“Fuck,” I whisper.

“No?”

“Yes!”

He chuckles and I hear the rip of a condom wrapper.

“Look at me, M.”

I open my eyes and look directly into his dark blue gaze. He takes one of my hands in his, links our fingers and holds our hands over my head while guiding himself to my entrance. His eyes never leave mine as he begins to push inside me. His fingers tighten on mine. I cup his face with my free hand, and I’ve never loved him more than I do in this moment.

I love you.

He pushes in all the way and stops, every muscle tight with the effort of holding still, panting, watching me.

“So tight.” He kisses me softly and nibbles his way to the corner of my mouth. I hitch my thighs up higher around his hips and he growls. “You’re going to make me lose it.”

I grin and rotate my hips, watching with fascination as he bites his lip. I love watching him struggle to keep his composure.

“Mark,” I whisper and pull my fingertips down his face. “You feel so good.”

He begins to move now, slowly at first and then faster, as though an outside force is pushing him on. He grabs my other hand in his and pins it above my head as our bodies take over, moving in perfect tandem.

Fuck, he’s so big. I can’t help but grip him hard as he thrusts in and out until finally he swears a blue streak as I come apart beneath him, crying out as the orgasm consumes me.

“That’s it, baby,” he says and watches with hungry eyes as I shiver beneath him. “Fuck yes.” He groans and comes hard, rocking his hips against mine as he empties himself inside me. He’s panting as he releases my hands and rests his forehead against mine. I can’t move my arms, so I leave them resting on the bed where he left them.

“Do you know what I whispered to Jax yesterday?” he asks suddenly.

“Uh, I wasn’t really thinking about Jax while you’re still inside me,” I reply and chuckle making him flinch as my pussy squeezes him with the movement.

“Smart ass,” he whispers and kisses me softly then brushes loose tendrils of hair off my cheeks. “I told him that I love you more than I can say.”

I still and feel my eyes widen as I stare up at him. “You did?”

He nods and continues to watch me soberly. He looks like he’s going to say something more, but before he can, I wrap my arms around him and bury my face in his neck and murmur, “I love you so much.”

He rolls us so he’s beneath me and I push up onto my elbows so I can see his face while I continue. “But I never stopped, M. I gave you my heart all those years ago, and I never took it back.”

“I’m not giving it back,” he replies.

“Good.”

“But I believe I made you a promise.” His face is completely serious as he stares up at me and I frown.

“What?”

“I promised,” he says and kisses my palm. “To fuck you.”

My lips twitch as I try to stay serious and nod gravely. “You did.”

“I’m a man of my word, you know.”

“Yes, you do have that reputation.”

He sits up and pulls me from the bed then tosses me over his shoulder and carries me into his master bathroom. It still smells of sawdust, and the new gleam of fresh countertops and tile makes me smile. “This is beautiful.”

“I finished it this morning.”

“Did you stay up all night doing this?”

He nods as he sets me on the countertop and discards the condom.

“You wanted to go to the movies yesterday,” he says.

“You were supposed to do this instead?”

“No, I was supposed to go to the movies with the woman I’m in love with.” He starts the shower and then returns to me.

“I’m still on the pill, M. We don’t need the condoms.”

He cringes and shakes his head, glances down and then meets my gaze. “I haven’t been a saint, Meredith. I’ve always, always used condoms, but I won’t take any chances with you. We’ll use them until I see a doctor this week.”

The thought of him with other women makes me want to claw someone’s eyes out, but I take a deep breath and remind myself of what I told him the other night on the pier. It’s been ten years.

I haven’t been a saint either.

“Okay,” I reply. “Starla required us to get check ups every year, and I haven’t had any partners since the last one. I’m good.”

“You’re amazing and I don’t deserve you.”

“This is probably true.”

He laughs and wraps his arms around me, hugging me tight. His bare chest feels fantastic against my cheek and we stay like this for a long minute while we wait for the shower to heat up. When steam begins to fill the room, Mark helps me down and leads me into the gorgeous blue-tiled shower big enough to have a floor show in.

“Did you plan to host parties in here?”

“Just the two-person kind with you,” he replies and begins soaping me up with my brand of shower gel and a fresh shower puff.

“You bought my shower gel? Pretty sure of yourself.”

“Hopeful,” he says and draws circles over my belly and down over my bare pubis. I grab a washcloth and return the favor, loving the feel of his naked body beneath my hands.

“Your body is incredible,” I murmur.

“Glad you approve.”

“I might never stop touching you.”