Page 94 of Tough Nut to Crack

She gives me a weak smile as if she still isn't ready to accept that these are all things that I want with her.

"When you wake up at three in the morning needing something to eat, I'll help you get ingredients out of the fridge," I assure her. "If you're craving dessert for dinner, then that's what we'll both have."

"That's ridiculous."

"I'd love nothing more than to sit on the sofa watching TV and eat an entire cheesecake with you right out of the pie plate."

"Savage," she mutters but her grin is growing.

"Only for you," I say, clasping her hand and pulling it to me to run down the front of my straining jeans. "I love your body, baby. Never doubt that."

I use my free hand to lift my t-shirt, resting her hand on my stomach.

"I know you love mine."

Her eyes grow a little hazy as she watches her hand running along the ridges of my abdominal muscles. How can she not see that her reaction to me is the very same reaction I have to her?

"Want to take me upstairs?" she asks, giving my body another long look before her eyes drift up to mine.

I shake my head, hating the way shadows threaten to darken her eyes.

"I want you right here," I say, taking another step closer to her.

"Here?" she asks, looking around the room.

I dip my head in a nod. "Right here."

I pull her against me, trapping her palm between our bodies.

"We don't have to have a plan for every second of every day," I assure her. "I want plans, don't get me wrong, but the spontaneity has its own appeal."

"I'm not complaining," she says. "I'm just worried about comfort."

"You won't be once we get started," I assure her, lowering my mouth to hers.

I absolutely love the way she clings to me and the way she lifts up onto the tips of her toes to get closer to me during our kiss. This part of what we have has never been a concern. I just know that I have to love her through all of it, the doubts, the struggles, the times when she doesn't feel worthy. I have to fight against the urge to beat the hell out of anyone who ever put those shadows into her pretty eyes, knowing that I played some part in what happened in high school.

I plan to spend the rest of my life making up for the mistakes I made when I was too immature and too selfish to know that what I was doing to protect myself was hurting her.

We've lost so much time, but there's no better time to start making amends than the present.

Chapter 39

Riley

How is it possible that all my dreams are coming true on the same day?

I have a real chance to make my business successful without having to leave town.

The man I've always craved is telling me he loves me and wants a forever with me.

It all feels too good to be true, as if none of it is real, but the warmth of his palms on my skin tells me otherwise.

"I have so much to tell you," I say when he breaks our kiss and begins to run his lips down my neck.

He pauses, his breath rushing past his lips as if he has run a marathon.

"Baby," he says, a hint of frustration in his tone, and it makes me smile.

---