Page 179 of Between Hate and Desire

“So you’re not internally freaking out about us right now?” I ask, studying her.

“Well, yes. But I’m also self-conscious about my body and what you’ll see.” There’s a faint blush on her cheeks, and I hate that she feels that way.

“Why would you ever worry about that? I saw you give birth, remember?”

“Hunter!” She playfully swats at my chest, and I catch her wrist, then pull her closer until she’s pressed against my chest.

“You are beautiful,” I tell her slowly. “Every part of you, in and out. You don’t need to worry about anything else.”

Her shoulders relax as she sighs. “You deserve perfection. My stomach looks like lumpy mashed potatoes. My boobs are leaky sandbags. I still have baby weight to lose. My thighs kiss when I walk. My vagina is probably ruined. Not to mention, the stretch marks. They’re hideous.” Her eyes are so sad and serious. I’d do anything to make her feel as gorgeous as I see her every day.

“I know for a fact that’s not true,” I say, my thumb gripping her chin. “But even if it were, I’d love every lump, stretch mark, imperfection, and more because you birthed a beautiful baby girl, and that’snothingto be ashamed of.”

She swallows, then nods. “Okay.”

Her eyes scan down my bare chest as she sucks in a breath. “This would be much easier if you were covered in warts or something.”

Laughing, I release my hold on her. When she reaches for the hem of her shirt and pulls it off, revealing herself to me, I’m too shocked to breathe. She’s in a sexy pair of panties and a bra that leaves nothing to the imagination.

“Christ, Lennon,” I growl, biting my lower lip to hold myself back. “I want to fuckingdevouryou.”

Her eyes light up as she nods. “Yes,please.”

I lower my mouth, then stop when our lips brush. “But first…” I pause, putting more space between us. “I need to hear you say it.”

“Say what?” she whispers.

“How much you want me, this—us.I need to hear you say it because, after all this time, I have to know for sure you want it as much as I do.”

“Okay, fair enough,” she says, then straightens her spine. “Hunter Manning, I can’t pinpoint the exact moment my feelings changed for you or when they shifted because it happened over time. I didn’t even realize I was fighting the way I felt. I thought I could happily live like this, be your friend, and have you all to myself. But that was a lie because the thought of losing you, seeing you with another woman, and watching her touch you made me want to vomit. It took a lot to finally come to terms with these feelings, but make no mistake…” Her chest rises and falls quickly, my heart pounding so hard she can probably hear it. “I am ridiculously, madly, desperately in love with you. And I want you. If you’ll have me, I. Want. You.”

Fuck. I’m two seconds away from getting on my knees to thank the big guy above. Never in a million years did I think Lennon would say those words to me.

I smirk, loving how vulnerable and raw she’s being with me.

“Now…was that so hard?” Deciding to mess with her, I look at my wrist as if I’m checking my watch and smile. “I mean, about damn time, woman.”

Lennon shakes her head and bursts out laughing, the sound going straight to my dick but easing all of my nerves. God, I want her so damn badly.

Fuck it.

Cupping her face, I pull her lips to mine and devour her mouth. This kiss is the most real kiss I’ve ever had—no doubts, no questions, no insecurities.

My cock presses into her stomach, and the more she rubs against me, the harder it gets. I want Lennon more than I want air, butshit.

When I pull back, our heavy breathing sounds between us as I lean my forehead against her.

“There’s one little problem,” I murmur, arching my hips.

Lennon looks down. “I wouldn’t say it’s little…”

That causes me to laugh. “Um, thanks? But I was talking about condoms. I-I don’t have any,” I say cautiously. “I tossed them out months ago and didn’t think I’d need them anytime soon.”

“Oh,” she says, finally realizing what I’m saying. “Have you always used one?”

“Always. No exceptions,” I tell her honestly.

“Okay, well…your odds of having kids are low, and I got tested after I found out my ex cheated on me. They also took a thousand blood samples during my pregnancy to test for everything under the sun.” I know she started dating Brandon after that and has only had two sexual partners.

---