“I came to see you,” he said shortly. Then he looked pointedly at the door handle she still clutched with her hand.

She hastily stepped back, opening the door wider as she gestured for him to enter.

He strode in as if he belonged and then stood in the living room, turning to face her as she closed the door and turned her attention to him.

They stared in silence, him studying her every bit as much as she studied him. Her tongue was tied. She couldn’t think of a single thing to say to him. He was the very last person she would have expected to show up.

Then it dawned on her that the only time she saw him was when one of his team members needed medical attention.

“Is something wrong? Is someone hurt? Should I head to the clinic?”

Steele slowly shook his head. “I came alone.”

Her brow furrowed. “Why?”

He dragged a hand through his hair and briefly looked away. His entire stance signaled he was ill at ease. He didn’t immediately answer and that puzzled her. He was blunt, straightforward. Never one to mince words. And yet he seemed to be having a hard time articulating his thoughts.

“I was supposed to get you out of my system. One night. Needed you out from underneath my skin,” he finally bit out.

Her eyes narrowed. “Yeah? And how’s that working out for you?”

“Not too damn well,” he muttered.

Then to her shock, he closed the distance between them and pulled her roughly into his arms. He angled his head and pressed his lips to hers, devouring her mouth in a hot, breathless, toe-curling kiss.

She sighed into his mouth and melted into him, her body going liquid. Desire pooled in her belly and she reacted instantly, wrapping her arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss.

“Been thinking of nothing else since that night,” he murmured. “Had to come back. You’re still under my skin, Maren. Can’t get rid of you. I think about you. I dream about you. That night only made it worse.”

She arched one eyebrow as she stared up at him. “And you think another night will help?”

“I don’t know, but what I do know is that I’m going to die if I don’t have you again. Make love with me, Maren. Spend another night with me.”

Though technically it was a request, it didn’t come out as one at all. It was more of a command, and it was voiced in a way that suggested he didn’t need or want an actual answer.

She was an idiot for doing this. Especially in light of what she suspected. But how could she throw a damper on the entire thing by saying she might be pregnant, or that she even suspected she could be?

There was an urgency to his every movement. The way he kissed her. The way he voiced his “request.” The way he looked at her, those intense blue eyes boring into her and heating her from the inside out. She couldn’t tell him no any more than she could give up breathing. He wasn’t the only one who’d thought of little else since that night, and it gave her immense satisfaction that he was here, when he’d sworn they’d only have one night.

“Do you want me, Maren? Do you ache like I do? Have you thought of that night?”

“Oh yes,” she breathed. “I’ve thought of you every single night when I go to bed alone and wish you were there.”

“Thank fuck,” he muttered.

Then he yanked her back into his arms and covered her mouth hungrily, as though he were starving for her. His tongue, hot and urgent, slid into her mouth, between her lips, tasting her and teasing her tongue with his.

“Bedroom,” he said between kisses.

“Lead the way,” she whispered back.

He swept her into his arms—and oh man did she love it when he hauled her around like she weighed nothing—and carried her into her bedroom, just as he’d done that first night. This time he wasn’t as gentle. He went with her onto the bed, coming down on top of her as she landed with a soft bounce.

His body pressed hard and urgent onto hers, his mouth never leaving her lips. As he kissed, he pulled at her clothing, pulled at his, somehow managing to get them both mostly naked while still devouring every inch of her mouth.

He pulled away long enough to yank his shirt over his head and tug impatiently at hers. His eyes glittered with satisfaction when he discovered she wasn’t wearing a bra underneath the T-shirt she’d just changed into.

“Brought a lot more condoms this time,” he said in a low rumble. “Plan on using every one of them.”

She bit her lip so she wouldn’t blurt out that they hadn’t been terribly effective the first time. She wasn’t going to ruin the moment, nor was she going to be stupid and play with fire by having him not wear a condom. If she wasn’t pregnant already, not using a condom was the fastest way for her to end up pregnant after all.

“How many?” she whispered.

“A lot,” he murmured back.

“I like a guy who comes prepared.”

He grinned down at her, the urgency melting away as his eyes lightened.

“I plan to get very creative tonight. I’m taking some downtime and I plan to make very good use of it.”

Her pulse accelerated. It sounded very much like he planned to hang around for a while. That was a complete one-eighty from the last time they’d hooked up, when he couldn’t get out of the door fast enough after a night of hot sex.

He frowned as he stared down at her. “That going to be okay with you?”

She reached up to smooth the lines at his brow. “I’m thinking it’s a very good way to spend your time off. I’ll do my best to make sure you get at least one of those Rs. Can’t promise how much rest you’ll get, but I think we’ll have the relaxed part covered.”

“Like the way you think.”

“We’re both naked, and you’re wasting time,” she pointed out.

He reached for a condom and deftly rolled it on before positioning himself between her thighs.

“Going to be fast this first time. I want inside you so bad I’m about to come apart at the seams. But I’ll make it up to you, Maren. I promise before the night is over, I’m going to make you come over and over.”

“Mmmm, I like the over-and-over part. And you have a very talented mouth.”

“I like the way you taste.”

His voice sent a shiver over her body. She quivered in anticipation, on edge, waiting for him to penetrate her.

No, they hadn’t had any foreplay, but she was so ready that it would be a miracle if she didn’t start coming the minute he got inside her. Foreplay could come later. Right now she just wanted him as deep inside her as he could go, and she wanted it fast and hard.

“I want you,” she whispered. “Hard, Steele. Fast and hard.”

“Oh hell yeah,” he breathed out.

He pushed inside her with one strong thrust. She arched her back and closed her eyes as a cry of pleasure ripped from her throat. He paused deep inside her and when she reopened her eyes, he was staring down at her, his gaze glittering, his jaw clenched tight.

“Give me a second,” he ground out. “God, you feel so damn good. I could never get enough. I touch you and I’m ready to come.”

“Then come,” she murmured. “We have all night. You mentioned R and R, right? That means we have all the time in the world. I’m sure I can get you motivated properly after you come this time.”

He smiled again and kissed her lingeringly. “Bet your ass you can motivate me. All you have to do is look at me and I get hard.”

“Then let’s go,” she said urgently. “I need you, Steele. I’m right there with you. Make it happen for both of us.”

He withdrew and plunged forward, rocking his hips against hers. He closed his eyes, his expression one of utter satisfaction. His entire body tightened, his muscles coiling and bunching at his chest and arms.

He rocked against her, withdrawing and then plunging deep, each time molding his body to hers, pressing her hard into the mattress.

He blanketed her, his warmth bleeding into her already flushed skin. She inhaled sharply, savoring his scent, and then she caught his mouth, wrapping her arms around his neck to anchor him firmly against her lips.

“Get there,” he ground out. “I’m coming. Tell me what you need, Maren. Want you with me.”

She slipped one hand between them and he lifted his hips just enough that she could slide her fingers over her clit. She stroked and found her sweet spot, rotating as he continued to thrust into her.

Her orgasm rose, quick and breathtaking. He was thrusting faster and harder, his hips straining against hers, trapping her hand between them.

Then he lowered his forehead to hers, so their noses touched and their lips hovered just a breath away.

“You undo me,” he whispered.

Those simple words sent her flying straight over the edge. Her orgasm flashed and then came in wave after wave, pleasure coursing through her veins like a potent drug. She arched into him, straining to get closer. And then she cried out his name just before he claimed her lips again, sucking her breath into his mouth.

His hips crashed down, his body driving relentlessly into hers. She swallowed his hoarse cry as his release tumbled over him. And then finally he came down over her, his weight pressing her into the bed.

She pulled her hand free and wrapped both arms around him, stroking up and down his back as he shuddered with the last of his release.

He buried his face in her neck and she could feel his hot breaths against her skin.

“So damn beautiful,” he murmured just below her ear. “Don’t know how I’ll ever walk away from you.”

She went silent, some of her euphoria evaporating. No, she wasn’t expecting anything permanent or anything crazy like commitment from him. But neither did she want him speaking of walking away when he was buried deep inside her, his body completely blanketing her.