ELIA

They slept. She didn't know how long. But at some point in the night her aching muscles forced her awake.

Reth was soundly asleep, his breathing slow and even, his arm thrown over her waist, his face in her hair. She rolled over slowly, staying in the circle of his arms. In the pitch black of the cave she could really see nothing but the vague shape of him, his bulk looming over her even when he lay on his side. He was truly massive, the kind of man she'd always imagined was so muscle-bound he could barely move.

But on Reth… with his height and command of himself… it all became grace and strength.

She tried to imagine how he would be seen at home—what her friends from college would think when they saw him—if they would even be capable of thought. The truth was, she knew. She knew if tomorrow she and Reth showed up together on campus, no one would believe it. They'd think she'd paid some ripped male model to pretend to be her husband. Because, no matter what Reth seemed to think, while she knew she wasn't unattractive, she also knew he was so far out of her league that, frankly, it was laughable.

And yet… she was so sure of him.

It awed her to know he saw something in her that went deeper than skin and bone. There was something in her that spoke to his heart, his soul. And it sounded so impossible, but she saw it in his eyes when he watched her, when he sought her across a room, or when their eyes met as they touched.

He… treasured her. She didn't know how else to say it. She'd never imagined she would find any man that would look at her that way, let alone one like him.

She was making herself weepy, so she snuggled into his chest. But her movement broke through his sleep. His hands sought her, pulled her in closer and he breathed in a deep breath.

"'Lia?

" he murmured, his voice rough with sleep.

"Are you okay?

"

"I'm perfect,

" she whispered.

"Go back to sleep.

"

He grumbled something, but his hands slid down her back and she felt him begin to harden against her stomach.

"Seriously?

" she laughed.

"Are you an addict?

"

"What's an addict?

"

"Someone who has an unhealthy relationship with something. An obsession. They can't stop.

"

"Oh, then definitely,

" he murmured gruffly and nuzzled her ear.

She laughed softly and stroked the hair back off his face.

"We don't have to,

" he said a moment later. Even though he was mouthing her neck, she could hear the smile in his voice, and he was beginning to rub himself against her.

"But, if you aren't sure, you should probably consider that I'm not getting any younger. My stamina could begin to begin to wane any day now.

"

"Well, we better strike while the iron is hot,

" she snorted.

"I'd just like to point out that you're the one who said hot,

" he said sliding a hand to her breast and tweaking her nipple as he kissed right below her ear and goosebumps bloomed on her flesh down that entire side. He growled his approval and did it again.

"That's because you are,

" she said faintly, getting a little lost in the way he was making her feel.

"Takes one to know one,

" he muttered.

"No, Reth, I mean it. I can't believe how you… how you look at me. But… I can't tell if you're blind, or just a little crazy. There are women where I'm from, and countless women here that are so much hotter than me.

"

"Not to me,

" he said simply, propping up on his side and leaning his head on his fist.

"And isn't that what matters?

"

She was going to argue, but… she found that she couldn't.

"Yes, I guess you're right.

"

"So submissive tonight,

" he murmured, rolling her onto her back. She laughed. His hair fell over his face as he loomed over her and she combed her fingers through it, smiling at him, knowing he could see her, even if she couldn't really see him clearly.

She was about to tease him when he rolled his hips into her and her breath caught again.

"It's impossible, how you do this to me so quickly,

" she gasped, bracing to press back into him so he grunted, and rolled his hips again.

"No man has ever… oh…

"

He chuckled and lowered his head to kiss her, but didn't rest on her, only touching her mouth with his, and his hips against hers, where they were quickly going to be joined if he kept going this way.

She missed the warmth of him, his weight on her stomach and breasts, but it also gave her a chance to run her hands up his sides and feel those stunning ladders of muscle that made her salivate whenever she saw them.

"Elia…

" he whispered, then kissed her again.

As he rolled, she shifted her hips, bracing so he slid into her. It caught him by surprise and his mouth opened with a gasp just as she made the noise in her throat that should have been embarrassing, but was just one more thing she could thank him for.

"Reth?

" she asked, her breath catching.

"Yes, love?

" He kept a slow, relentless pace that dragged sensation out of her.

"I want to feel your weight on me. I love that.

"

He sighed and lowered himself against her, his elbows on the furs either side of her head, fingers clasped over her head, and he kissed her, lips and tongue, the purr of his pleasure, and roar of his breath, still soft, still slow, but powerful, and wringing sensation from her as his body rippled into hers.

There was no bared teeth or shouting this time. Only whispered promises and slow slides, his back rising and falling in a graceful roll as he refused to stop tasting her mouth, her tongue her neck.

And even as they climbed, together, to the crest of that impossible wave, she wrapped her arms around his thick neck, clinging so he couldn't move away, whispering her love into his ear until he trembled and rocked against her, groaning.

She was so overwhelmed with love for him, a single tear slide down her cheek.

He whispered her name, and kissed it away, burying his face in her neck and telling her he would never leave, all the ways she owned him, body and soul.

And all she could do was breath and cling, and thank God that He'd found a way to bring them together, because she'd never felt happiness like this.

She knew she didn't deserve it, but she was so, so glad to have it.

To have him.