Page 45 of It Had to be You

of her heart in her ears. A building crescendo of sound and feeling that had her entire body trembling with need.

Once the door closed behind them, she turned and walked him back to the wall.

His eyes widened slightly until she touched her hand to his cheek.

He mirrored the movement, bringing his hand to her cheek and trailing his fingertips against

her temple. "Is this your way of asking me to stay?"

"I was hoping you’d want to. I knowIwant you to stay."

He took her breath away.

The look in his eyes.

The way his hand tunneled through her hair and his breath fanned across her lips. "I didn’t want

to assume anything. I wanted to ask. I wanted to stay the night and hold you."

She couldn’t help the smile that touched her lips. She’d wanted to ask him the same thing. She wanted to be with him, but she wasn’t quite ready for more physical intimacy. Not yet.

But the thought of Alexander holding her through the night?

She couldn’t think of a better outcome to the night. "Please,” she heard the breathy tone of her voice, “stay."

His gaze dropped to her lips, and she couldn’t help her instinctual response. Drawing her lower

lip into her mouth, she wet it with her tongue as she held herself back and slowly let it loose.

Alexander leaned in, slanting his lips across hers.

She’d been kissed by him, numerous times, but not like this.

His lips surged against her like waves along the beach, rocking her back, and then his

teeth plucked at her lower lip, holding her in place while his hands moved over her back, pulling her closer.

She heard his rough intake of breath and felt her own catch in her throat.

“One day,” his voice was a whispered promise, “I’m going to love you, all night long, Tatum. I’m going to worship you from head to toe.”

Sighing, she wrapped her arms around him and wondered if he could feel her heart pounding in her chest. “It’s going to be magic.”

His hands reached up and brushed her hair back from her face until they were looking deeply into each other’s eyes. “You, Tatum. You are magic.”

She closed her eyes and fought back tears. So many years she’d moved around and competed all over the world, enjoying the art of her profession, but she’d never had a true home.

She’d dreamt of finding a home and settling down.

Never once had she considered that home might end up being a person.

Alex.

He was quickly becoming that home that she wanted to settle down with, knowing thatsettlingwas the last thing she was doing.

CHAPTER 11

It was the last day and night of their cruise and while Alexander might have wanted to remain on board with Tatum, he knew they had to get off the ship, because the only thing he really wanted to do was cuddle up on either one of their beds and hold her tight. Soon enough, they’d be back in Florida and then it would be over.

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