Page 43 of Don't You Want Me, Baby?

‘I’ve hardly been doing that lately.’

‘Maybe not, but you are now. I’m in fucking awe of you, Amber. Watching you these last few weeks, it gave me hope. Woke me up.’ His eyes were full of adoration. She’d never felt so seen, even by him. ‘The baby thing threw me; I know I didn’t react in the best way. But I can’t just walk away, not without a fight. This is me fighting. No more sidelines. We can talk about the rest later. I know I might get hurt, but I can’t do this any more.’ He sighed, and it sounded like it came from the very depths of him. ‘I know things are complicated, but… I can’t stay away from you. I can’t just be a friend, unless that’s all you want from me.’ He tapped his index finger against his temple. ‘You’re in my head, all the time. I want to be there for you. Be your champion. Help you with your baby, if that’s what you choose in the end of all this. Whatever you need me to be, I’ll be it.’ He swallowed. ‘Even if it crushes me to do it, I’ll gladly do it. For you, Amber.’

She wanted to take the big lummox in her arms, soothe him. He was too good, too selfless. He would do all of that, and more. She was so wrong about him. It wasn’t that he didn’t want a woman; it was that he wanted one so much.Me.I’ve been a blind fool, but now what?What if she couldn’t do it, be what he wanted? She’d already torn pieces off herself to fit Bradley. What if Tyler did that for her? He’d resent her in the end.Raising another man’s child. Living someone else’s dream. ‘I don’t want to hurt you, Tyler. We’re on different paths.’

‘Fuck paths,’ he rasped. ‘I’m hurting right now. Might as well shoot my shot. Yes or no, Cherry. Do you want my lips on yours again, or am I leaving? Don’t think about the rest. Not right now.’

She was staring into his eyes. Feeling his arms around her was making her head spin. That wasn’t the cocktails, she knew. Her lipswere still stinging from that kiss. It would be easier to ask him to go. In the morning, things would be back to normal. Like it never happened.Liar,her head sang back.Nothing is normal after this. Not even close.She was frozen in place, scared.

‘I guess that’s my answer.’ He pulled away, reaching for the lock. ‘Goodnight, Amber.’

He went to turn the lock, but it didn’t move. Amber’s fingers held it closed.

‘Don’t go,’ was all she said. ‘I don’t want you to go.’

‘Why?’ he asked, his voice breathy. ‘Tell me why.’

She knew what he was really asking. For permission. For a sign that she was in this with him. All the ways it couldn’t and shouldn’t work were running through her brain. He’d be leaving soon, she’d be a mum, running the Arms if she got what she wanted. If she did this, there would be consequences. Her head was screaming at her to flip the lock. Release him out into the night so she could stick to her plan. He would do it all with her, but she couldn’t hold him back. Not when he’d already stayed for her. Watched her with another man. What was he going to do? Stay in Hebblestone forever, raising a child that wasn’t his? She didn’t want to wait. Not now her mind was made up, and asking him to have a child with her was insane. She wouldn’t let him derail his life for her. She’d done it before, and she knew now that she was stupid for it. Things were changing, rapidly. This was so far from what she thought would happen, it was like looking at someone else’s life.

The trouble was, that kiss.That felt right.She needed to know. She knew if she rejected him now, she might never have the chance again. He’d basically ripped his heart out of his chest and shown it to her. Letting him go now, she might as well knock it to the floor and stamp on it. She could see it on his face. The desire and the fear roiling through him. She took a beat too long.

He growled in frustration. ‘It’s fine, Amber, I get it. I’ll go.’ Whenhe tried to open the door again, the urgency of her panic at him leaving galvanised her to speak. She realised she couldn’t let him go. It overrode everything else in her mind, shushing it into submission as she gravitated towards the man in front of her.

‘Stay.’

‘If you want me to stay, then tell me why.’ He swallowed. ‘I need to hear you say it. Say anything.’

‘Because I want you to kiss me again.’

‘What about?—’

‘I can’t think about anything else right now. I just want you to kiss me, Tyler. Stay with me tonight.’

It was all he needed. His arms encircled her, and she was off the ground, her legs automatically lifting to lock around him. His mouth crashed down onto hers, and he kissed her like a sailor on shore leave. It was so damn hot, she could barely stand it as she let his mouth claim hers. She’d never been kissed like this before. He held her like she was precious. Like he wanted toconsumeher.

‘Ooh!’ The shudder of pleasure came unbidden from her throat, and he stilled.

‘Jesus, Amber. What was that noise?’ He pressed his lips to her neck, sucking her tender skin. ‘How do I make you do it again?’

She laughed, until he moved to her collarbone, and it died in her throat in favour of a breathy pant. It was his turn to chuckle then as he ran a line along it with his tongue, and she moaned again.

‘Fuck me. That’s it. Just like that. I could bottle that sound, Cherry.’

‘What are we doing?’ she asked, not really caring to hear the answer in that moment. Real life seemed a world away from his tongue and its sexy travels. ‘Why does it feel so…’

‘Want me to stop?’ he checked, denying her of his mouth. His eyes were hooded under heavy lids as his gaze flicked from hers toher lips and back again. Looking like he was holding onto everything until he got permission to unleash.Christ, he was a total beast. It was soooo hot.‘Amber, talk to me. Tell me if you want me to stop this, but you need to be quick.’

Decision time, Amber.She was flip flopping from go to stop quicker than a faulty traffic light. The old her, from a couple of months ago, would have run from this. Her to-do list did not include this, any of it. The new her, or rather the oldest version of her, the one who had her grandmother’s fire and zest for life, and love and joy, wanted this more than she wanted to take her next breath. She didn’t want to second guess it. She just wanted tofeel.

Reaching behind her, still encased in his grasp, she put the chain on the door. His eyes flicked to it, and then focused back onto hers. She put her hands round his neck, and they stayed there. Looking at each other as if it was the first time they’d set eyes on the person in front of them. In a weird way, it kinda felt that way too. New, yet so familiar.Right.

‘Didn’t think so,’ he rumbled beneath her, and claimed her mouth. She was so lost in the kiss, she didn’t even notice him carrying her up the stairs. He didn’t stop kissing her as he strode down the hallway. He didn’t stop when he steered them to the kitchen, grabbing the small pack of bottled water open on the counter. Didn’t break his lips from hers when he grabbed her butt cheeks to get a better hold. Didn’t stop teasing her with his gorgeous-ass tongue at the same time as kicking open her bedroom door.Lumberjack,she said in her head.My sexy, strong lumberjack.

He did break contact when he set her down in front of the bed, getting to work on taking off her jeans. His fingers were shaky as he undid her buttons. He pulled her zipper down, dropping kisses on each cheek. He kept looking down at her, as if he was making sure she was still there. She couldn’t stop watching him, wanting to process the moment. She was about to have sex with TylerWilliams. She said it to herself over and over in her head as he lowered, slid the denim down her legs. It felt surreal. Crazy, but not wrong. She wanted this. She needed this. Needed to see what this thing was between them. Anything else – the Arms, the future – it was all just white noise, silenced by his searing touch.

He knelt before her, lifting each leg in turn to remove her clothing.

‘Tyler,’ she breathed.

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