Damien, I think. All I want is Damien.

I start to say as much, but then stop myself. Because as much as I want him—and oh, dear god, do I want him—that isn’t all I want.

No, I want him just as crazed as me. I want to make him desperate. I want to hear him beg. I know that he needs me—I stopped doubting that long ago—but I want to see that need in his eyes, and I want to see the satisfaction of his desires when he explodes inside me.

I take a step toward him.

“Tell me,” he repeats. “Tell me what you want.”

“I’d rather show you.” I walk toward him as I talk, my eyes never leaving his. One step, then another. I see his expression shift, wariness edging toward pleasure.

And then, as I kneel in front of him, there is understanding. Mostly, there is desire.

He starts to speak, and though I don’t know if he intends to protest, I don’t wait to find out. I press my finger to his mouth and gently shake my head. “No. My turn. Not a word.”

He nods, just a small movement of his head, but I revel in the power. I just might be the only person on the planet to whom Damien Stark will willingly submit.

I lean forward and with slow, deliberate motions, I unbutton the shorts and then lower his zipper. I slip my hand in and stroke his cock through his briefs. He is hard as steel, and when I let my eyes dart up to his face, I see that his jaw is tight and know that he is fighting for control.

I draw his cock out, steely hard and incredibly thick. Damien makes a low noise like a growl of need, and my stomach quivers in response. My entire body throbs with want of him, but not yet. Not until I taste him.

I lick the very tip of his cock, and am rewarded by the way he arches back and the way his fingers reach for me and twine tightly in my hair. Feminine power surges through me, and I look up to see muscles in his chest straining against the shirt. He looks like a man on the precipice, aroused and wild and ready. And I am the woman who took him there. Who will take him further.

I lick him, cupping his balls and following the vein that bulges in his cock up to the tip. He shudders under my touch, then gasps when I open my mouth and take him in, sucking and licking as I try to take all of him, wanting the sensation of making him go over like this, lost to my whim and the pleasure I am giving. I can’t manage, though. He’s too big and I am not at a good angle. More than that, I am driving myself crazy, because as much as I want to take him there, the truth is that I am craving the feel of him inside me. And the more I imagine the feel of him deep within me, the more I know that I have to have him. Dear god, I have to have him now.

“Straddle me.”

The words are little more than a whisper, but they wash over me with the force of an answered prayer. I tilt my head back and find him looking at me with such intensity it seems to burn. “I need to be inside you,” he says.

“I know,” I say as I rise. “I need it, too.”

I hold on to his shoulders and put my knees on the love seat on either side of him. With my eyes never leaving his, I position myself, teasing the tip of his cock and then—oh, dear god, yes—impaling myself on him. Deeper and deeper until I feel like I will lose him inside of me, and me inside of him.

“Christ, Nikki, you feel so good.” His hands cup my breasts as I arch back and we rock together, slow and sensual moments that swirl pleasure around us, as heady as a cocktail.

“I can never get enough of you,” he says. “I know you so intimately, and yet never stop discovering you.”

I close my eyes, surrendering myself to the wonder of his touch and the power of his words.

“There is never a time when I don’t see you and lose myself utterly to you. You’re mystery, Nikki, and you’re truth. Look at me,” he says, and I hear the change of tone in his voice.

I open my eyes and see the intensity on his face.

“We’re together now.” His voice is firm and thick with meaning. “Neither of us is alone. We’re one. And whatever you have to face, I will face it with you. Whatever battles you have to fight, I will fight them with you. I will see us through this.”

I swallow, thinking of how I wanted nothing more than to stay asleep, hiding from whatever new horror awaited me out in the world. Hiding from Damien, too, even as I felt protected in the shadow of his arms. I should have known better. I should have known he would see right through me—and that he wouldn’t let me hide.

“Do you understand?” he asks.

“Yes.”

“Does that bother you?”

I think about it, then shake my head. “No,” I say truthfully. “It makes me feel safe. I have no more secrets from you.” I’m not entirely sure that Damien can say the same thing. And, yes, there was a time when that would have bothered me, but no more. I will happily spend the rest of my life peeling back the layers of this man.

He watches my face for a moment, as if trying to convince himself that I am being forthright. Then he nods. “I’m going to have my attorneys deal with this bullshit.”

“Damien—”

“No. It’s your lawsuit, and I get that. But you don’t have a litigator on retainer, and I have an entire team. I am not coddling you, but I am helping you.” He cups my chin. “Okay?”

I glance down to where our bodies intersect, then look up at him with a cocked eyebrow. “You pick the strangest times to have these conversations.”

“It’s the mark of a good businessman.” The corner of his mouth curves up. “Find your opponent’s weakness and exploit it.”

I roll my eyes.

“Okay?” he asks. And because I am not a fool, I nod.

The truth is, before, I simply wanted to hide. To make it all go away. But Damien has reminded me that I am not alone. More than that, he’s reminded me that I’m stronger than I think.

Even better, I am stronger with him.

I want to say all that to him, but instead I simply say, “I love you.”

He pulls me forward to catch me in a kiss, and I take the opportunity to shimmy a bit on his lap. “What was it you said about how we were going to be landing soon? Maybe I should stay like this for touchdown. Might be interesting.”

“Maybe you should,” he says, and for a moment, I think he means it.

Then he pinches my ass. “Then again, that probably violates some FAA regulation. Best not to tempt fate. Besides, I believe Katie’s been keeping dinner warm for us.”

Again, I’m reminded that she is just past that little door and could come in at any time.