Page 56 of Ticket to You

Standing tall, I pull Adam’s face to my own. The knot in my chest releases and frays throughout my body, filling my veins with a delightful mixture of emotions: happiness, gratitude, but most of all, want. Purewant.

“I missed you, Ophelia.”

I’ve never loved the sound of my name more than when Adam murmurs it against my lips. My hands move to his chest, pressing against his sturdy frame, and he grips my waist, urgency pulsing through his fingers. I’ve been waiting all day to kiss him, to push deeper, fuller, craving the feeling of his breath against my tongue.

Adam moves his mouth down, following the line of my neck to the hollow of my throat, then back up to my ear. Taking advantage of the space, I attempt to steady my ragged breathing. But Adam pulls me tighter to him, molding my body against his, and my breath catches in my throat.

I grab fistfuls of Adam’s hair. “I spent three months avoiding seeing you at all costs, and now I can’t go a day without aching for you. How is that possible?”

“Well,” Adam says, bringing his mouth back to mine, “I can’t relate in that regard. Ever since the night we met, I was hoping I’d see you again.”

Adam’s hungry kiss makes my vision go fuzzy around the edges, and I close my eyes, a moan slipping through my lips. Adam’s fingers dance around the hem of my blouse before he slides his hands under my shirt. His fingers are still rain-soaked and freezing, and the feeling of them against the bare skin of my hip sends a shiver through me.

I knot my fingers into Adam’s hair, physically holding us apart so I can have the mental clarity to form coherent sentences. “I’ve been thinking… Even with all of the unknowns waiting for us when we get back to New York, I don’t want to put this off any longer. I want to be with you.”I want to be loved.

The air between us hums with anticipation as he moves closer, our breaths mingling in a heady mix of desire and hesitation. Our lips meet again, this time in a tentative kiss, soft at first, then growing more urgent, more hungry. His mouth melts against mine with a fire that leaves me breathless.

“I can't get enough of you,” he whispers, his voice low and husky.

“Then don't.”

We both reach for the buttons of Adam’s shirt and fumble to get them undone until he’s finally standing in front of me, broad and strong. The shadows of the evening emphasize the defined planes of his chest. I’ve seen him shirtless multiple times on this trip, but this is something else entirely, knowing that I don’t have to avert my eyes or act as though I’m not thoroughly impressed by his frame. I stand back a foot so I can take him in fully, but Adam can’t handle that for long before he’s coming back to me, hungry for my touch.

I can feel my heart pounding as he slips my shirt off and wraps me in his arms. His hands roam down my back and I let out a shuddering sigh, feeling the warmth of his skin against mine. Our eyes lock and I'm lost in their blue depths. They sparkle with something I can't quite name.

The fire that has always been burning between us slowly builds into an inferno as we kiss hungrily, exploring each other with a newfound urgency and fervor. Adam steps us back until I’m sandwiched between him and the wall.

Our lips stay locked as his hands roam over my body, exploring every curve. The intensity between us is in overdrive from us both holding back for far too long.

With a fierce determination, Adam picks me up effortlessly and carries me to the bed with my legs wrapped around him. My heart races as we fall onto the pillowy mattress.

I see him watching me, observant as always. He studies how I move and moan under his touch.

“Do you like that?” he whispers periodically. And yes—yes—there’s no question about it.

Adam’s touch is electric, sending jolts of pleasure through every nerve ending in my body, and his name carries off my tongue in a continuous string.

30

ADAM

“You still haveyour question for the day,” I remind Ophelia.

She’s tucked against me, her back to my chest and her body fitting perfectly in line with mine. I wrap my arms around her, savoring the feeling of her heart still racing in her chest and her bare, soft skin pressing against mine.

Ophelia chuckles, kissing my bicep because it’s the closest thing to her. “Sorry. I’ve been a bit preoccupied, Adam.”

There’s the sound of my name on her tongue again. I’ve heard it dozens of times tonight in varying degrees of intensity and volume. Despite that, it sends a shudder through me.

For a while, Ophelia says nothing. Instead, we listen to rain pattering against the windows, the sound soothing and steady. The droplets create a hypnotic rhythm that threatens to lull us to sleep as we lie, bathed in the warm glow of the bedside lamp. Despite the storm outside, the room is a warm haven.

When Ophelia speaks, her voice is so quiet I almost can’t hear it over the rain. “I want to know what happens next.”

I take a few steadying breaths. “I wish I knew.” Pulling Ophelia’s hair to the side, I kiss her bare shoulder. “I don’t know what happens next. What I do know is I’ve never felt like this before.”

Ophelia sighs lightly. “Neither have I.”

“Hear me out. I know this will sound crazy, but if you are ever interested in writing for an indie magazine, maybe running your own fashion section in it, I happen to have a hookup.”

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