Page 84 of I'm Not in Love (I Promise)

“The necklace,” he says. “You found my box.”

I wrench my eyes open. “You knew?”

“Falin told me while you were asleep. Blake,” he starts. “I could come up with some bullshit excuse for why I did it. Icould lie and say I wasn’t thinking, or I didn’t mean to take the necklace. But I won’t. I want to be honest with you.”

He stands and paces the length of the bench. “Go on,” I say.

“I took the necklace because I was jealous. I needed to possess the object that you cherished above all else. I watched you for a while. I think you already know that. I saw how you always touched it when you were deep in thought, or nervous, or scared. You’d play with that little heart on the chain with a wistful look in your eyes and… I don’t know, Blake. I needed to claim a piece of you. I couldn’t resist. I didn’t know it was your brother’s at the time or maybe I would have felt differently. Everything else—the perfume, the underwear, the photos. They were all ways to keep you tethered to me.” I stare at my coffee cup, digesting his words. “Say something, please,” he pleads.

“I don’t know what to say. That’s super messed up? You have issues? I’m upset with you? Honestly, I have no idea how to respond.”

He sits so we’re face to face and wraps his hands around mine. “None of that is news to me. I know what I am. But Blake, I’ve been showing you who I am from day one. Don’t forget that. You told me once you love all the fucked up sides of me, remember? Or did you only say that because my cock was inside you?”

“What the hell?” I whisper. “You can’t say stuff like that out here.”

He lets out a deep rumbling chuckle and raises his brow. “Why not? We’re alone. I could fuck you right here on this picnic table and no one would ever know.”

My cheeks heat at the thought of him bending me over this table, the weathered wood splintering my naked skin. “Absolutely not.” Rolling my lip between my teeth, I add, “And that’s not why I said what I said.”

“What? I can’t hear you.” He knows exactly what I said, he’s just being a teasing ass.

“I didn’t say I love those parts of you just because we were being intimate,” I hiss through gritted teeth.

“Don’t be shy now. I’ve heard your dirty mouth before. You can say fucking, Blake. When we were fucking like two starved animals.” He’s so damn smug, I could slap him. I would but I bet he’d love it. “Does that turn you on? Your pretty cheeks are pink.” He lowers his voice to a deep hum. “The same color as your perfect cunt.”

My eyes flutter closed and I force controlled breaths into my nose.Think of anything else, Blake. Do not let him get to you.“Back to our conversation. I need to know that I can trust you or we’ll never work. I can handle a lot, and I wasn’t lying when I said I like the way you are?—”

“Like? I believe the correct word was love.”

I roll my eyes and huff a breath. “Fine… I love the way you are, but?—”

“No buts, you love the way I am. You love how possessive I am. How I make you nervous and excited at the same time. You love how I’ll always put you first, even before myself. How I worship every single inch of your body. You love who you are when you’re with me. Fuck, Blake, just say it.”

“What do you want me to say?” I yell. Once I start, it feels so good, so freeing, I can’t stop. I stand on the bench and toss my head back. “You want me to say that I fucking love you, Damon? Is that what you’re waiting for? Well, fine! I love you, okay? And maybe I’m scared of what kind of person that makes me.”

My chest is heaving as I meet his gaze. I watch a slow smile spread across his lips, his dimples appearing. He reaches for my face with trembling hands, cupping my cheeks. “It makes you mine.”

Our lips crash together in a tangle of teeth and tongues, like we’re trying to breathe every one of our emotions into each other. The way he sucks my lip and claims my mouth has me weak and shaking.

He pulls back for a moment, nuzzling my neck and kissing his way to my earlobe. “I love you, Blake. I’ve loved you from the moment I set eyes on you and will love you until I take my last breath on this earth.”

Our mouths meet again with matching urgency. His hands climb up my shirt, palming my breasts and ghosting over my hard nipples. My skin is electric under his fingertips, sending bolts of desire straight to my core. I suck his bottom lip, nibbling playfully, before saying, “Close your eyes.”

He lets out a hummed chuckle. “I like when you’re bossy.”

Peppering kisses down his neck, I reach the shell of his ear and whisper. “Count to ten, and then come find me.”

“Fuck.” He draws out the word in the most delicious way. I plant one last kiss across his lips, and run toward the copse of trees behind us like my life depends on it.

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

DAMON

“You better run, Blake!”I yell into the wind. How the hell did I get so lucky? She fucking loves me. I can die a happy man now. To see her being playful like this, after what she just went through is truly something. I’m in awe of her—her strength, her resilience, her spirit. She doesn’t even fully grasp the gravity of my infatuation, but I’ll make sure she learns.

I count to ten, then grab my mask from the glove compartment, for old times sake. I’m already hard and aching for her as I take slow, steady steps into the woods. Adrenaline courses through my veins, causing my pulse to pound with anticipation.

“I hope you’re ready for me,” I shout into the shrouded mass of trees. My voice echoes off the bare branches, sending a few birds fleeing.

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