Page 152 of A Sky Full Of Stars

He spins me around, cutting me off as he rushes toward the house, ignoring me when I squeeze his shoulders. “No time,” he says with a frown. “We need to get you warm.”

One of his hands slips between us, and he holds me with the other, pulling his keys from his pocket as we reach the door. Without putting me down, he slows his pace, then unlocks the slider, quietly walking inside. My heart lodges in my throat, as a panic runs through me and I’m not sure what’s more concerning—the fear of someone catching us, or the fear of what comes next.

Chapter Fifty-One

Thomas

Ihad every intention of wishing Lainey good night. I was prepared to give her a chaste kiss before waiting for her to go inside and then walking away. But when the rain began and she forgot her keys, it felt like fate intervened and I couldn’t let her go.

I’d been given another moment, and I couldn’tnottake it.

With Lainey pressed against me, her arms locked tightly around my neck, I creep through the house, quietly moving in the direction of the bathroom closest to my room.

I know she’s going to argue, but she’s wet and she’s cold. What better place to warm her up?

When I round the corner and step inside, dropping Lainey to her feet, she sucks in a breath but otherwise stays quiet. After shutting the door, I turn to catch the end of her nervous lip tug before she releases it from between her teeth and smiles as she shakes.

Without a word shared between us, I open the glass shower door and turn on the water, waiting for it to warm before guiding Lainey inside.

Her eyes flash to the door, her concern clear, until the warmth hits her and she melts, spinning her body and arching her back, letting the water cascade from her shoulders.

I watch from the sidelines, trying to control my pounding heart until her shivers stop and her breathing returns tonormal. With her eyes closed, she lets her head fall back as a small smile pulls at her lips, and I don’t think I’ve ever seen her more serene. Except when she was on that stage. I stare at her face, my chest tight as I think about all we’ve been through, and when she finally looks my way, the air around us changes. She stands tall, and I swallow a lump in my throat, trying not to stare at her soaked shirt as it clings to her body, or the gapping material that reveals the top of her cream lace bra. Tempting me.

With her pink hair plastered to her face, the memory of us dancing in the rain tugs at my heart, and just like back then, I ache for her. The power she has over me is so strong that it’s a struggle to keep my hands to myself. So, I don’t.

Reaching forward, I gently push the hair from her eyes, loving when her breath hitches at the contact. Her wide eyes bounce between mine, and she bites her lip again, drawing my attention to her mouth as her breathing picks up.

I hold back a groan and release a slow breath as an internal battle rages inside me. I said I wouldn’t push her for anything tonight, but keeping my word is impossible with Lainey’s feelings written in her expression. “I’m trying to do the right thing here, Lainey,” I whisper, my voice husky from the emotion trapped in my throat. “But fuck, I want to kiss you. I’ve wanted to kiss you since the moment you waltzed back into my life.”

Lainey’s lips part, but her eyes close, and it’s easy to see she’s fighting a battle of her own. It’s probably unfair of me to voice my thoughts—I’ve already dropped enough on her for one night, and she deserves time to think. But before I can take it all back, she opens her eyes, and her deep brown orbs stare into my soul, making the world around me shift. She gives me a small nod, as the whisper of a yes passes through her lips.

The confirmation I’ve been waiting for.

Ignoring the overwhelming tightness welling up inside me, I flash her a smile before cupping her face in my hands and edging forward, letting the anticipation spark between us, torturing us both, waiting to see if she changes her mind. But she doesn’t. Instead she meets me halfway, only coming to a stop when there’s a breath separating our lips. “I don’t know if this is the start of something great,” she whispers, her lips brushing against mine. “Or a really bad decision,” she adds, “but I don’t think I can stop it if I try.” She connects our lips in a slow explorative kiss, her hands rising to grip my shirt, her fingers curling into the wet fabric as it molds to my chest.

The kiss starts off slow, her words running through my mind as I move with gentle strokes, our noses brushing against each other. I keep my distance at first, not wanting to move too quickly, but when I inch closer, she steps back, pulling me into her as she melts against the wall, melding our bodies as one.

The longer we kiss, the more frantic it becomes until her ragged breaths fill the air, her breasts brushing against me with every rise and fall of her chest. I kiss her cheek, her neck, her chin, nibbling, sucking, biting, soothing the pain with a brush of my tongue.

Her head drops back, and when she opens her lips to moan, I take advantage, guiding her mouth back to mine before slipping my tongue inside, deepening the kiss.

If I ever thought my feelings were one-sided, this kiss just proved me wrong. She’s matching my fervor, taking everything I’m giving her and giving it back to me. There’s a push and pull between us that I can’t quite explain, but I know with absolute certainty that we’re on the same page. We’re equals. There’s no battle of power, only mutual respect, mutual trust, mutual love.

But I’m not letting myself accept that it’s real. Not yet. Not until morning.

As if sensing my mood shift, Lainey mewls, gripping me tighter, and when our tongues clash, she glides her hands up my chest, curling her fingers into my hair, tugging on the strands.

A guttural groan escapes me as she rocks against me, seeking the friction we both desperately need. And while I’d love to stay in the moment forever, I want more. I want it all.

Without breaking the kiss, I grab her under the ass and lift her into my arms, groaning again when she wraps her legs around me, wasting no time before grinding her hips. My cock twitches as I prop her against the wall, freeing my hand to cup her neck, my fingers curling into her hair.

Her pulse jolts beneath my touch, and I can feel the blood pumping through her as she cries out, but it’s softened by my mouth, the sound vibrating against my lips.

“I need more,” she rasps between kisses, voicing my feelings, her sultry tone dripping with desire. “Now,” she adds, and I vow to give her what she wants. It’s all for her. It will always be for her.

Leaning back, I flash her a quick smile before my eyes drop to our connection, to where her covered center rubs against the bulge in my pants.

No matter how worked up I am, I want to take this slowly. I want her to feel what I feel. This isn’t just a quick fuck in the shower. It’s the beginning of something. I’m just not sure what that is.

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