Page 77 of The Marine

I sit up straight on the sofa.

“Don’t mess with me.” Then I hear the little hitch.Fuck, she’s crying.“Where are you?”

“Driving around trying to find out where you live?”

I can hear the emotion in her voice. Something’s happened. Still, I can’t help the small smile that hits my lips.

“Los Angeles is a big place, sweetheart.”

“I know. So can you just tell me?”Sniff.

Turns out she was just ten minutes away, but those ten minutes are fucking long as I stand out in my driveway, after opening the gates, and wait.

When Briar parks her car, I yank open the driver’s door and pull her into my arms.

Mine.

We stand there for a long time as she sobs into my T-shirt. Then I lead her inside and close the door.

Her face lifts and I know the right thing to do here is ask her what’s wrong and talk it out, but our mouths smash together and I feel her tears on my cheek.

I snake my fingers through her hair as I moan and enjoy the hint of apple and spice I taste on her lips.

“I need you,” she groans.

“Tell me what you want.” I rasp back.

“To forget. All of it. Just me and you.” Briar wipes her eyes. “To be back to what it was before everything.”

Fuck.

I should say no, but I want this as much as she does. I probably need it as much as she does.

“Okay.” I lift her into my arms and walk in the house. When I kick open my bedroom door and quickly pray I made my bed—I did, thank god—I walk through to the ensuite bathroom and drag her top over her head.

“You gotta give me all of you.” I run my eyes over her white lacy bra. “I want all of you tonight, Briar.”

She rips at my T-shirt, tugging it up, her hands eagerly running over my abs when I pull it over my head.

“Okay.” She lies.

She just wants to fuck.

I know this woman. I know every inch of her and all her tells.

But goddamn, my cock is hard and now she’s got my jeans undone and her hand is wrapping around it.

“Fuck.” I hiss as she drops to the ground. The tiles are hard under her knees, and I want to stop her.

When her mouth clamps around my head, I know it’s too late to stop any of this.

“Jesus, Briar.” I pull her hair up and grip it in my hand as she takes me all the way down her throat.

Motherfucker.

I’m going to come in about three seconds.

Like she’s working a giant popsicle, Briar bounces her head up and down, moaning and gagging like it’s a race.

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