Page 105 of The Promise Of You

Then my hand shoots to his nape, and he dips down and takes my mouth in his, and I want this moment to last forever. His eyes shut, and his forehead creases, and his mouth explores mine, a slow, lush, erotic melding of tongues swirling and lips and teeth nibbling. He angles his head the other side, his kiss deepens, and I meet him stroke for stroke as his body brushes against mine. Leaving my mouth, he trails down to my neck, kissing and licking the soft skin from my ear down to my shoulder, then back up, his hands, all the while, behind my head holding me up to him. “Fuck, Clover, I missed you, baby,” he growls in my neck. “Missed you so much it drove me crazy.”

I hook a leg behind him, pulling him closer. “Justin…”

He lifts his head to meet my gaze, and again I see hope and pain and desperation.

“I’m right here, honey. Right here with you.”

He doesn’t say anything, just kisses my forehead, his lips there for a beat, his breathing deep while I rake my hands on his back, the feel of his muscles enough to make me shiver.

Then he takes my mouth again, his kiss so hot I whimper and press myself deeper against him.

He runs his hand against my naked thigh, his erection presses against my belly, then he trails under my dress up to my panties, up to my bra. Breaking the kiss, he lifts himself off me just enough to look at my body with hooded eyes. Then he brings the hem of my dress up my thighs until it bunches around my hips and runs a finger under my red lace panties. “You been wearing these since yesterday?” he growls.

“Y-yes.”

“Fucking hell, Clover. When were you going to tell me?”

“W-what?”

“You had to know that dress drove me crazy, but, baby, if I’d known about this…” He pushes the panties aside so he can plunge a finger inside me. “Shit, you’re so wet. So fucking wet for me. I wanna see you come.”

I could come just from the sound of his voice, from his scent, from the way he looks at me, like I’m so precious he can’t believe it, like I’m the sexiest woman he’s ever seen. “Come for me, baby, show me again how beautiful you are when you come on my fingers.”

A low wail emanates from me, and I clench my lips.

“Let it out, baby, it’s just you and me. Show me how loud you are for me.”

My body trembles, my orgasm shaking me, and I let it out, a long cry that swells and heaves out of my control, like I’m possessed. I’ve been so close for so long, being with him all this time, my release is both a relief and a disappointment. I want more. As I come down from it, I look at the beautiful man looking at me, and I wonder how it is that I’m so lucky. Then I wonder how I can protect my heart so it doesn’t shatter into pieces.

“Where’d your mind go?” Justin says, peppering kisses on my cheekbones, my temple, my head, my eyes.

One-night stand rebound was safe. Pining for Justin who I thought kinda sorta hated me for a minute (maybe not that much) was safe. This is anything but safe. “I’m scared,” I admit in a whisper.

He blinks several times. “Then we can be scared together,” he growls and takes my mouth in his, puts his hands all over me, lifts me and sets me against him, laying me face down against his hard chest. His strong arms close around me, his warm hands roaming up and down my frame until one settles under my butt and the other across my shoulder blades. I close my eyes to the sound of his heartbeat and the forest waking up.

Then Moose lets out a deep sigh, and we both laugh.

thirty-two

Justin

“Wear that dress and underwear tonight.” It’s midday, we’re hot, we’re thirsty, but that’s all that’s on my mind right now. Her dress, her underwear, and everything Chloe. Everything I’ve wanted, within reach, right there, too stupid to take it. It’s here, it’s mine, and I want it.

Except I’m gonna have to wait. We’ve been squeezed in Colton’s tow truck for the past hour, my truck on his flat bed. Colton bitched about me taking back roads, but overall, I think he had fun maneuvering the dips and curves and scaring tourists away. I mean the guy fixes cars for a living and does stock car races for fun, so I think he’s having a little of both right now and no grounds to complain.

Now we’re dropping Chloe off at the cottage. I go to the kitchen with her so Moose can get a drink. Colton’s truck is idling on the road. I grab Chloe by the hips and pin her right where she was when we were tasting foods and I almost, almost kissed her.

Why didn’t I?

I wasted two more weeks.

I was scared, and scared is no way to live your life.

So now I go for it and kiss her long and sweet. She twines her arms behind my neck and pulls me closer to her and fuuuuck. That right there is what scares me. How she wants me, how she almost seems to need me.

Am I man enough for that? For her?

She makes a little noise in the back of her throat, her leg creeping up mine, her foot hitting the back of my thigh. Pulling me closer into her. God I want her right now. Right here.

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