Page 87 of Ink & Desire

I try to hold onto my righteous anger, but it fades quickly in the face of his calm. I take a breath and study his face. His dark eyes are locked on me, and he looks so lost that it nearly breaks me. I try to fight it, but I can feel myself caving again.

I sigh. “Damn it, Corbin. Don’t you see?Youdeserve more than that, too.”

“I’m sorry,” he says, not acknowledging my statement. “I don’t know what I’m doing.”

“Me either,” I admit.

“I like you more than I planned to,” he says. “And I don’t like how that makes me feel.”

“Gee, thanks,” I say, sarcastically. “I don’t like liking you either.”

He huffs out a laugh, bringing his hand up to cup my cheek. I hate how much that simple touch makes me want to melt against him. God damn it. How does he know exactly how to touch me to make me forget I’m mad at him?

“That’s not what I meant,” he says softly. “It scares me. And I don’t like that.”

My breath catches in my throat, and I feel my heartbeat kick into overdrive. What is he saying?

“Are you scared of what you feel? Or scared that I won’t feel it too?” I ask, choosing my words carefully.

His brow furrows as he considers for a moment. “Both.”

The single word is ragged and sounds as if it’s being pulled from deep within him. Corbin leans down until his forehead rests against mine. I don’t move a muscle, afraid that anything I say or do will ruin this moment. It feels like the start of something bigger. It feels like the possibility ofsomething morewith Corbin. It’s not something I thought I wanted when we started this thing. I wasn’t even sure I wanted it when I woke up this morning. But now? Standing here this way with the echo of that single word ringing in my ears, I know. I want more. I want all of it. With him.

“I feel it, too,” I whisper, tilting my face up to kiss his lips.

Chapter 34

Corbin

Avery didn’t leave. I still can’t believe she didn’t leave. I keep stealing glances at her as we walk through the grocery store, shopping for the coming week. When she left me sitting at the table this morning, it took me less than a minute to realize I couldn’t let hergo. I tried to find our server, but when I didn’t see her right away, I dropped a bunch of cash on the table and took off after Avery.

I didn’t know what I was going to say to her or how I was going to fix things. I just knew I couldn’t let her leave that way. I still don’t know why she didn’t leave. She had every reason to go. She wasn’t wrong when she said I was giving her mixed signals. I’ve been such a mess when it comes to her and what I feel that I know I haven’t done anything right with this situation. She was right to call me out on it. I still don’t know what I’m doing or why. I just know I don’t want this thing between us to end. I want to see where it goes. Does that mean we’re a couple now? I’m not sure.

“I need to grab some coffee,” Avery says, cutting into my thoughts.

“I have plenty of coffee,” I say.

She rolls her eyes. “That won’t help me tomorrow morning.”

I have a moment where I know what I’m about to say next could change things between us in a big way. But I don’t stop myself from saying it.

“It will if you stay with me again tonight.”

Her steps slow to a stop and she steers the cart off to the side of the aisle before turning to face me.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?”

I smile at her. “Probably not. But I want you to.”

There’s a moment of hesitation where I’m afraid she’s going to say no. But then she smiles.

“Okay. I’ll stay.”

I can’t stop the smile that stretches wide across my face. I also can’t stop myself from leaning down to kiss her, right there in the cereal aisle. I don’t care that we’re in the middle of the grocery store. I don’t care that we haven’t defined this thing between us. I just need to kiss her.

After stopping off at Avery’s place for more clothes and the makeup she says she needs, we head back to my apartment where we cook dinner together. Well, she cooks while I mostly watch and keep her company. After dinner, I clean the kitchen and she insists on finishing the movie from last night, even though it’s obvious she’s seen it a million times before. I don’t mind though. I’d suffer through a hundred cheesy romantic comedies if it made her happy.

When the movie ends, I lead her to my bedroom where I take my time undressing her and worshipping every inch of her body. For the first time, there’s no sense of urgency between us. We’re not trying to fit in a quick fuck before she goes home for the night. We’re not trying to sneak around. I work to draw out every moment between us. When I finally sink into her, I can’t ignore how right it feels. Being with her just feels right. I don’t need tounderstand it. I don’t need to know why. I just need her.

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