Page 79 of My Vows Are Sealed

His eyes widened. “Baby…you’ve…you’ve been through so much tonight.”

Instead of responding right away, I kissed him. I knew why he was hesitant, and I knew that my wanting this right now didn’t make any sense, but it didn’t have to. Right?

“I know it doesn’t make sense,” I told him. “And I know what I’ve been saying for the last three years. But all I want in the world right now is to be close to you. Not because I’m trying to forget, but because…because I need one good thing to come out of all of this bad. Because I’ve never felt safer or more loved than I do when I’m with you, and I need that tonight.”

“Are you sure?”

I smiled. “I’m sure.”

“Promise you’ll tell me if you change your mind?”

“I’m not going to change my mind,” I insisted. “You told me once that love and intimacy is something that should be given freely, and that it was my choice when I gave it to you. But the truth is, I already made that choice a long time ago. You have owned every single part of me for as long as I can remember. I’m just giving you what’s always been yours.”

That earned me a kiss, and he pulled me flush against him. The new sensation of his bare skin against mine as our lips and tongues moved in perfect sync made a shiver run up my spine, and I moaned into his mouth. His arms tightened around me, and I rocked over the stiffness I felt pressing between my legs. That made him groan as he pulled away from the kiss just enough to look at me again.

“I have no idea what I’m doing,” he mumbled.

Oh, my God. Why was that so sweet and adorable?

“I don’t either,” I reminded him.

“I don’t want to hurt you. If I do something wrong—”

“There’s no right or wrong, Brendan. We’re both new at this, but we can learn together.”

I brought my lips back to his, and he held me tight as he started to roll over just enough to deposit me on the bed. His hand came back up to caress my breast, this time kneading a little harder, and I couldn’t help the moan that rose in my throat when he rolled my nipple between his thumb and forefinger. When his mouth left mine and started trailing soft kisses along my jaw and down to my neck, I whimpered at the loss of the connection, but it felt so good that I couldn’t bring myself to stop him.

His lips continued their path south along my collarbone, down to my shoulder and chest. As they reached the tops of my breasts, I sucked in a breath, just anticipating what it would feel like to have his mouth on the pebbled peaks. The moment he brushed a whisper of a kiss over one of them, I exhaled in pure ecstasy, needing so much more. It seemed like he got the clue, because he pulled it into his mouth, sucking softly and flicking his tongue over it.

“Ohmygod,” I breathed.

“Is this okay?” he asked timidly, his warm breath washing over my skin, a weak echo of what he’d just done.

“Don’t stop,” I begged. “That feels so good.”

Apparently that was all the instruction he needed, because he kissed his way over to the other breast and paid the other nipple similar attention. The tingling in my core that I’d become so accustomed to for the last few years began, stronger than ever before. I felt moisture start to build up, and I squirmed a little, squeezing my legs together to try to relieve the pressure.

“You okay, baby?” Brendan whispered, coming back up to kiss me.

I nodded. I needed…I didn’t even know what I needed. Relief. To somehow ease the aching need he was creating.

“What do you need?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “You. I just need you.”

“I’m yours,” he murmured, then gave me a kiss so deep and passionate that I saw stars.

His hand traveled down my stomach, toying with the hem of my panties, and my breath caught.

Yes.Thiswas what I needed.

“Can I touch you, Dar?”

“Please,” I whimpered.

He slipped his fingers beneath the fabric, but I quickly lifted my hips and tugged the offending garment down, needing it gone. He took the cue and helped me pull them the rest of the way off, then let his eyes rake over me. The same love and adoration I always saw when he looked at me was there in spades, but now it was accompanied by hunger. Desire. Maybe even the same need I felt right now.

“You’re perfection,” he said quietly, his voice trembling a little.

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