Page 71 of Hold Me Until Morning

He continued to hold onto the steering wheel like it might be the one thing that kept him contained.

The only thing grounding him when the world had floated away from us.

Each thirsting for what we knew better than to chase, but right then, after everything that had happened tonight, all rationale was erased.

“I don’t think I can stop.” There I went—a fool who was begging for it.

Heartbreak.

Because this man had already broken me a long time ago, and he didn’t even know it. Self-reproach writhed, a murmuring that howled from the abyss of my misdeeds and mistakes, though the shout of it was drowned out by the need that howled.

Every muscle in his body flexed, a bristle repression and a rush of greed. “I’m not sure I can give you what you need, Hailey.”

“You told me last night you knew exactly what I needed.”

His tongue stroked out over his lips, and that energy swelled.

Rising up from the depths to consume.

My thighs pressed together again, and his gaze dropped to the action. I squirmed beneath the weight. Beneath the potency that lured me in his direction.

“That’s right. You need to come.” The words were harsh. A rough scrape of seduction.

“Just once. Tonight.”

I could handle that.

Could handle the shame.

The regret that was sure to come.

But right then, the only thing that mattered was getting to experience what it was like to have this man’s hands on me.

Then I would go to sleep and pretend it was all a fantasy.

And tomorrow…tomorrow we’d be friends.

A disbelieving scuff blew between his plush lips.

He clearly was on to me. He knew exactly how my brain had processed through everything. How I was rationalizing this disastrous choice.

“And you’re going to be fine with it come morning? And here I thought we were going to just be friends?” Irony filled his tone.

“We are.” It barely made it free on a breath. “This is just…tonight.”

That’s all it could be.

“You sure about that?”

“Yes.” It wobbled on the tremoring air.

He released his seatbelt, and he pushed a button on his door that sent his seat gliding all the way back. He patted his lap. “Then get that sweet ass over here.”

“Right here?” Incredulity jetted from my tongue. I didn’t think I’d even fit.

“Right here, darlin’, because if I take you to my bed, I’m going to want to keep you there.”

My fingers were shaking out of control, and I fumbled to release my seatbelt, my limbs trembled, unsteady with the way those eyes were locked on me.

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