“He kissed her softly. "I think we both need time to get to know one another before we make love again. I don't want to rush things.""But mating us so we're connected for all eternity isn't rushing things?”

“Finally, sweet finally, he was inside her to the hilt. "I need a second," he ground out, his body pulsing. "You're really freaking big, Quinn," she panted. "Move. Please, for the love of the goddess, move." He grinned before kissing her. "You say such sweet things.”

“She ran her hand over his head then gripped his hair. "More licking. Less talking.”

“He stood back then stripped off his shirt. She let out a gasp then hesitantly put her hand out before pulling back. He took her hand in his then put her palm over his heart. "It's okay, you can touch. You can do anything you want.”

“This woman could make a saint sin.”

“He's lost everything once, and now, he wasn't sure if he had anything left to lose.”

“There were reasons she stayed behind her barriers, reasons she was the way she was. And she'd be damned if she risked it all for a scowling man behind a beard. She'd learned the hard way once before. Never again, she promised herself. Never again.”

“When the pieces fell around him, he'd pick them up. It was what he was good at, after all. Restoring what was once lost, what could never be perfectly whole again.”

“He grinned at her intently before leaning over the counter and running his thumb along her jaw. It took everything inside of her not to lean into that touch. When he lowered his head and brushed his lips over hers, she made a little sound that caused Graham to growl. "Later," he whispered as he pulled back.”

“It's how we work," his brother said simply. "I plan. Jake refines. Owen organizes. And you growl and grunt.”

“Reed kissed her softly. “Live for now. Find your way. We can still be together. Forever. Don’t think about the unknown and what could happen when we don’t even know what is happening.”