Page 120 of Never Enough

When she got upstairs, she flew out the front door, but Nemo was nowhere to be seen.

It was late, and there were few cars in this neighborhood at this time of the night, but the streets were well-lit. There wasn’t a single person in any direction.

“Shite. Where the bloody hell did you go?” She looked up and down the street. Running a hand through her hair, she blew out a frustrated breath. This couldnotbe how they said goodbye. Not this time.

A seagull landed on the fence across the street. She smiled. “You can run, but you can’t hide, burglar boy.”

46

SEPTEMBER 27, 2022

Nemo

He was back at the pier, one foot braced on the lowest rung of the wooden fence, leaning on his forearms, hands clasped in front of him. Scheherazade was down in the surf chasing a crab.

This was the exact same spot they’d been before he’d whisked Gem down the beach and made love to her in one of the bathing huts. It had been the hottest sex of his entire life. Not because of where it had been or even what they’d done but because of the woman herself. No one responded like her. No one gave as good as she got like her. No one destroyed him and put him back together like his sugar cat, and no one ever would.

“Fuck,” he cursed softly, hanging his head. It was day nineteen. Steel’s projection on the bet. His friend was going to lose the bet, which didn’t happen often. Nemo had thought he was nuts anyway, but it appeared he wasn’t even going to get thethirty days he had put on the board. Tomorrow, she’d be off and running away from him again.

“Nemo?”

His head raised and turned in the direction of the breathless voice. She wasn’t smiling, nor was she running to him, so he didn’t for one second believe she’d changed her mind and was going to stay.

You didn’t exactly ask her to stay, though, did you?

Was it that easy? Just ask her? Somehow, he didn’t think it was. This was about saying goodbye since she knew how much her ducking out on him the previous two times pissed him off.

He stood up straight and turned, leaving one arm leaning on the top fence rail, the other dropping down to his side.

She approached slowly until she stood just within his arm’s reach, but she said nothing. He could gather her up, hold her tight, and beg her to stay with him.

He heaved a heavy breath. There was nothing else for it.

It’s time to stand on your own, Sawyer.

“Do you remember when you asked me why the lift code was zero-seven-zero-five-one-six?” he asked.

“Yes. You said it was the most important date in your life.”

“It wasn’t an exaggeration. You were the ultimate thief. You stole my heart the moment I saw you. After that first time we were together, I hoped we’d run into each other again one day. I knew, beyond the shadow of a doubt, one night with you was never enough.”

His eyes roved her face, noting all the little qualities he loved about it. Her wide blue eyes. The tattoos along her hairline. The tiny hoop nose ring and the labret piercing, balancing out below. Her soft skin. Her plump lips. The dimple in her chin. That rebel curl that fascinated him and defied him at every turn. Just like her.

He let go of the rail and took a single step closer, bringinghis hand up to grasp hers. He pulled her close, kissed her palm, then held it tight to his chest. Oddly, he thought he would have to take a big breath to say his next words, but they came out free. Easy. Because they were the only words he could say, and he wanted to say them.

“You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, Gem. You’re like the statue at the Borghese. You know, the one of Daphne escaping Apollo.” His other hand caressed her face as he spoke. “Your skin, all alabaster and smooth. Your curls, wild and untamable. I feel like I’m your Apollo, always chasing, always reaching. But no matter what I do, it’s never enough to keep you by my side.”

“Is that what you think? That I’m running from you?”

“Aren’t you?” he asked. He drew a fingertip across an eyebrow and down her cheek to the corner of her mouth. “Every fuckin’ time I get close, you run. Am I right? Are you like Daphne? If I finally chase you down, wear you out, will you freeze and become something other than you are? Something I can only worship from afar?”

Gem’s eyes filled with tears. Suddenly, she lunged at him and dragged him by the arms into a half circle so that she was against the wooden pier. “Up!” she told him, lifting her arms so that her hands rested on his shoulders. Immediately, his hands went to her waist, and he lifted her as she did a short jump to set her ass on the rail, a grunt escaping him.

“Am I hurting you?”

“You’re destroying me. What do you think?”

“I meant your back.”

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