Page 56 of Be My Reason

He takes a deep breath. “It was her.She caused the fight.” He sighs. “Then a few months later I found her in bed—our bed—with a ball player. Turns out it wasn’t me she wanted. She just wanted the life of a ball player’s wife.”

Tears are flowing freely from my eyes, dripping onto his bare chest.He pulls my head up to see how wrecked I am. “Don’t cry, baby,” he says.

“But that was the one thing you wanted more than anything in life,” I stutter.

“Not more than anything, Brooklyn.” He takes me into his arms, kissing away my tears. “I’ve been thinking a lot about it this week. If I hadn’t gotten in that fight, I wouldn’t be here with you. I think that is why I can finally talk about it. I lost baseball. But I have you. I feel like I’ve won the goddamn lottery.”

He crashes his lips into mine.

Chapter Twenty-one

Electric charges are shooting through my groin as I awake in the morning light. I rubthe sleep from my eyes and I realize that I am not having a dream, but that the man of my dreams is busy assaulting my thighs with his unshaven jaw causing me to writhe beneath him.

I reach down and tangle my fingers in his hair, drawing him closer to my center as he draws me closer to my orgasm.I’m so close.How long has he been at this?My tension mounts, begging for release as I whimper, “Please . . . don’t stop.”

I feel his smile against my hot, swollen flesh.He reaches a hand up and rolls my nipple between his thumb and finger bringing that ache of pleasure that causes me to lose all sense of reality when my orgasm comes crashing down. My walls tighten and pulsate around his fingers.

He slowly climbs up my body, kissing my stomach, my breasts, my neck.Sensation overwhelms me. “God Nate, I love y—” I stiffen. “Uh . . . I l-love it when you do that,” I stutter.

Oh God, oh God, oh God.Did I almost just say that? Does he know that I almost just said that?

“Mmmmm,” he murmurs in my ear, unaware of my almost-declaration. “I love it when I do that, too. You taste like vanilla . . . always vanilla.” He licks at my shoulder as he pushes his impressive length into me.

His hand comes around under my back and he raises my behind up to meet him. His lips possess mine as we moan panted whimpers into each other.Fire ignites in my belly once again as he twists himself to rub against that sweet spot at the front of my tight walls.

“You’re mine, Brooklyn,” hesays, panting. “Say you’ll always be mine.”

“Yes, yours. . . forever,” I mutter into the crook of his neck.

He reaches a hand down between us, sending ripples running through every nerve of my body as Irise up and then come crashing down, squeezing his hard shaft with the waves of my second orgasm. Seconds later he is crying out my name in the sweet agony of his own release.

He lays on me and we breathe each other in while we recover from another round of incredible, life-affirming sex.He kisses me tenderly as he pulls out of my body and moves to my side. We lie on our backs, holding hands in the most comfortable silence I’ve ever experienced. He squeezes my hand and I smile.

He brings my hand to his mouth and kisses every finger individually. Then he feathers kisses along my scar.“Quid pro quo?” He looks at my scar and then over at me with a raised brow.

It’s only fair that I tell him about my scar; it wasn’t nearly as traumatic as his own. But it was the day I met Michael which makes my heart hurt a little. I put my head on his chest. I’m not sure I want him to see my face as I tell him the story. I haven’t told it to anyone since Michael died and I’m scared that it might take me back to darker places.

I surprise myself when I’m able to get through the entire story with not so much as a tear. I even find myself smiling and drawing laughs from Nate when I tell him about Dr.Cockblocker.

“So, that’s why I never see you wearingbracelets. You are afraid they will catch on the oven again causing you another burn,” he says, absentmindedly studying my wrist.

“Yes.It’s a shame because I have a jewelry box full of them.”

“Thank you for telling me.” He kisses my wrist again and pulls me out of bed with him. “Shower,” he demands.

“Really?Haven’t you had enough yet?” I ask.

“Brooklyn, I waited over two years.I have a lot to make up for.” He runs his eyes up and down my naked body. “And I willneverget enough of you.”

~~ ~

I can hardly contain my excitement, knowing my best friend will walk through the door to our apartment in just a few minutes. It’s been weeks since I’ve seen her and the last time she was here, we didn’t exactly get quality girl time.

Nate is psyched to see Graham as well.We moved all of Nate’s things into my bedroom last week, leaving Emma’s old room ready for them. The only thing Nate left in her room was his drafting table. He uses the room as an office so he doesn’t bother me when he is working.

As if watching him work would ever be a bother. It’s more like an aphrodisiac.He’s always biting his lip and running his hand through his hair while sketching. It’s sexy. Sometimes I stand in the doorway and watch him. Not surprisingly, we always manage to make love whenever he gets done working.

“Ahhhh!” I hear Emma scream as she pushes through the door, drops her bag on the floor and hurdles herself at me.

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