“Holy shit.” A furrow of concern dug into Dylan’s forehead. “Is Tim okay? Is Aidan okay?”

She bit her lower lip. Hard. “I have no idea. I drove him to the airport two days ago, he called when he landed in Chicago, and that was the last I heard from him. He’s not picking up his phone, he’s not answering my texts or my emails…” She sucked in a breath. “I’m so worried. I called the hospital to get an update on Aidan’s dad but all they would tell me is he made it out of surgery and is still in the ICU.”

Dylan looked upset. “Let me try him.” He fished his phone out of the pocket of his dusty fatigues. A minute later, he lowered the phone and cursed. “Voicemail. I’ll shoot him a text.”

That yielded no results either.

“Fuck,” Dylan muttered. “It isn’t like him to stay out of touch, especially if you’ve left him messages.”

Claire shook her head in aggravation. “So what do we do now? Just sit and hope that he’s not lying in a ditch somewhere in Chicago?”

“I’m sure he’s not lying in a ditch. If anything, he’s sitting at his father’s bedside, and too stressed to call back. Or maybe he doesn’t even realize how much time has passed—hospitals tend to do that, one hour just morphs into the next hour, and the next thing you know, it’s been two days.”

His reassurance did the trick, easing some of the pressure weighing on Claire’s chest. “You really think he’s okay?”

“I really do.” He tipped her head up and swept his thumb over her bottom lip. “And I’m sure you and I can come up with a lot of fun ways to distract ourselves while we wait for our radio-silent lover to make contact.”

Her lips twitched, then parted to let out a laugh. “How do you always manage to make me laugh even when I’m at my most upset?”

“It’s a gift.” With a wicked grin, he stepped forward and scooped her up into his arms before she could blink. “Wanna experience some of my other gifts?”

It was just the distraction she’d needed, and she was shrieking with laughter when Dylan started tickling her side as he carried her all the way to the master bedroom. He deposited her on the bed, then began to strip out of his dirty camo gear until he was standing there naked and erect.

“Here’s what’s gonna happen, honey,” he said with an arch of his brow. “I’m gonna hop in the shower quick fast and wash all this grime and dirt off me. You, in the meantime, will remove every stitch of clothing from that scrumptious body of yours and get yourself nice and wet. I want your pu**y drenched when I come out.”

A thrill shot through her. “I’m not sure you’re allowed to be bossy after being gone for an entire week without even a phone call.”

“I always get to be bossy. And I’m giving you advance warning—there ain’t gonna be any foreplay. I’ve been thinking about your tight cunt all week and I’m gonna shove my dick inside it the second I walk out of that bathroom.”

Arousal throbbed in her core as he flashed her a cheerful smile and disappeared.

Although she was still worried about the lack of contact from Aidan, Claire forced herself to put it out of her mind, at least for a little while. Without hesitation, she took off her shirt and bra, peeled off her leggings and panties, and got comfortable on the bed. Truth was, she loved Dylan’s bossiness. Aidan’s too.

Seven months ago, she’d wanted to feel the same passion and intensity she’d witnessed between the two men.

Well, now she had it. In spades.

When Dylan rejoined her five minutes later, she’d done precisely what he’d demanded—gotten herself so hot and so wet she was squirming on the bed like a dog in heat.

“Honey, you’re so good at following orders you should be in the military,” Dylan drawled.

He brought his hand to his erection and gave it a firm stroke, his green eyes glued to her fingers, which were idly stroking her clit and coated with her juices.

He watched her for several more seconds, then grabbed a condom from the bedside table and rolled it onto his stiff shaft. A moment later, his big glorious body covered hers, his chest colliding with her br**sts.

Her ni**les hardened and poked against his pecs, and she rubbed them wantonly against his hot male flesh, loving the incredible friction. His chest was completely hairless, all sleek muscle and smooth golden skin. It felt different compared to the feel of Aidan’s chest pressed against her, the scrape of Aidan’s wiry chest hairs on her ni**les. She loved both sensations equally, though.

Same way she loved both men equally.

“I have been dying to be inside you since the moment I left.” He entered her in one fluid motion, filling her to the hilt.

Claire moaned and lifted her hips to trap him there.

He chuckled. “Don’t worry, honey, I’m not going anywhere. Wrap your legs around my waist.”

She did as he asked, digging her heels into his tight bu**ocks as he started to move inside her. She expected him to f**k her hard and fast, but he did the opposite, rocking into her gently, slowly. Long, deep strokes that made shivers dance along her flesh. It felt so good she thought she might pass out.

Her eyes fluttered closed as she lost herself in sweet sensation, then flew open when Dylan released a tortured groan and said, “I love you.”

Her breath jammed in her lungs. “What?”

He didn’t deny it, didn’t backpedal, just looked deep into her eyes and repeated himself in a husky voice. “I love you, Claire.”