Page 36 of Sweet Revenge

She nodded, but I shook my head. “I need the words, Maggie.”

She took a deep breath and straightened her shoulders. “Yes, Gunner, you can kiss me.”

I grinned and watched her eyes flick down to my mouth. Fuck, that was sexy. Knowing she wanted my lips on hers as badly as I did made my cock start to harden, but I ignored it. Neither of us was prepared for what that would mean because I had a feeling once I had her, I was never fucking letting her go.

I leaned in slowly, giving her the chance to stop me. And I would stop. I didn’t have to ask to know Snake had hurt her and took what he wanted, when he wanted.

I would never be that man.

My lips dropped to lay against hers softly, and I grinned when she sighed. I brushed mine over hers slowly, letting her get used to being this close to me. When she laid her hands on my chest and leaned in a little closer, I knew she was as ready as I was to deepen the kiss. I opened my mouth and ran my tongue along the seam of her lips, feeling like I just won a fucking championship when she moaned softly and opened her mouth.

I deepened the kiss, ever so slowly, giving her time to back away when she needed to. I didn’t ever remember taking this much time to kiss a woman or just feel her body up against mine. Sex for me was like my life—fast and hard—so this was a new experience for me. As much as I wanted to go faster, I also wanted to savor her.

Her tongue lazily slid against mine, and this time, I groaned. Fuck, she tasted good. I reached up and wrapped my hand in her hair, feeling the softness and enveloped by the sweet scent of strawberries and vanilla. I pressed my body and my lips a little closer and deepened the kiss even more, trying like hell to ignore my hard cock throbbing against the front of my jeans. I knew she had to feel it against her belly as close as we were, but there wasn’t a damn thing I could do about it, and honestly, the pressure against it felt too damn good for me to care.

She ran her hands up my chest and wrapped them around my neck, diving them into the back of my hair. My other hand ran up and down her back, itching to dive under her shirt, to get skin to skin, but that had to be her decision.

I would fucking kill myself before I ever became the next Snake in her life.

When my body was starting to get too invested in this hot as hell kiss, I shifted back and kissed her slower. As much as I didn’t want to, I was going to need to put some space between us for her sake and my own. She seemed to understand and let her hands fall from my shoulders back to my chest before she pulled her lips from mine.

I rested my forehead against hers but kept my hands where they’d been, not wanting to put any more distance between us. We stayed that way while we both got our breathing under control, another first for me and I was betting the same for her. Just being close, no expectations, no demands, just being together.

“Thank you.” she whispered quietly, and I squeezed her tighter to me.

“For what?”

“For asking me.”

“It’s your body, baby. You’re in charge.” I pulled back and looked down into her eyes. “I’m just the lucky bastard you said yes to.”

She smiled softly and leaned her head against my chest. A warmth rushed through me with her in my arms, and I swear I felt my world clicking into place.

I had a lot to do before I could offer her more, but I would. I’d find Snake and take him out of her mind completely. I’d help my brothers make this club safe again. And then, if she’d agree to have me, I’d take her home.

To a real home.

One we’d build together.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

GUNNER

Hand in hand, we walked back into the bar, the music louder than it had been and the boys a little rowdier. We were going to have to be on full alert, so these parties would cease for a while. I noticed some of the other girls had shown up, some attached to members, some not, and the ones who weren’t were already making themselves available to the guys who were interested. It was how club life had always worked and something Bear and I agreed not to change when we sat down for the first time and talked about his vision for the club. A party with just the guys could get rowdy. A party with the women would definitely get rowdy and wasn’t something Maggie was ready to experience.

I felt her stumble a little and squeeze my hand before she stopped completely. “What’s wrong?”

I scanned the crowd until my eyes landed on Luke sitting at the bar with his brother Cam and his father, Jack, both talking to Bear.

I moved around to stand in front of her and lifted her chin with my finger until I could see her eyes. “You don’t have to see them if you don’t want to.”

Her eyes flicked to where they sat, and she rolled her lips together. “He makes me nervous.”

I knew I needed to ask her, but the question burned like fire in my belly just thinking about her possible answer. “Maggie, do you have feelings for Luke?”

She swallowed hard. “I’m not sure.”

I nodded, and she continued. “I think I did or do. I don’t really know. Lisa thinks I had feelings for him because he was something I’d never had.” I looked down and dropped my hands so I could put them on my hips. I’d deal with her feelings for him. He was the man who had tried to rescue her before I even knew the hell she was living through. I felt her small hands land on my chest and glanced up when she stepped closer. She rolled her lips between her teeth, and I waited, knowing from watching her over the time that she needed to dig deep for her courage when there was something important she needed to say.

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