Page 27 of Under His Embrace

I growled slightly, frustrated with keeping myself in check.

“I needyou,” she repeated, a breath away from a kiss as she leaned into me. I caught her arms, both to keep her steady from falling over me and pushing us both back onto the bed and to maintain distance.

As I held her at arm’s length, she was temptation personified.

I needed her too, but I still wanted my damn answers.

She wasstillhiding something, and until I was sure that she wouldn’t spring any more surprises on me, I had to keep my wits about me.

Easier said than done with her.

Especially when she closed the inches between us and crushed her lips to mine.

12

CHLOE

Icouldn’t resist kissing him. I didn’t want to hold myself back from sealing my lips to Franco’s.

He grunted at the force of my lunge at him. At the first touch of his soft, firm lips so warm against mine, he gripped my arms tighter. His fingers dug into my skin, and I reveled in the bite of pain.

I couldn’t bear his staying back. Even though I saw the hesitancy in his eyes, I hated the idea of us being parted when we were both right here. Together. Finally, after all those years I was only able to dream and fantasize about him, missing him from the bottom of my heart, we were together, in this room, and opening up.

While I had yet to shareallof the truth with him, I felt better about telling him that Wes wouldn’t let himself be a person in my past. It was freeing to unshoulder the burden of my ex stalking me, and I relished the lightness of not being stuck under the pressure of that worry that Wes could’ve arranged for the shooting at the A&J. I’d mourn Manny and Suzie, but I was relieved that I’d opened up to tell Franco about my suspicions, that Wes might be the man they’re looking for.

He opened up, too, pleading with me for an explanation of why I ran. It had to take guts and a lot of submission to ask me for an answer I couldn’t give him.

But that give and take ended there.

I couldn’t tell him that truth—not yet. I couldn’t reveal the fact that I had a son, that he was involved in the creation of my family.

All I could do was show how badly he would always be the one for me. Taking the initiative to go for him, to lean into his body heat, I wanted to show him what I struggled to put into words.

I needed him. Despite all the years we weren’t together, I had to make him understand that I loved him and needed him with all my heart. Even though he stuck to his assumption that I hadn’t fought for us back then, my love was his and my soul would always be tied to his.

“Chloe,” he growled as he moved his hands. He didn’t hold me back. Now, as I dove back for another, deeper kiss, he hauled me closer.

I dreamed of his gritty voice full of desire. So many nights, I'd envisioned this very moment and this exact heated kiss.

“Fuck, Chloe. You—” His protest, if that was what he wanted to get out, was lost ashekissedmeharder.

I fantasized about this heady sensation of being under the command of his mouth on mine, his lips parted, meshed so hot and wet against mine, and we both explored again. I tasted him and knew my soul was whole again. He sucked on my tongue, pulling me closer and drawing me deeper into this intoxicating spell of desire.

In my darkest moments, this fiery love was what kept me strong. And during my loneliest trials of missing what we had together, the hopes for his hands so strong and firm, keeping me close, were what pushed me to endure it all.

“You—”

“I need you,” I repeated, firm in wanting to reconnect with him.

I had to show him how much I meant it, and I started that by crawling all the way onto his lap. I pushed his head back, slamming my lips to his, but he didn’t fall. He didn’t rock backward on the bed. Scooting his butt back, he made room for both of us, him seated and me straddling his lap. All the while, he framed my face and kissed me back.

As soon as my knees landed on the mattress, I sank into the plush bounce and found my balance—as one. We were flush together. His hard chest was a wall of power to brace my softer curves against.

I wasn’t as lean and thin as he might remember, but when he lowered his hands to grip at my sides, I got the impression that he enjoyed this too. He curled his fingers, clutching me as though he’d never want to let go again.

Kissing him as though air could no longer matter, I ground against him. From the rub of my aching breasts, feeling so heavy with my arousal, and the downward grind of my pussy over his erection trapped under his pants, I covered him with all of my body.

Blood rushed through me, pulsing faster as I fell into this heady thrill of desire. My heart hammered, and as I kissed lower down his jaw, angling for his neck, I felt the rapid beat of his, racing just as fast as mine.

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