“I know you’re the one for me,” he said, pulling her to him. “I think I felt it that first night we met.” He kissed her gently. “Now I just have my work cut out for me to prove to you that I’m the one for you.”

Glad that, for now, it seemed the heart-wrenching subject of his deceased baby was over, Ella wrapped her arms around his neck, smiling at the feel of his big arms wrapping around her tightly. “I don’t think that’s gonna be so hard to do.”

~*~

Felix

As usual Ella was right. It wouldn’t be easy nor would it happen overnight, but Felix was going to have to do his best to shake the guilt. Logically, Felix knew he hadn’t brought on the death of his son. He’d just been so happy the day he was born it really did feel too good to be true. That he and Shelley had created Jordan was nothing short of a miracle. It was completely mind-boggling.

And then that miracle was gone.

The feeling that he’d never deserved to feel something so amazing was all he’d thought of while his son was in surgery, so, of course, when they’d been delivered the news that Jordan hadn’t made it, it was all he could think—Felix had never deserved something so amazing in his life.

But what Ella pointed out was true. What about her? As far as he knew, she’d never done anything to deserve losing her sister and mother. What about her father and brother? What did they do to deserve the tragedies they’d endured or her mother for that matter? What did that poor woman do to deserve to have her own baby girl die in her arms so senselessly?

Felix was done playing the martyr. He had every right to enjoy his life. He’d earned this. It was still a little hard to believe he’d earned and deserved Ella, but here she was.

Sliding in and out of her slowly, Felix wanted to savor every moment of this. Ella had willingly given herself to him. She wanted this as much as he did, and this wasn’t something she’d given into overnight. So he knew her decision to be here with him hadn’t been on a whim. She knew how different their lives were, that getting this relationship right likely wouldn’t be easy, and still here she was.

He buried himself even deeper inside her, needing her to feel what he was feeling. She moaned, spreading her legs wider for him. Even last night when their night had been far less emotional leading up to their time in the library, he’d felt what he was feeling right then. He had never needed to own someone like he did Ella. Own her like she already owned him.

But he needed to be careful. Saying things like that to her might drive her away. She was different from any girl he’d ever met. She wouldn’t put up with the raging possessive caveman instincts he’d begun to feel when she was in his arms, let alone under him as she was now.

From the moment he first held her hand, felt the touch of her skin against his, it had been building. His need to make her his was irrepressible from the very beginning but especially after he’d gotten to know her better. Then he’d kissed her and he knew—she’d be his.

Last night he’d done just that, and tonight he was confirming it. Even if he did try to deny it, which he wasn’t, his body and soul had claimed her. She was his. Ella belonged to Felix now. He could try to fight the possessive instincts all he wanted, but he already knew it was how his heart felt and there’d be no changing that.

Ella had made one thing clear. You didn’t tell a girl like her you’d just claimed her. She’d likely protest, so he’d show her instead. He sped up, feeling the imminent explosion coming as he sucked her neck hard—feeling that untamed possessive instinct take over. Her body trembled underneath his, and it was all he could do to slow it down and make this last longer, but he’d already taken it as slowly as he could, driving deeper and deeper into her every time.

Raising himself to his knees, he pulled his upper body away, spread her legs wider, lifting her behind in the air so he could be inside her as deep as possible. He smiled as she cried out with pleasure. Driving into her faster and harder even as he felt her coming, he continued to ram her hard, grunting each time he thrust in. Ella cried out, squirming in bliss until he buried himself deeply in her one last time. He moaned loudly as he came inside her, his entire body feeling not just the normal ecstasy of such an amazing climax but an enormous satisfaction like he felt last night. Something he didn’t remember feeling with anyone else.

He fell onto her, gently kissing her softly, and then let her finish catching her breath. After slowly doing just that for a few moments, she turned to look at him and smiled, touching his lips with her fingers. Her eyes twinkled. “I’m gonna be sore,” she whispered, “but, God, that was so worth it.”

Kissing her fingers, he thought about that for a moment and wondered how many times she’d actually been with Grayson if sex still left her sore. He closed his eyes for a moment then squeezed them a little tighter as the thought of her with Grayson—with anyone else—lit his insides.

“Something wrong?” she asked.

Felix’s eyes flew open and he smiled. “No,” he said, shaking his head slowly, “not at all.” He leaned in and kissed her gently, stroking her bottom lip with his tongue, and then smiled when he felt her tremble. “Everything’s perfect,” he whispered against her lips then stroked her bottom once again. Once again her body reacted in the same way. “Just perfect.”

Maybe he couldn’t tell her she belonged to him now, but he sure as shit would be making it clear to anyone who tried to argue that she didn’t.