Page 45 of SEAL'S Secret Vows

I gently push him further into the bed, stripping him of his clothing, feeling his heartbeat quickening under my touch.

He gazes deeply into my eyes and slowly takes the towel off. I bite my lip unable to rein in my desire for this man. He brushes my hair away from my face pulling me close to him. He’s waiting for me to initiate the first move. I trace his v-line, teasing him for a bit, light touches here and there. His arms stay planted by his sides, his eyes watching my every move, waiting patiently. I lift myself up and lower myself on top of him, grinding slowly, while taking my time to explore every inch of him, every curve on his body.

Our eyes lock as we lose ourselves in the depths of passion, the troubles we faced earlier forgotten for now. He holds me in a gentle caress for a while before propping his head on a pillow.

“I think we need to talk,” Chase begins, his voice low but steady. “About where we go from here.”

My heart races, unsure of what he wants me to say. “I didn't think this was going to happen,” I murmur, breaking the silence.

“But we need to figure things out.”

I nod, knowing that this conversation has been inevitable ever since that day at the cabin. “Yeah, you're right. It's time we figure out what we want.”

He takes a deep breath, searching for the right words. “I don't want to rush into anything, but... I can't deny how I feel about you, Nora.”

His confession sends a shiver down my spine, and I meet his gaze with the same intensity. “I feel the same way, Chase. But we can't ignore the reality of our situation right now. We're pretending. How would this even end?”

He reaches out and takes my hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “We don't have to know all the answers right now. We can take it one step at a time.”

“We can. I think we should give it a try at least.”

His eyes meet mine. His expression is filled with a mixture of uncertainty and longing. “Me too,” he admits, his voice barely above a whisper. “But now that it's out there, I can't ignore it.”

“Chase, I…” I begin, my voice faltering as I search for the right words.

But before I can finish, he reaches out, taking my hand in his. “Let’s sleep now.”

I breathe out, nodding with a sigh of relief.

As much as I want him, it’s all happening so fast, and the adrenaline of today is making my head spin.

I know how I feel.

I know that I’m falling for him.

Now I just have to be brave enough toletmyself fall.

As I start to nod off, all I can think is that if I ever needed someone to teach me how to be brave, it’d be Chase.

Chapter seventeen

Chase

Iopen my eyes to see Nora staring at me, her fingers a fraction away from my cheek.

“You're finally awake,” she says softly, her voice filled with relief.

I try to sit up, but a sharp pain shoots through my side, reminding me of the ordeal we just went through. “When did you wake up?” I ask, my voice hoarse.

“A few minutes ago.” She traces my stubble lightly and tilts my head checking for swellings.

“You look better than you did yesterday. Do you feel better, too?”

I reach out and take her hand, squeezing it gently. “I feel better, and I'm glad you're okay. Thanks for taking care of me,” I say, my heart swelling with gratitude. “I’m glad nothing happened yesterday.”

Nora gives me a small smile, her fingers intertwining with mine. “I'm just glad we're both alive,” she whispers.

“We still have to talk about what happened,” I say, my voice steady despite the fear gnawing at my insides. “We need to know our next move. Those guys are up to no good.”

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