Elena came with tears on her face that had nothing to do with pain and everything to do with the density of the moment and the knowledge that it was temporary. Marcus kissed the tears and kept the same deep rhythm until the next orgasm built and spilled over with even less warning. Only then did he drive deep and flood her once more, staying buried while the thick pulses filled her and the words continued against her mouth even as the final wave of the climax moved through both of them.

He stayed inside her for a long time afterward, weight balanced on his forearms, one hand stroking slowly...