Page 16 of Sexy Claus

“Humor me.” He climbed out before she could argue and stalked around the front end to help her down. “Give me your hand. There’s a big crack in the blacktop below the running board.”

She glanced at him with something that resembled fear.

Why was everything so damn difficult between them now?

Swallowing the urge to give up, he reached out to her. “I was also hoping we could talk.”

“We talked while we were eating.” The set of her jaw reminded him how she would resort to logic whenever they’d disagreed about even the smallest thing.

He sucked in a deep breath and took the biggest chance of his life. “We’ve never talked about why I couldn’t go with you.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Didn’t.”

“What?” He waited for her to explain the confusing retort.

“Didn’tgo with me, not couldn’t.” Judging by her tone, her hackles were raised and extra stabby.

“How wouldyouknow since you didn’t let me tell why Icouldn’t?” Out of patience, he scooped her up, shoved the door closed with his hip, and marched along the sidewalk to the steps.

“Put me down.” Her low growl might’ve scared a guy who didn’t know she wouldn’t hurt a fly.

When she tried to wiggle free, he tightened his hold on her. “After you agree to have a conversation with me about this. I’m tired of wondering what the hell happened that you wouldn’t give me five minutes to tell you my mom had been diagnosed with cancer.”

She froze, the fight going out of her in an instant. “Oh my god, is she okay? She didn’t…”

He lowered her to the porch floor and lit up the doorknob and deadbolt with his phone’s flashlight, but he readied his booted foot in case she tried to close the door in his face. “Unlock it. I’ll answer you once we’re inside.”

“You know I can just ask Brenna.” After a few seconds of fiddling with her key, she turned the knob and motioned for him to go first. A lamp came on in the living room when she swept her hand along the wall.

“Are you ready to tell her our history? Because she’ll figure it out. She’s smart like that.” He grasped her hand, tugged her in behind him, and closed out the cold. The same electrical charge zapped his fingers, even though he was prepared for it. “Mom’s been cancer-free since about a year after the diagnosis. The doctor caught it early. Still, I was scared to death. I needed to be here, and you wanted me to leave. What was I supposed to do?I’d always known I could depend on you, but then you walked away. I felt like you abandoned me.”

Finally being able to share his side of the story and to let her know how deeply she’d hurt him brought relief. The flash of grief on her face didn’t bring the satisfaction he’d hoped it would.

She wilted against him, all the indignation and hostility gone. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

Her body molded to his as he wrapped his arms around her. The simple apology cleared away the haze he’d lived in for so long, and he tucked a finger under her chin to meet her gaze. Words of forgiveness stuck in his throat at the sight of her parted lips. Unable to resist, he pressed a gentle kiss to the mouth he’d loved to worship.

She chased him when he eased back, dragging him closer for another light touch and then another.

He cupped her cheek and surrendered to a deeper kiss, tangling his tongue with hers. She tasted sweet from the bite of churro she’d eaten for dessert, but the kiss was an irresistible combination of pure sin and absolute heaven. How many times had he dreamed of this moment?

Too many to count, that was for damn sure.

Her fingers tunneled under his shirt, singeing the skin she made contact with a few inches above his button fly. His dick hardened in the snug confines of his jeans. It wasn’t in the mood for teasing. Then she palmed his length, pouring fuel on the raging fire she’d lit.

He broke the kiss and buried his face in her neck. “I missed you.”

When he nibbled a path to her ear, she arched closer. “I need to feel you.”

A groan rumbled out of his throat as his cock pulsed in an attempt to give her what she wanted, what they both wanted. He hoisted her off the ground and carried her down the darkhall to her bedroom, where they’d fumbled through gifting their virginity to each other at seventeen.

Thin slivers of light filtered through the closed blinds, casting shadowy stripes across the twin bed he aimed for. He lowered her to the comforter, switched on the lamp, and stripped off the layers above his waist.

Her sweater, leggings, and everything underneath landed on the floor while he removed his boots. She stared up at him with her smooth skin and soft curves on full display.

Breathtaking.

He swallowed the compliment, not wanting to do anything to break the spell they’d created.

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