Page 110 of Bitter Secrets

She linked her hands behind his neck and pulled until his forehead rested against hers. “I don’t regret my choice.”

He didn’t respond, but he didn’t have to. His rabid energy beat at her, teeming with volatile emotions. She wrapped her legs around him, drawing him as close as possible. She pressed her cheek to his and ran her hand through his hair, raking her mind for a way to reassure and soothe him.

“This has been one of the worst years of my life.” She held him in place when he tried to step back and kissed his cheek, willing him to let her finish. “But it’s also been the best year of my life because of you. You give me more than anyone else ever has. Having my whole family show up today couldn’t replace you.” Her eyes brimmed with tears. “I didn’t have much of a life to give up. A father who only saw me as a way to improve business ties? A fiancé who chose me from a list of brides his parents gave him? Ford didn’t wantme; he wanted a Hennessy. You?” Her voice broke. “You lost everything, and you’re still struggling to survive because of me.” She tucked her face against his neck. “Please let me help you.”

“You are helping me.”

His hand went between them. She didn’t know what he was doing until he tugged her to the edge and his dick slipped between her thighs.

“You’re giving me something to fight for—a home.” He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight against him. “You’re giving me everything I never thought I could have. You’re helping me by being here, waiting for me.”

“But—"

He kissed her, stealing her words and her protests. It took less than two minutes for him to realize he didn’t like the height of the counters and pick her up. He kept her anchored to him as he carried her to the bedroom. He fucked her on the edge of the bed and tugged her dress down so her breasts were free. He grasped one as he thrust, eyes moving greedily over her.

She reached for him, and he obliged, moving down to meet her lips. She ran her hands over every inch of him she could reach, still not quite believing he was here.

“I love you,” she said against his lips.

His pace quickened, and she let out a wanton laugh as she gloried in his taking. When he slumped over her, she held him for a time before she coaxed him onto his back and undressed him. After she dropped his clothes in a pile, she turned and took in the sight of him dominating her pink, queen-sized bed. It still stunned her to see him there, as it had the first time he’d sprawled naked on her bed after he took her virginity. She hadn’t upgraded to a larger bed since he wasn’t around often enough. She assumed she would be saying goodbye to all of this, but he had other plans…

When she climbed on the bed, he tried to rise, but she muscled him down, knowing she only accomplished that feat because he allowed it. She listened to his breathing even out. Even though his body was relaxed, she knew his mind was racing. It always was. He didn’t know how to relax.

“I want to go,” she whispered.

“Jasmine.”

She sat up and looked down at him. “I know you work around the clock. I don’t expect you to take days off to take me shopping. I know you have to work. I get it.”

His eyes narrowed. “What if you move there and you see me even less than you do now?”

She frowned. “I don’t understand. How could that be?”

He propped himself against the headboard. She was distracted by his flexing muscles, but tried to pay attention to what he was saying.

“These visits force me to schedule breaks and wrap up my business so I can come here for a week or two at a time. If you lived in London, I would always be working.”

“That’s fine.”

He shook his head as his eyes moved over her. “I can’t focus when you’re around.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m not going to get in the way.”

“Knowing you’re in the same city, not thousands of miles away, is distracting as hell.”

“Roth.”

He pulled her onto his lap. “This isn’t a good time for you to come. I need to be focused on these projects. You say you’ll be fine, but you’re going to resent me eventually.” When she would have argued, he brushed a kiss over her mouth. “Give me more time. I’ll send for you when things are more stable.”

Her lip trembled. “How long?”

“I don’t know.”

“Another year?” She shook her head. “I don’t know if I can do that.” She thumped his chest. “Don’t you want me with you?”

When he took too long to answer, she began to scoot off him, but he wrapped his arm around her waist to keep her in place.

She shoved at his shoulders. “Let me go!”

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