Page 63 of The Consequence of Loving Me

I want to wipe it off with my lips.

“You’re not the rebound. You’re just—I just don’t know, Veronica. You’re just you. I’ve been thinking of you for longer than I should’ve been and now that we’ve started this, I’m not sure I can stop. At least not tonight.” I reach between us and play with a long strand of her hair. I twist it around my finger, giving her some time to think it through.

If I feel her lips again, it’ll be because she’s finally admitting that something has ignited between us and she feels the need to let it burn wild as well.

I try not to think about what will happen if she denies me again. I might crumble. I’m not above getting on my knees and begging her to give us a chance. Even if that chance is only for a single night.

Veronica doesn’t make me wait long. Her tiny hands press against my chest until I’m forced to walk backward. The backs of my thighs hit my bed frame as we fall together onto my black sheets.

“I’m not a rebound,” she states, climbing over me until she’s on top of me.

“You’re not a rebound,” I repeat.

“This can’t be more than sex. You know that, right?” Her hand slides down my abs. She takes her time, occasionally stopping to trace the outline of muscles. Those slim fingers slip into the waistband of my joggers and I am done for.

“Veronica?” I purposefully ignore her last comment. Not willing to admit this isn’t just sex for me.

Her big eyes look at me. They’re wide with mischief as she starts to stroke me up and down. Those perfectly arched eyebrows raise in question.

“Stop overthinking this. Let me kiss you until you forget about your rules. I don’t want you thinking about anything other than where my mouth will land on you next.” At my words, her hand stills on me and I use it to my advantage. I flip us over so that I now lie over her.

Blonde strands of hair fan out around her. I love the way the blonde looks against my black sheets. My arms are on either side of her head. It feels like we’re in our own world. My body hovers over hers and I stare into her eyes for a long moment. I wish I could crawl inside that pretty head of hers and live in there—get acquainted with what she tells herself.

But since I can’t, I’ll settle for getting to know every agonizingly beautiful part of her body.

Bracing myself on my elbow, I use my free hand to trace over her silhouette, starting at her heart-shaped face. Continuing down her long neck, I feel her pulse underneath my fingertip, beating in a fast rhythm that rivals my own. I absentmindedly trace over the tattoo written on her collar bone.

My mind skips back to the moment I first noticed it. It was the first night I saw her skin and felt something. I didn’t understand it then, but I do now.

My hand continues its descent until I trace over the peak of her breasts. Her quick intake of air when I circle around her nipple sends the rest of my blood to my dick. I reach the bottom of her sweater, looking at her for permission to take it off.

“Get it the fuck off,” she says breathlessly, making me chuckle. That attitude of hers is something else.

We both lift up to remove it. She manages to tear it off in one swift movement and I’m rewarded with the sight of a great expanse of creamy white skin.

My eyes roam over the skin I used to refuse to admire. Now, I can’t find where I want to look most. She’s wearing a bra that looks more like a sports bra than a normal bra. But it’s made of lace that I can see right through. Feeling the need to get even more acquainted with her body, I lean down and suck on the fabric right over her nipple.

Veronica yelps underneath me, her hands clawing at my back. I take the time to get to know both breasts before I slide my mouth down her soft stomach. The slope of her ribcage rises and falls as I make a slow descent.

“Jesus Christ,” Veronica mutters when I start to play with the waistband of her leggings. She has her head tilted back and her hips arched up, waiting for me.

My finger dips into her pants, and I fall in love with the sounds she makes as I explore her.

“Off. I need them off.” Her hips raise until I take the hint, peeling the leggings off to expose all of her to me.

I find she has nothing on underneath the leggings.

I see all of her—something I desperately need.

I bite down on her jutting hip bones, licking the spot where my teeth just were.

“Lower, Maverick. Go lower.” Her hands tangle in my hair as she pushes my head down, raising her hips so I reach her center quicker.

I give her what she wants.

I go lower.

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