Page 49 of Rainstorm

Every second my resolve weakened.

Because what I felt was so powerful, and it was overwhelming me.

Would it be like Zephyr had said, my self-protection seeking refuge?

Fuck it.

As her hands reached for the nape of my neck, I felt the walls breaking down.

Piece by piece.

Our mouths collided, tongues dancing, lips looking for more.

Dizzying.

Sizzling.

Those hands seeking more, mine tangling in her thick hair, pulling her closer to me.

“Baby, I want to take you somewhere,” I whispered.

“Just tell me it’s your bed,” she murmured between gasps, our bodies a delicious tangle of arms and legs.

But this wasn’t following my plan, so I took a step back, needing some space to think straight.

“Oh my God, Holland, you’re such a tease,” she huffed in frustration.

“Wait here, I need to get changed before we head out, but I won’t be long. Make yourself at home,” I told her before hurrying off to get changed into some cargo shorts and a hoodie and also picking up my travel bag.

“You weren’t joking, eh?” She made fun of me. “Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise.”

She laughed again. “You’re certainly full of them, aren’t you?”

Yes, babe, I’m full of them and soon enough you’re going to be full of me.

Chapter 11

Rose

Present day

Drinking yourself into oblivion might be one way of blocking out painful memories, but it has its drawbacks and right now I’d like to cut my head off and transplant a new one. Luckily, there’s currently no bright sunlight beaming into Ariel’s place to torment me, although in truth the torment comes from within.

Chase and I always loved going out, it was one of the main reasons we chose to live in Downtown, because it was close to a lot of the places we liked to frequent for dinner and drinks. Sometimes we’d search out places that offered craft beer or seek out the best wineries. Whatever we chose to do, we always made the most of our romantic dates, before returning home to continue the party and turn our bedsheets to waves, sometimes quiet ones, other times passionate storms that left us both sweaty and ecstatic.

Sated.

Happy.

Madly in love.

In the morning, Chase would wake me up with breakfast in bed, and then we’d spend all day not caring about anything outside the four walls of our bedroom.

But none of that matters anymore.

I loved a man in my past.

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