Page 58 of The Double Play

“It might, but the difference now is I’m sure. Before, I was worried that I was risking too much without being certain. Now, I know what I want.”

Our eyes lock. My breathing becomes shallow.

“I wantyou, Wildflower. I want to eat chocolate chip pancakes in the morning and bring home strawberry matcha when you’ve had a bad day. I want to listen to your elaborate bedtime stories and then sit out here under the stars. I want to see you in the stands at my games and teach you about baseball so you know what’s going on.” She lets out a soft giggle. “I want you, Hazel. And I really hope you feel the same, otherwise I just made a huge mistake.”

Tears fill her eyes. I hope beyond hope that they’re happy ones.

“I’ve had a crush on you almost since the day I started. I told myself you’d never be interested in me.”

My heart swells to the size of the moon above us. “I’m sorry it took me so long to dispel that idea.”

She smiles as a tear falls onto her cheekbone. “I’ve heard you can’t rush this sort of thing.”

Love. She means love. It feels far too soon to say it out loud, but I think she’s on the right track.

I tug on her hand, but stay seated. She stands, as if unsure that’s what I want. With another gentle pull, I guide her to move in front of me before letting go of her hand to hold her waist. Without shifting her gaze from mine, she gathers my meaning and slowly sits in my lap. Her arms drape over my shoulders.

The moonlight frames her silhouette. I’m overwhelmed by the notion of getting to hold her in my arms. It feels like I’ve plucked a star out of the sky to keep.

“If I’m moving too fast,” I whisper and reach up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. She shivers. “Tell me. You just make it very difficult to hold back.” My knuckle traces her jawline. She sucks in a sharp breath.

“I don’t think–” Her voice catches. “I don’t think I know what it’s like to be wanted in that way.”

I cup her face. “Then allow me to show you.”

Chapter twenty-seven

Hazel James

Myheartisbeatingso hard I wonder if Emmett can hear it. He gently guides my face toward his. I close my eyes. The intensity of the moment is too much. I’m afraid I’ll do something to ruin it.

He brushes his lips against the corner of my mouth. I tense, the sides of my feet pressing against the outside of his thighs. His thumb traces soft, formless patterns on my cheek.

“Breathe, Wildflower,” he murmurs against my mouth.

I draw in a shaky breath. As soon as I do, he steals it away by pressing his lips to mine. All of me lights up like the sky above us. His beard softly scrapes my skin, sending delicious tingles all the way to my toes. I press closer, squeezing my legs around his. A low growl rumbles through his chest before his hand slides into my hair. He tugs softly. Our lips part for half a breath before they crash together again.

His other arm wraps around my waist, securing me to him. I’d thought kissing Emmett would be like floating, but it’s not. There’s nothing weightless about this moment. No, his touch is heavy. He’s gentle yet firm in every move he makes. He’s shelter from the storm, a warm coat when it’s cold out, the feeling of curling up beneath the covers after a long, hard day. A reminder thatI’m safe.Safe to simply be, knowing that he’s here to protect me.

The tip of his tongue traces my bottom lip, asking permission. My mouth parts without hesitation. He tastes like sweet mint and something uniquelyhim. My hands find their way to his hair as he explores my mouth. I rake my fingernails over his scalp, relishing in the groan my touch tears from him. There’s something addicting about knowing I affect him in this way.

Our kisses soon become feverish. My hands roam freely over his face, neck, and shoulders. I slip one hand beneath the collar of his shirt to feel the warmth of his skin. He breaks our kiss, and I worry I went too far.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper. “I shouldn’t have–”

He silences me with a fierce kiss. “I didn’t pull away because of that.”

“Then why?”

My answer comes when he tilts my head and presses a kiss below my ear.Oh.

“I was an idiot for waiting so long to kiss you,” he breathes against my neck. “I’m going to make up for that.”

He blazes an open-mouthed trail of heat down the column of my throat. When he kisses the spot where my neck meets my shoulder, a hum of pleasure slips through my parted lips. His teeth lightly drag over the same spot, making me gasp his name.

This time, when he pulls away, he doesn’t kiss me again.

“If we don’t stop…” he trails off, the heat in his gaze finishing his sentence for him.

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