Page 51 of Silent Is The Heart

My breath catches at the sound of my intuition coming true so quickly, so I cover it with sarcasm. “Damn. Kicking me out that fast?”

“You told me an hour ago that you should head home because you have to open and catch up on bookkeeping tomorrow. I don’t want to be responsible for keeping you from your business responsibilities, but if I lie here next to you any longer, I’ll fall asleep and not be able to kiss you goodnight.”

Well, when he puts it that way. Sitting up, I reach for my pants and shrug into them. “Admit it. You just want to see me on my motorcycle.”

The way he clings so tightly to me that I can hardly breathe when we’re on it makes me feel needed. I didn’t know I’d like to be needed. It does all sorts of possessive things to me that are terrifying—like wanting to ask him if I can spend the night.

It’s the first time I fucked him. Usually, the first time is the last time. The thought of a last time with him is like a kick in the gut, though. I’ve officially obliterated my one-and-done rule. It was… God; I don’t even have the words.

“Want you,”he’d murmured urgently against my mouth when he pulled me up off his cock in the living room earlier.“Want you to fuck me.”

We probably looked like a blur racing to his room, ripping off the rest of our clothes. It was the perfect mix of sweet and ravenous. I’m embarrassed over how many times I fantasized about it, only to experience completely different emotions when it actually happened. Wolf was right—this is fucking me up, except I don’t know that I mind. For the first time, I wasn’t just fucking someone to get off. I was…present. I wasus. I hung onto each of his gasps and moans. Watching his every reaction made my heart feel like it was going to burst, knowing they were because of whatever he felt for me. I’m becoming addicted to the‘nice kind of fucking’.

Out in the living room, I shrug into my leather jacket by his doorway. He treads out of his room in his stocking-clad feet, tugging a sweatshirt over his head. My skin warms, eyeing the fine dusting of hair on his bare legs up to where his boxer briefs end. The backs of those legs are silky smooth and were just pressed against the front of mine while his body was hugging me like it was claiming my soul.

He’s right. Ishouldleave, because I want to drag him back in there and pull the blanket over our heads just to fall asleep next to him.

“What?” he laughs self-consciously, smoothing out his hair.

“Nothing. That’s a cute look on you.”

“Yeah. I’m designer runway material.” Cheeks going pink, he gives himself a once over, smoothing out his old sweatshirt before looking back up at me.

Suddenly, I’m no longer ashamed of my youthful infatuation or how long it lasted. How could anyone ever stand a chance at that smile of his?

Reaching out, I trace my thumb along his jaw. I reach to cup the back of his neck and pull him toward me. “I can’t help looking when you smile like that all the time.”

The kiss was a bad idea. The way his body instantly goes soft against mine when he wraps his arms around my neck has me determined to tell him that there’s a murderer on the loose, so it’s not safe for me to leave. I don’t get the chance, though.

“It’s kind of hard not to smile when your boyfriend is so sweet,” he murmurs in front of my lips.

The words reverberate in my heart like it’s an instrument, and he just strummed a chord on it. I’m frozen, unable to breathe.

“Sorry,” he whispers, his eyes scanning my face. “I guess I’m just emotional from the sex and…”

I cut him off, silencing his unnecessary apology with my mouth, pulling him tight against me. My pulse is racing from some ingrained instinct to flee, but I don’t want that instinct anymore. I don’t want him to take it back.

Boyfriend. Boyfriend. Boyfriend.With each pass of my tongue and lips, I sign the agreement until we have to come up for air.

Beaming, he traces the corner of my mouth and lets out a puff of laughter. “Okay, I’mnotsorry,” he amends. “Because now you’re smiling too.”

I try to bite it back, but my face isn’t cooperating, so I roll my eyes and give his ass a little swat. “Get some sleep,” I whisper, giving him a peck on the cheek.

Man, I’m a damn goner.

Opening the door, I try to keep my shit together, but can’t fight the urge to glance back when I step out onto his porch. I might have to pull out my old sketch pad and add the image of him leaning in the doorway, all sex rumpled, surrounded by the glow of the light from his living room.Because, yeah---of course, I kept that sketchpad.

“Youdidjust want to see me ride off on my motorcycle, didn’t you?” I tease.

“I can’t help it. You look sexy on it.”

As I hop on my bike and start the engine, I can feel my smile behind my helmet shield as he waves to me. I’m aboyfriend. Asexyboyfriend who’s being watched longingly as he pulls away. The title sounds promising, like a future where neither of us moves out of state. The warmth radiating through me accompanies me all the way home, along with the grin on my face.

Parking my bike in the garage behind the shop, I still feel the regret of leaving as I lock the door. He didn’t ask me to stay, but I assume it was because I foolishly mentioned I have to open in the morning. I only switched with Shannon so I can get out of here early enough to spend the whole evening withhim tomorrow. I’m pretty sure, though, if I’d stayed in his bed, he wouldn’t have protested about me sleeping over.

A few days ago, when we were falling asleep on his couch, he murmured, “You don’t have to leave, you know, if…you wanted to stay.”

It’s out of character for me, but I can’t find a reasonnot tostay next time. Damn. We’re actually doing this.MeandAaron. Myboyfriend. That has a hop in my step as I walk toward the exterior staircase behind the shop that leads up to my apartment.

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