She smiled, sighing in utter contentment. It was a nice way to wake up. It was a nice way to sleep. So far they’d alternated nights, but what would happen when they had better sleeping arrangements? If she were in a place that could actually accommodate a king-sized bed, then it would be possible for them both to sleep with her and one wouldn’t always have to take a separate room or bed.

She wiggled slightly, working free of Liam’s embrace so that she could look at him. He was beautiful. Not many would say so. He’d probably always been judged because of the hair and the tattoos. Most people likely cut a wide path around him.

But his heart was gold. He was so loving and so protective. There wasn’t a mean bone in his body. Not when it came to her.

She let her palm glide over the intricate artwork on his arm, taking in the bright colors and the patterns. There wasn’t a set rhythm. It wasn’t a specific scene or even a recognizable symbol. It was quite simply a work of art. Eclectic. Vibrant. It made him stand out in a crowd, but then he was the kind of man who would with or without the colorful tats.

He was a man impossible to overlook.

While she was staring, his eyelids opened and he gave her a sleepy look, his blue eyes cloudy.

“Good morning,” she murmured.

Without a word, he wrapped his arm around her waist and hauled her to him, kissing her lightly on the lips. He didn’t seem to care about issues like morning breath. She could only imagine what hers was like.

“You look . . .” His eyes narrowed as he studied her.

“I look what?”

“Content,” he finally said.

She smiled. “I am. Maybe I’m making peace with things. Finally. Or maybe you and Noah just make me so happy and confident that I don’t care about anything else.”

“I’m glad,” he said softly. “I love you, Lauren. I want you to be happy. I want you to fly. Whatever makes you happy, I want it for you.”

She swallowed, her features frozen. Her heart fluttered in her chest like an injured butterfly.

He loved her.

Oh, she knew he cared about her. But love?

He sounded so very serious that she knew this wasn’t an instance where he got carried away in the moment and tossed out careless words that had no meaning.

And she realized something else too. She loved him. Completely. Without reservation.

She touched his face, wanting the words to be taken as seriously as she’d taken them from him.

“I love you too, Liam.”

The relief in his eyes was crushing. It was as if his entire body had been locked in tension and had suddenly been set free. He wrapped both arms around her and pulled her to him in a fierce embrace.

“Do you mean it?” he asked gruffly against her ear.

She withdrew immediately, propping up on her elbow so they could see eye to eye.

“I love you,” she said. “I mean every word. You aren’t some passing fancy for me. I don’t have the whole damsel-in-distress thing going on where the weak woman falls for her protector. If you want me to explain it, I’m afraid I can’t. I just do.”

“I don’t want you to explain it,” Liam said. “I just want to hear it again and know you mean it. I never thought . . .”

“Never thought what?” she asked gently.

His mouth twisted and discomfort registered in his eyes.

“I never thought a girl like you would give a guy like me a second look.”

She blinked, completely at a loss for words. “Girl like me? Guy like you? What on earth do you mean? Liam, you’re beautiful,” she blurted. “You’re successful. Confident. You have a heart of gold. You’re striking to look at. Any woman would count herself lucky that you’d give her a second glance. On the other hand, I’m a cowardly nitwit. I’ve trusted the wrong people. I’ve made bad decision after bad decision. I’ve lied to you,” she said painfully. “I’m weak. I gave up my identity and all I was to a man I never should have looked at twice. And you actually think that you somehow don’t deserve my love? Good God. I’m the lucky one here. I not only have you but also Noah, and you both care about me. I can’t wrap my head around it, but I’m not questioning it, because I don’t want anything to persuade you differently.”

He smiled and twisted his fingers in her long, dark hair. “Striking to look at, huh.”

“You’re gorgeous,” she murmured as she leaned in to kiss him. “You’re also mine. Any woman looking at you better keep her distance. I’m very possessive with my man.”

His grin broadened. “Your man. I like that. And I am, you know.”

“Yes, I do. Now I really need to get up and brush my teeth before we start kissing again.”

He laughed and rolled out of bed, taking a moment to stretch before relaxing his broad shoulders again.

She was struck by how magnificent his body was. He was standing naked in front of her, and she hadn’t lied. He was simply beautiful. She’d never grow tired of watching him.

He was semihard with his morning erection and it made her want to coax it to further rigidity.

Was she bold enough to make an overture? What if he turned her down? She hated the anxiety that crept up her neck at the thought of propositioning him.

She closed her eyes. She was being an idiot.

She stretched languidly, giving him a good view of her naked body. His eyes darkened and his cock twitched, going from semi-erect to three-quarters in two seconds flat.

“Think you could find a condom in the time it takes me to brush my teeth?” she murmured.

“How fast can you brush your teeth?” he growled.

She smiled and rolled to the edge. She got up and brushed against him, her hand sliding down to cup his balls. She fondled the heavy sac for a long moment before allowing her fingers to dance up his erection to the tip.

“I’ll be right back.”

She ducked into the bathroom, grinning the entire time. Hurriedly she brushed her teeth and then worked some of the wildness out of her hair so she didn’t look quite the hag.

Three minutes later, she was out of the bathroom, and Liam was standing where she left him, only he was already sheathed in a condom and he was enormously aroused.

Worked for her.

While she loved the attentive foreplay they always gave her, what she really wanted was a down-and-dirty quickie. And she told him as much.

“I’ll give you whatever you want, baby,” he said.

Sucking in a deep breath and gathering her courage to face her fears, she got on the bed, positioning herself on her hands and knees.

“Lauren?”

Liam’s voice was unsure and concerned. She turned so she could look at him over her shoulder.

“I want to try,” she said firmly. “Besides, it’s not the same. I’m not flat on my belly pinned by a body so I’m powerless. And . . .”

“And what, baby?” Liam prompted.

“I want to get over this fear,” she said. “I don’t want to ever make Noah feel badly about the other night. Help me get through this, Liam. I want it quick and dirty.”

He moved in behind her, his palms gliding softly over her behind. He parted her thighs further, his fingers caressing the sensitive flesh of her pussy.

“I can promise you quick,” he said. “But not dirty, baby. Never dirty. You’re too beautiful for that.”

Her heart melted. Her fingers curled into the sheets until her hands were tightly fisted balls. She closed her eyes and pictured Liam behind her. Liam pushing into her.

And then he did.

* * *

NOAH pushed himself up from the floor and glanced at his watch. Damn but they were going to be late. He listened for any noise coming from the bedroom, the sound of a shower, anything to let him know Liam and Lauren were awake and moving.

He was going to have to wake them up so they could get moving if they were going to make it out to the Colters’ by eight.

He opened the door to her bedroom and was greeted by the sight of Lauren on her hands and knees and Liam pounding into her from behind. Lauren’s head was thrown back and Liam’s big hands gripped her hips as his cock disappeared into her pussy over and over.

Noah’s own cock hardened painfully. It was an erotic sight to behold and an unwanted stab of jealousy pierced his chest. She trusted Liam enough to let him fuck her from behind.

Liam looked up, his gaze locking with Noah’s. Then he lowered his big body over Lauren’s much smaller one and said close to her ear, “Noah’s going to take you now, baby. You wanted quick and hot. How about two men taking turns fucking you from behind?”

Lauren’s eyes flew open and she found Noah, her eyes glowing with lust and desire. Noah’s initial jealousy disappeared, leaving him faintly ashamed. It was clear she wanted both and that she was working hard to overcome her fears.

Liam withdrew, his cock heavy and stiff and he looked expectantly at Noah. All thoughts of time and being late fled. He moved toward her, his hand fumbling with the fly of his jeans. Liam tossed him a condom and Noah rolled it on, leaving his jeans pushed down to his hips.

Lauren’s pussy was swollen from Liam’s hard fucking, and Noah twitched with impatience to drive just as deep inside her as Liam had been. He leaned down to press a gentle kiss to the small of her back, just so she’d know he was here and what was about to happen.

Then he positioned himself between her slim thighs, fit his cock to her small opening and pushed inward, forcing her to accommodate his width and length.

“Harder,” she whispered.

He pushed down his own fears of hurting her or frightening her and let himself go, doing what he’d wanted to do from the moment he’d met her. Mark her. Make her his own. Possess her and own her.