Page 46 of Newton

"That request sounds like you already have something in mind."

"I was hoping we could have another one of those turkey sandwiches," I tell him with an easy smile as I step a little closer to him.

He doesn't hesitate to lower his lips to mine, and, just like the kisses we've shared before this one, I don't cringe or have to fight the urge to vomit as I've done for so many years.

This man is special to me, and I know that will cause me problems down the road. For now, I'll just let myself enjoy everything he has to offer.

He doesn't urge me back onto the bed. The man presses his lips gently to mine and lets me take the lead, only opening his mouth to mine when I swipe my tongue over his lips.

We groan at the same time, each of us swallowing down the other's pleasure.

He presses against me, but he doesn't force me to take a step back. When I make that decision for both of us, he stays locked in place, our kissing breaking apart.

"What's wrong?" I ask.

"We're supposed to be heading to the kitchen for turkey sandwiches."

"You'd rather have a turkey sandwich than me?" I ask, trying to be playful when I know his answer has the ability to really hurt my feelings.

"Never doubt that I want you, Brielle," he says. "But I'm also not going to make love to you a couple of minutes after a fight. I can't trust that you're doing it for the right reasons and not because you want my forgiveness."

"Ouch," I mutter. "Thanks for the brutal honesty."

"I'm not going to lie to you," he says, stepping forward and taking my hand in his. "There will be plenty of time for every thought you have running through that pretty head of yours, I promise."

I bite my lower lip when he presses a sweet kiss on my cheek.

"So, what you're saying is you don't really want me right now," I say, trying to sound like a tease, but still feeling the sting of his rejection.

He pulls me to his chest, and a slight roll of his hips tells me everything I need to hear.

"Never doubt how much I want you."

"Okay," I whisper, trying to shove down the need that surges inside of me when he presses his erection to me.

"Come on. I'm hungry."

"Are you really going out there hard?"

"So long as you either walk beside me or behind me I'll be fine."

"And if I walk in front of you?"

"Let's not even risk it," he says, a playful smile on his face.

I plant my feet on the floor, letting our hands fall apart when he walks toward the door.

"You were in a mood when you came in here. Tell me why."

He's frowning when he turns back around to face me.

"The meeting we had wasn't the greatest. We got old news, but it was... rough."

"You don't have to pretend around me," I tell him, leaning forward and pressing my lips to his cheek. "This goes both ways, you know."

His arm comes around my waist as he pulls me to him once again, only this time, he squeezes me like I'm valuable to him rather than just a toy he wants to play with for a while.

The kitchen is busy when we enter, a mix of people making breakfast foods and some, like us, who have some more savory options in mind.

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