath my hands, heavy and immovable.

Still pressed up against me, he nimbly unfastened my jeans, taking a slight step back only to peel them down past my hips. I wriggled out of them and nudged them aside with my foot, leaving me in nothing but a pale yellow lace bralette and panty set. The bralette had thin, dainty straps and plunged to a deep v in the front, and the underwear were little more than a flimsy scrap of fabric.

"Fuck me," he said, more under his breath than to me. His gaze flicked back up to meet mine, mouth tugging into a wolfish smile. "Is this new?"

He traced my hipbone, fingertips just barely skimming beneath the delicate material. Goosebumps popped up all over my skin in the wake of his touch, my body crying out for his hands to move lower.

"Sure is." I'd bought the set two weeks ago and until today, it had sat in my drawer waiting to be put to good use. A few days ago, I wasn't sure it ever would be, and I was more thankful than ever to be wrong.

Chase let out a low rumble of approval, eyes lingering on my body. "It's hot."

His fingers leisurely walked up my stomach, landing on the band of my bra and continuing higher. He took my nipples between his thumb and index finger, pinching them gently through the pale yellow fabric. They hardened beneath his touch, the yearning growing between my legs. He knew exactly how to work me and right now, I was two seconds away from melting into a puddle.

"This, too." He gently slid the straps of the bralette off my shoulders. "Very sexy. Going to look great on my floor." His hand slid behind my back, single-handedly unfastening the clasp and letting it fall to my feet. He skimmed his hands up the sides of my ribcage, palming my bare breasts. "God, you're so perfect."

With a hand behind my back, he turned us around and took a few steps, easing me down onto his bed. He placed a soft kiss on my lips before standing back up, reaching for the hem of his black t-shirt. I leaned on one elbow, rapt with attention as he pulled it over his head, his well-defined abs rippling in the process. Then he stepped out of his jeans, yanking off his socks.

I swallowed and my eyes traced his body, marveling at every sculpted inch of mouth-watering perfection. Planes of muscle beneath smooth, perfect skin. V-shaped indents in his torso that I had the strangest desire to sink my teeth into. And just a light trail of hair leading to the waistband of his black boxer briefs, which barely contained his erection. Liquid heat pooled between my legs, impatience growing by the second.

Chase cocked a brow, lips forming a smirk. "Are you checking me out, James?"

Checking out, ogling, gawking, in giddy disbelief that he was mine. Same thing.

My voice was breathy. "Absolutely."

He knelt back down onto the bed and the mattress dipped beneath his weight. Settling between my legs, he hovered over me, muscular arms fencing me in.

"I missed you, baby." Chase gently tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. His fresh, clean fragrance invaded my senses, comforting me and stoking the inferno within me all at once. I'd never felt so crazed and so calm at the same time.

"I missed you more."

Being apart felt like an eternity, probably because I was scared it was going to be an actual eternity. Just thinking back on it made my heart ache all over again, even with him here on top of me.

"Impossible," he murmured, planting a kiss below my ear. Goosebumps formed on my upper arms in response. His lips dragged down my skin and landed on my collarbone, placing another soft kiss. "I'm sorry if I was in a bad mood earlier."

My heart tugged. After what he'd been through, apologizing was the last thing he should have been doing.

"Don't apologize. There's a lot going on," I said. "I understand."

"Good news is, I feel better now." His fingers curled around the waistband of my underwear, slowly dragging them down. I lifted my hips slightly, helping him pull them off, and he set them aside.

"Because you've got me naked?" I whispered.

He pulled himself upright and kneeled before me, eyes blazing a path down my body. "Because I'm with you, period."

Our gazes met and his expression turned tender, lips tugging into a smile.

Despite the fact that I was exhausted from the past few days—and looked it, based on what I saw in the bathroom mirror earlier—I felt beautiful because of the way he was looking at me. Because of the way always looked at me.

Reverent.

Chase grabbed the backs of my thighs, pulling me down so I was wrapped even more tightly around his body. The only thing separating us was the single layer of his boxer briefs. Once upon a time, I would have felt self-conscious, exposed. But right now, all I felt was wanted in the best possible way.

He nuzzled my neck and drew in a slow, indulgent inhale. "Have you noticed that we fit together perfectly?"

I leaned back against the pillow and sank my fingers into his silky hair, tugging gently. He hummed quietly in response and I could feel him smile against my skin.

"Mmm-hmm." I nodded. "Almost like it's a sign."

"Oh, it's definitely a sign."

Chase clasped my hands in his and guided them over my head. Strong fingers handcuffed my wrists, pinning my hands to the mattress. I wriggled against his grip, pretending to resist, but he didn't give an inch.

"Red?" He eyed me, expression playful.

"Green."

He leaned closer and our lips came together again in a brief, chaste kiss.

"Bright green," I added, sitting up an inch and kissing him again. "Or dark green. Whatever the greenest green is."

Chase huffed a low, husky laugh, and his expression changed into something I couldn't quite place. Shifting his weight, he dropped his chin, letting out a cross between a growl and a sigh.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. At all." He shook his head and looked up at me, flashing me an utterly devastating smile. "Just have some conflicting feelings."

"Why?"

Chase pulled my hand up to his lips, kissing my fingertips. "Because on the one hand, I want to take my time with you." He grinned, sinking the softest of bites into my index finger. "But I also want to bend you over and fuck you into the mattress."

I could see his dilemma—both of those options sounded highly appealing. Part of me wanted him to go slow, to be loving and gentle. The other part of me just wanted to be claimed, taken, his.

"I vote both."

"Yeah?" His eyes danced.

"Yeah." My voice turned breathy. "Definitely both."

"We do have all night."

His mouth captured mine again. He drew in a ragged breath and fisted my hair at the nape of my neck, tugging. I let out a small whimper and a fireworks display of desire went off in my body in response. His tongue swept deeper into my mouth, working with an intentional precision that reminded me of all the other things his mouth could do.

His other hand traveled past my waistband, coming to a stop on my stomach without going any lower. The flutter between my legs intensified, growing into a delicious, agonizing throb. Heat flooded my veins, and my skin grew feverish despite the cool air of the room.

Chase's eyes turned midnight dark as my fingers dragged down the stacked muscle of his torso. My hands traveled lower and reached beneath the waistband of his boxer briefs. Briefly pulling his hand from my stomach, he helped me pull them down. I grabbed the hard length of him, and a low groan sounded from the back of his throat.

His fingers slid against my slick entrance and I drew in a soft gasp, a shimmering veil of pleasure falling over me. He slid one finger inside me, then another, stroking me in a slow, tortuously divine pattern. I let out a small whimper and my grip on him tightened, causing him to utter another feral sound in response.

It quickly turned into a game of who could tease the other person most, and I was pretty sure he was winning.

"You're such a tease." A shiver ran through my body, legs trembling. His touch had me so intoxicated, I was practically slurring my words.

"I know," he said, voice husky. "I love teasing you. But right now, I think I need to be inside you even more."

"Yes," I sobbed. My hips bucked against his hand and another needy sound escaped my lips. "Please. I need you." I was desperate for his skin against mine, the feeling of him inside me, the way he sounded when he said my name when he was right on the brink.

Chase hesitated. "Do you want me to grab—"

"No." We talked about this before everything exploded. Had planned, done all the right things, waited. I had been obsessive about my pill, even during this blip of time from hell.

His dark brows pulled together and he studied me. "You sure, James?"

"I am."

"I love you." He dipped his head and placed a kiss on the hollow of my throat. "More than you'll ever know."

"I love you."

Our lips came together again, breathing the same air. My body buzzed with anticipation, heart racing while I waited. He pressed into me and we both drew in a breath.

"Oh, god." A paradoxical mix of relief and longing coursed through me as the sensation of fullness and pleasure shut my brain down completely. All that existed was this moment. His body in mine, us together. I shifted beneath him, waiting for him to move.

Chase pressed his temple to mine, his inhales and exhales shallow. "Give me a sec," he said, laughing a little. "I was already way too fucking turned on going into this."

I smoothed my hands up and down his shoulders, waiting. After a few more seconds, he pulled out partway and thrust back into me, his movements intentional and precise. I began to move against him, the two of us falling into a perfect rhythm. The pressure in my core started to build immediately, turning everything a little hazy.

"I could do this all day." Chase rocked against me again, deeper. A soft whimper escaped my lips. "Especially when you make sounds like that."

With another thrust, pleasure overtook me. I closed my eyes and sank my teeth into my bottom lip, giving in to the sensation. He stilled again and my eyelids fluttered open to find him studying my face, dark brown eyes serious.

"Are you mine, James?"

My chest tightened and the deluge of feelings that hit me had nothing to do with sex.

"Completely," I said. "Are you mine?"

I reached up, cupping his square jaw with my fingers. He leaned against my hand, his expression softening. There was a tenderness only I ever got to see.

"For as long as you'll have me."

"You're going to be stuck with me for a long time, then."

I let out a gasp as he flexed his hips, sending off another surge of pleasure.

"That's the idea." He sounded strained.

Chase moved one hand beneath my thigh, lifting me off the bed slightly. The angle made everything intensify a thousandfold. He hit the right spot again and my back arched, lungs taking in a sharp, involuntary inhale. With each rolling thrust, I drew closer and closer to oblivion.

"I'm so close." I moaned and sank my fingers into his skin, scrambling to pulling him tighter against me. My nails dug into his back and he thrust again, everything fading into the background except for the sensation of him.

"Fuck." Chase growled. "Me too."

Reaching up, he slid a hand to the side of my neck. He ducked his head, lips his grazing my ear and warm breath fanning my skin. "Be good and come for me first."

That alone nearly sent me over the edge. I felt myself tense around him. My nails dug into his back and he thrust again, everything fading into the background except for the sensation of him. He moved against me relentlessly, over and over, until I was a babbling, squirming mess.

"I'm—"

"Come for me, baby."

Everything started to become too much, too intense, too pleasurable. A string of words left my lips that might have been a prayer or plea, I wasn't sure. All I knew was that if he stopped, I was going to die. It made no sense, but I knew it with a certainty.

"Chase."

Just as everything exploded, I looked up and our eyes locked.

He slammed against me, his body shaking in release before falling still. He collapsed with a groan, draping his heavy body on top of mine. His heartbeat hammered against his ribcage so hard I could feel it against my own.

Chase sighed, burying his face in my hair spread out on the pillow. "You're too hot. That should have lasted way longer."

"No way. That was perfect. I love when you finish at the same time as me." I ran my hands up and down his arms, tracing the swell of his muscles.

Chase huffed a low laugh, kissing my cheek. "It is a good way to go." His fingers gently stroked my hair, working from root to end and back again. "You're amazing."

After another beat, we reluctantly pulled apart and I darted to the bathroom to clean up. When I returned, he was sitting up against the headboard wearing boxer briefs. He waited until I threw on a T-shirt from his drawer and some underwear. Then he tugged me back into bed, wrapping his warm body around me.

Soft lips landed on my shoulder, traveling up the curve of my neck. I sighed, melting against his body. His rough, warm palm smoothed down the side of my ribs, to my upper thigh, and back again. Suddenly, he paused, releasing his hold on me.

"Look at me for a sec."

I rose onto on my forearm and turned to face him. His fingers bracketed my jaw, tilting up my chin. Something that looked like worry skirted his face for a split second.

"Losing you would have been the biggest mistake of my life," he said. "I'm never letting you go again."

"Perfect. Then I'll never have to leave this bed. It's comfy."

It really was. Plush duvet, crisp sheets, pillows that were a perfect mix of fluffy but firm. The company was a bonus, too. Hell, I'd have slept on the ground if it was with him.

His expression shifted and he gave me a mischievous half-smile. "That aligns nicely with my plans for round two in a few minutes. And maybe round three a little later, after some food."

"At that rate, I won't be able to walk tomorrow."

"Also part of the plan to keep you in my bed. Can't leave if you can't walk."

I nestled into the crook of his neck, breathing in his scent. A low, satisfied hum rumbled in his chest. My eyes fell to his phone, sitting on the nightstand beside me. The small spiderweb crack in the corner was gone.

"Is that a new phone?"

"Yeah," he said. "Broke the old one."

I looked up at him. "Dropped it?" Maybe I wasn't the only clumsy one.

"Uh..." Chase trailed off and his expression turned sheepish. "Threw it against a wall, actually."

I raised my eyebrows, waiting for him to elaborate. I'd never seen him lose his temper and take it out on an inanimate object like that. It was difficult to imagine.

He shrugged. "Told you, I have a low tolerance for frustration, which includes being apart from you."

Now that's love.