Cross My Heart (Ty & Hunter #1)(54)
Author: Carly Phillips

“Was that a question?” He laughed and reached for her.

“No, that was a definite wow.” She grinned and next thing she knew, he’d pulled her on top of him.

He reached for the nightstand. “I stashed a few in here the other day,” he said, pulling out protection and taking care of it quickly.

“Smart thinking.”

He answered with a long, deep kiss, then lifted her hips and thrust himself into her, filling her completely.

She clasped her hands around his face and lowered her lips to his. He began to move inside her, the slow thrusts timed perfectly to bring her closer and closer not just to release, but to him.

His low groan told her he felt the intensity as well and the climb toward her second climax was even stronger and more spectacular than the first. And this time when she came, she wasn’t alone. Everything exploded around her and she felt the moment he joined her for the ride, clasping his arms tight around her back, his hips locked solidly with hers.

Another orgasm hit her, taking her off guard. “I love you, Ty.” Unguarded, the words escaped her lips just as she came back to earth.

The realization struck her hard and she rolled off him, turning away. Beside her, she heard him take care of their protection and she intended to use the time to escape.

They’d never spoken the words, no matter how many times she’d held them deep inside her. She hadn’t known if they were reciprocated, hadn’t known if he missed her, or thought about her, and hadn’t known whether she’d ever see him again, let alone say those words aloud. And then years passed and she’d pushed the emotions away. She’d had to in order to survive.

But she knew now she loved him still. She’d never stopped. Tears began to flow and she started to climb out of bed before he could call her on what she’d said.

Before she could rise, he grabbed her arm. “Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“Don’t go. Don’t run away. Don’t leave without acknowledging what you just said.”

Lacey turned back around and forced herself to meet his gaze. He hadn’t shaved today and his day’s worth of razor stubble added to his sexy air.

“I love you.” She swallowed hard. “You had to know that without my telling you.”

He shook his head. “Some words have to be said. They have to be heard in order to be believed.”

Ty Benson was insecure about how she felt about him? She couldn’t imagine it was true. “You didn’t know?”

“I hoped.”

She blinked in even more surprise. “You did? Why?”

“I’d think that would be obvious.” His heated gaze settled on hers.

Lacey ran her tongue over her dry lips. “Are you going to keep me in suspense?” she asked, her stomach tied up in knots.

“Because I love you, too.” He reached out and pulled her into his arms for a kiss that was as long and hot as the first time.

After they’d made love again, her stomach rumbled, interrupting their cuddling.

“You’re hungry,” he said.

She laughed. “Yeah. And your mother’s going to be back from lunch and the movies soon. We need to get dressed.”

“We’re adults,” he reminded her.

“But we’re in her house.”

He groaned. “I know, I know.”

Lacey grinned. Even when they’d been together the first time in this house, he’d been careful that his mother didn’t walk in on them or find them in a position that would make the older woman uncomfortable. Lacey felt the same way.

“I should shower,” Lacey said, reluctant to get up and leave the warmth and security here in this bed with Ty.

“You start. I’ll fix up the bed and join you. Then we can go out and get a bite to eat.”

“Ty Benson, you’re going to make the bed? Hell must have frozen over,” she said, mocking his messy habits with a joke and a laugh.

He nodded, a sexy grin lifting his lips. “My mother always said the right woman would have me doing backflips to make her happy.”

At his words, a sense of completeness filled Lacey and she refused to let the niggling fears and doubts enter her mind completely. New York, Odd Jobs, her trust fund and her other life would have to be dealt with but she’d waited ten years to be this happy and she was going to enjoy it for the moment.

In another hour, reality could intrude. But not just yet. These last few moments were for her and Ty alone.

She nodded and forced herself to climb out of bed and hit the shower in the hall. She stood under the hot spray and waited for Ty to join her.

LOVE. Well, hell. It wasn’t like he hadn’t known he was in love with her. He’d just never let himself think the words. Did he know she’d always been in love with him? It wasn’t something he’d let himself think about, either, because as he knew, love didn’t solve everything. There was still long distance, the business she lived for, and the life she’d made for herself in New York .

So though he floated for the minute, he also knew better than to think life was settled and perfect, either.

He straightened the bed as he imagined only a guy could, with lumps and messy pillows, and figured his mother wouldn’t notice. Then he grabbed his clothes and headed for the bathroom to join Lilly but the ring of his cell phone stopped him cold. He dug into the pocket of his jeans so he could answer, then rushed to pull on his clothes as he spoke to his mother’s date.

Less than a minute later, he stood in the bathroom talking to Lilly who stood naked under the stream of water, her hair soaking wet. “Mom’s in the hospital,” he said, breaking the idyllic afternoon they’d shared.

His heart pounded hard in his chest. Fear raced through him, as it had since he’d hung up on his call with Dr. Andrew Sanford.

Lilly dropped the bar of soap in her hand. “What happened?”

“Dr. Sanford said she was light-headed in the movie theater and next thing he knew, she’d passed out on the floor. He was following the ambulance to the hospital when he called.”

“You need to go. I’ll call a cab and meet you there,” she said.

He raised an eyebrow. “Did you forget someone is just waiting for an opportunity to catch you alone? I called Derek. It’ll take him five minutes to get here. I’ll wait for him outside and as soon as he gets here, I’ll leave. You can finish up and he’ll bring you over.”

She frowned. “Is your mother conscious?” Lilly asked.