Forever Hers by Walters, Ednah (top 50 books to read txt) 📕

The boys grilled the police officers about everything while Raelynn sat on Eddie’s lap, watched them and listened without participating. At least she didn’t insist on going inside the house. As far was Amy was concerned, it was a big step.

CHAPTER 17

Amy finished reading the third story for her daughter and closed the book.

“Just one more, please, Mommy,” Raelynn whispered.

She pulled the blanket to her daughter’s chin. “No, it’s time for this little princess to close her eyes and dream of fairies and unicorns. Goodnight, sweetheart.” Amy kissed Raelynn’s button nose then her forehead.

“But Mommy—”

“Buts are ugly goons who steal dreams. Where’s my kiss?”

Raelynn gave her a kiss and a hug. “I love you, Mommy.”

“Love you too, sweetheart.”

“I want Uncle Eddie to kiss me goodnight too.”

Her daughter could be so difficult sometimes. Eddie wasn’t in the kitchen, living room or outside. The grill was packed, the table cleared the table and the dishes put in the dishwasher.

She followed the sounds to his bedroom. She caught him lifting his shirt and her breath caught, watching him as though he was stripping just for her. Beautiful skin, tight abs, he was sheer perfection.

He stopped and peeked at her. “Amy?”

“Don’t stop on my account.”

She expected a chuckle. Instead, he pulled his shirt down and faced her, hands going to his hips in a challenging stance. “Come here and do it yourself.”

She couldn’t wait to do it, but first things first. “I can’t. Raelynn wants a goodnight kiss.”

He caught up with her before she reached the living room, pulled her around and kissed her, giving a taste of what was to come. Would it always be like this between them? She hoped so.

He ripped his mouth from hers and ordered, “Don’t move.”

She couldn’t if she tried. She leaned against the wall for support and giggled as he raced down the hallway and almost lost his footing as he turned the corner. Wasn’t she supposed to have a shower? Change into something sexy? Yet now all she could think about was him.

Naked.

He seemed to be gone forever, then a sound made her look up. Eddie strode toward her, gray eyes gleaming, so sure about what he wanted—a relationship with her. It was exactly what she’d wanted too. Call her greedy and selfish, but she wanted more. She deserved more because she loved him and wanted a lifetime with him.

He lifted her up and carried her to bed, desire darkening his eyes, his heart pounding as hard as hers. His arms held her tight, possessively as though he would never let her go. She pressed her lips to his forehead, his cheekbone, his chin. Then their mouths met, emotions building up from deep inside her core, shudders shaking her body.

He took cues from her moans and shudders, his touch sometimes gentle, sometimes rough. Her nipples ached for him and he suckled them. The heat between her legs called to him and he pushed her to the brink over and over again with his tongue, teeth and fingers. And when he poised at her entrance, looked into her eyes and eased inside her, his movements infinitely gentle, tears rushed to her eyes.

He froze. “Sweetheart, I…”

“I’m okay. Don’t stop.”

She was still sensitive from all the lovemaking, but instead of pain, she felt complete. Their joining was more intense than usual, more gut-wrenching, more pleasurable. As powerful sensations took over her body and pleasure rippled across her skin.

“I love you, Eddie,” she whispered.

***

Eddie tried to open his mouth and say something, anything, but his vocals had seized up. Amy didn’t love him. She couldn’t. He hadn’t given her a reason to love him.

People always needed a reason to give love, but when something or someone better came along, they moved on. His mother had done exactly that without looking back. Amy was only reacting to their lovemaking, which was beyond anything he’d ever experienced before. As for him, love was an emotion he shied from. It led to pain.

Amy was opposite him in every way. She was love, tenderness and honesty. She had no safeguards against people. That was why her ex had manipulated her, using her to replace his first and only love Penelope. And that was why he was doing exactly the same thing, using her body to get rid of the feelings he couldn’t explain. All he knew was that when he was around her, his chest felt tight, his heart raced and the need to touch her overwhelmed him. So he’d calculated every move he’d made, including tonight.

Too bad everything backfired on him. He’d tried to control her and his responses the last few days, yet she’d turned the tables on him, pushing him to a place where he ceased to matter, to a place where he was part of a whole. It was as though she became a part of him he’d never known was missing.

No, it wasn’t possible. This was sex putting ideas in his head. Once they were done with the investigation and Nolan was behind bars, the intensity of their lovemaking would wane. In a week, he’d be back working in L.A. while she continued raising her daughter here in Sandpoint. Weekends he could either fly out to visit or she and Raelynn could visit him. It was a good plan. A good arrangement. No sentiments or talks of love.

“It’s okay,” she said, kissing his chest then burrowing under his chin as though she hadn’t a care in the world.

He frowned. “What is?”

“You are overanalyzing what I said. You shouldn’t. It’s one of those gifts you accept without question.”

“It’s a burden, not a gift. You said you love me, therefore I’m obligated to say something.”

She caressed his chest. “I release you from any obligations.”

That wasn’t right. “Why?”

“Because you’re not ready to love me or anyone else, and saying it won’t change that.”

Irritation licked his nerves. “What do you call what I just did? I made love to you, worshipped your body and