Page 108 of Hold Me Until Morning

Somehow, I knew that was exactly what it was for me.

Respite.

Bliss.

Motherfucking heaven.

I kissed her deeper, and she opened to me, and her tongue stroked out to meet with mine.

Strawberries and cream.

I pulled her so close that I lifted her off her feet as I kissed and kissed her, my other hand yanking harder at her braid as I devoured her mouth.

Lips and tongue and teeth.

Greed and lust and something else that hovered around us like the utterings of a lost dream.

So fucking intimate, so damned close, that I thought this girl might become an intrinsic part of me.

I drank down the whimper she exhaled, and I nearly got knocked to my knees when she wound her delicate arms around my neck and pressed her tits to my chest.

Then she had to go and whisper my name against my lips. “Cody.”

No one had ever once said my name like that. Or maybe it was the first time I was listening.

Possession wound me in a fist, ribs clenching around my heart as the single word thundered through my mind.

Mine.

He couldn’t have her.

I wouldn’t let him.

Fuck, what was happening to me?

I forced myself to slow because I knew I was cracking, one mistake from splintering, from completely losing control.

Setting my hands on her waist, I peeled my mouth away and dropped my forehead to hers, knowing we needed space but there wasn’t one goddamn molecule in my body that could fully let her go.

Both of us were panting for the air that’d gone missing, and Hailey gulped as she tried to orient herself. At least thirty seconds must have passed before she finally asked, “Is he still there?”

Rage blustered through me when I forced myself to look over my shoulder, ready to take on anything that was to come, only the bastard was gone.

“Nah, we got rid of him.”

If only it were permanent. I doubted much that he was going to get the message so easy.

Pulling back an inch, she blinked as she tried to process what the hell had just happened. Her fingertips were still nailed into my shoulders, confusion and need whipping her into a puddle.

“What are we doing, Cody?” The words were haggard.

“We’re showing your ex that he can’t have you.” It scraped up my raw throat.

Her teeth raked her bottom lip that was still plump and glistening from the kiss. “I’m afraid we might only be making it worse.”

“We’ll figure it out. Together,” I promised.

I couldn’t help but think she was likely right.

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