Page 18 of Still Burning

I licked my lips nervously as my stomach went off in a case ofthe butterflies. We’d talked a lot the past two weeks, and we had also had sex a lot. But we hadn’t talked about the future. Mostly the now and working through the past.

“Is that where you see us going with things,” I said, unsure of what to say. I wanted to throw myself in his arms, sayYES, and then kiss him senseless, but I refrained.

He moved his sunglasses to his head, and those pale green eyes stared down at me with a determined gleam. “That’s where I’m going. I was hoping you were there with me. I’ve already lost eighteen years. I don’t want to lose a day more.”

My heart might burst, but it would be worth it. I felt my eyes burn, and a small laugh bubbled out of me. I didn’t mean to laugh, but when you were this happy, it was hard to contain it. “That’s where I’d like it to go too.”

His expression softened as he cupped my face with his hand. “No matter what happens, you’re it for me. You’ll always come first. I swear it.”

Did he think I was worried about the club coming before me? I understood that they’d become his family, and I wasn’t planning on ever coming between him and the Judgment.

“I want you to trust me again,” he continued. “I need to know you believe me and know that I’d never do anything to hurt you. I’m not the messed-up kid anymore. I’m a man who will fight for you.”

I did trust him. It might not be wise to trust him so soon, but even back then, had he explained and apologized, I’d have forgiven him. I loved him that much, and I wouldn’t be able to love someone the way I did him if I didn’t trust him.

“I do,” I replied.

He inhaled, causing his nostrils to flare, then let out a breath. “Good. Because I swear, you’re the center of every decision I make from now on.”

I smiled. “Don’t worry about me getting jealous over the club.If that’s what this is about. I won’t do that. I know it’s important to you.”

“Not as important as you.”

I wasn’t going to push this. I just nodded. “Okay.”

His hands went to my waist and tugged me closer to him. He didn’t say anything more as he bent his head, and his lips covered mine. The sunlight felt warmer, the sounds of the water rippling in the breeze were clearer, and my world was perfect. All because of Rome. He made it that way.

There was a hunger to his kiss, as if he couldn’t get enough of my taste. His hands gripped me tighter and pressed me against him. A deep growl was followed by his hands sliding down over my butt and jerking me up until my tiptoes barely brushed the ground.

“We’d better take this back to the clearing,” he said in a husky voice. “Don’t want to give the neighbors a show.”

He put me back down, clasped my hand, and began to stalk purposefully back through the trees. All the sensitive areas of my body were alert with anticipation. The primal glint in Rome’s eyes excited me, and thinking about him wanting me so bad that he was going to take me out here, in the open, where someone could drive up and catch us, made me shiver.

We were almost to the bike when he stopped and turned to me before reaching for the hem of my tank top and pulling it up and over my head. His eyes flared hotly, staring down at my breasts.

“Take off your bra.” His deep voice sounded like a command.

I reached around back and unhooked it, then let it fall down my arms before dropping it to the grass.

“Now the bottoms.” His voice was a little softer.

Unsnapping the shorts, I trembled slightly, but not from nerves. The desperate way he watched me made my knees weak. I’d do anything he asked as long as he was looking at me that way. I felt beautiful and sexy. He wasn’t sure I would do it by theway his eyes sparked with surprise when I started to push the shorts down, which made me grin.

To tease him, I hesitated at my panties, and his eyes flew from them up to my face in question, but he caught me grinning, and a dark smile curled his lips.

“You can do it, or I will, but the panties are coming off,” he warned me.

“I’m the only one undressing. Seems a little unfair.”

He cocked an eyebrow at me, then slipped his leather vest off and tossed it to the ground in front of me. “Put that on when you’ve got the panties off,” he said, then pulled his shirt over his head, letting it fall to the ground beside him.

I removed my panties while listening to the zipper on his jeans, then picked up his vest before straightening. He paused to watch me.

“Put it on. I want you naked and in my cut when I fuck you,” he said in a gravelly voice. “You’ve got no idea how many times I got off, thinking about you like that. Bent over with your hands on my bike while I sank into you.”

A tingle went straight to my core at the image he’d put in my mind, and I slipped the vest on, keeping my eyes on him the entire time. The muscles in his neck flexed, and the veins stood out. I wanted to go run my fingers over them.

“Mmm,” he hummed, looking pleased, then pushed his jeans and boxer briefs down at the same time.

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