Page 57 of Forget Me Not

What he must think of me. I’m either pushing him away or climbing on top of him.

“I’m sorry.” I start to stand, but Reid catches me around the waist, hauling me back to him and sitting on the porch, back against the side of the house. He deposits me in his lap, turning my chin to face him and the look on his face . . . it’s anything but soft.

It’s harsh. Demanding. Ordering that I look at him and see the ugly truth.

“I want to,” he murmurs roughly, his fingers caressing the skin of my cheek. It feels good, but I know I shouldn’t be enjoying it. Anyone else’s touch should be the catalyst that drives me back to Portland. Normally, another man’s touch would send me into a spiral. It would feel wrong. Dirty.

But not Reid’s.

No . . . with Reid, I want more. I need more. His touch is like an anchor, holding me in place even though there’s a storm raging inside me.

“You never let it get very far,” I grumble under my breath, and he chuckles.

Slowly, carefully, he leans forward, pressing his lips to my ear until the stubble on his jaw sends a shiver through me that lights my core.

“Let me be frank, little bird,” he says, so quiet, his voice is like a tempting purr. “I want to fuck you. Hard. I want you desperate and needy for my cock and my tongue, and when I touch you, I want to watch those pretty little eyes roll back in your head for me. Not because you’re running from your nightmares.”

Gently, he reaches up, wiping the last of the wetness around my eyes away with his thumb and bringing it to his lips, sucking the moisture off. It’s both the most disturbing and yet, the sexiest sight I’ve ever seen.

I try not to think of the symbolism in that. Reid’s not only wiping my tears away, he’s feasting on them. Like he’s showing me he’s bigger than anything that could be in my nightmares.

At this moment, I’m starting to believe it myself.

“Don’t ask me to fuck you with tears in your eyes again, Nova. Next time, I won’t stop.”

Slowly, I nod, my eyes zeroed in on his. Our breathing is heavy in the small space between us and I can feel him impossibly hard at my rear.

“Do you want to go get ice cream?” I ask, before I can talk myself out of it.

He smirks, his hand gripping my hip harder.

“Another date?”

I roll my eyes, my cheeks flushing. “Who said it has to be a date? Why can’t it just be two people eating ice cream together?” I ask, throwing his previous words back at him.

I think he’s going to say no and my ego deflates, like the air rushing out of a balloon when it’s poked with a needle.

But, to my surprise, he smirks, a devious twinkle in his eye.

“On one condition. You have to promise not to fall in love with me.”

“What do you think about that color?” Katelyn points to a tan that couldn’t be more beige if it was called beige.

“That’s horrid,” I mutter, scrunching my nose.

“This sucks,” Katelyn groans, stomping her foot. “Everything sucks.”

I chuckle, surveying the wall of paint choices at the local hardware store. I’ll be honest, it’s not great, but there’s definitely some strong contenders I think she would love if she would just go for it.

“What about this one?” I ask, pointing to a nice baby blue that reminds me of the sky.

She frowns. “It’s too grandma-ish. Why can’t I just be different?”

“Okay,” I laugh, placing my hands on her shoulders. “Close your eyes.”

“Why?”

“Just do it.”

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