Page 81 of The Chemistry of Us

Sleeping.

Peaceful.

Beautiful.

Her head was on my pillow, and she was wrapped in a throw blanket.

She wasn’t mine and never would be, yet I couldn’t stop myself.There was no resisting the urge to feel her beneath my body. Careful not to wake her, I lay on top of her and caged her in with my arms around her face. She fit seamlessly against my chest.

“Cinderella,” I whispered, faintly rubbing my lips on her mouth.

“Mmm…” she groaned, stirring awake.

“Wake up, Sleeping Beauty.”

Her eyes fluttered, but sleep won out. We needed to talk, but from the looks of it, she wanted nothing to do with anything but sleep. She wouldn’t betray me, would she? She was the only solid thing I had right now. I needed her to stay that way. I needed it so bad I could barely breathe.

“Tru, if you wake up, I’ll give you anything you want,” I teased.

“Mm-hmm,” she hummed as I kissed my way down her neck.

Once I reached the top of her breasts, I lightly bit her hard nipple through her dress. Her breathing hitched, and her eyes snapped open, big and wide. Coming face-to-face with the last person she expected to see hovering above her.

The world seemed to stop spinning, stop moving, and time just sort of stood still for us.

Her warmth.

Her comfort.

Her love.

Home.

Despite the dim lighting in my room, I could still see her bright green eyes grasping our compromising position.

“How did you get in here?”

“I was waiting for you.”

The house was still filled with party guests.

My demons might have been silenced by her presence, but hers was lying right on top of her. She searched for something in my gaze, narrowing her eyes. So many words left unsaid between us, but right now, I think we both just needed the love and comfort of each other. I’d give her one more chance to tell me everything. One more.

“I must have fallen asleep. I was waiting for you,” she finally said.

She placed her hand over my heart. “Please don’t push me away. Just let me in.”

“I’ve let you in so much I don’t know how to kick you out.” It was the truth.

Almost immediately, my mind battled my heart, raging a war I never had a chance to survive. Her innocence and vulnerability were eating me alive, swallowing me whole. There was no denying our connection.

“You’re lying beneath me. It’s all I need right now.” I smiled, rubbing my lips against her mouth. “Do you have any idea how fucking beautiful you are?”

She blushed.

“Your eyes. They show me everything I need to know. It’s your laugh, your smile, your heart, the way you can see through my bullshit—it’s what really takes ahold of me.”

She mischievously smirked. “See through it or put up with it?”

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