Page 137 of Better Late Than Never

“That’s all I want too.” I ran my fingers through his hair, my emotions threatening to break just from my own simple, affectionate gesture. “I love you, Connor.”

His smile almost brought me to my damn knees. “I love you, too.”

Then he drew me in and…

And…

Oh, my God.

I’d kissed plenty of men in my life. I’d always loved kissing. It was sexy as hell. Sometimes making out was even better than sex; what wasn’t to love about it?

But never—not once—had the touch of a man’s lips brought me home.

Holding Connor close, losing myself in that perfect, familiar kiss, I couldn’t begin to name all the emotions crashing through me. I wanted to cry just as much as I wanted to drop to my knees and make him come right here on this terrace. I wanted to laugh. I wanted to pull him into a crushing hug and just let myself feel all of these amazing and excruciating and perfect and confusing things all at once.

How was any of thisreal?How was it that the man I’d fallen for… had also fallen for me? Men didn’t fall for me. They didn’t hold me like this. They didn’t fight for me. They sure as hell didn’t kiss me like the taste of my mouth was everything they wanted in the world.

But Connor… did.

He had every reason not to, but here he was, telling me with his deep, gentle kiss everything he’d already spoken out loud. Assuring me that every word of it had been the God’s honest truth.

Connor loved me.

It didn’t matter how or why—he did.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “For freaking out and?—”

“Don’t be.” He cupped my chin and pressed a short, sweet kiss to my lips. “I know why you balked. I’m not angry. I just want to be with you.”

My eyes stung. How the hell had I ever believed this man didn’t feel something for me? “That’s all I want too. It just blows my mind that you think I’m worth it.”

“Alex. My God.” He kissed me again, letting it linger for a moment. “You’re worth that and then some.”

Fuck. He was going to make me cry for real.

I curved my hand behind his neck and tried like hell to kiss him like he’d kissed me—deeply, passionately, conveying all the love I’d never imagined feeling or deserving.

When we came up for air, he was as breathless as I was, so maybe I’d succeeded.

Panting as he touched his forehead to mine, he asked, “Any chance you want to move this into the bedroom?”

The arousal that zinged through me was intense, but it was the elation and relief that almost brought me to my knees. “Any chance you want to do more than sleep when we get there?”

Connor’s grin melted my spine.

And his kiss was yes, yes, fuck yes.

CHAPTER41

CONNOR

Imeant what I’d said to Alex—the novelty of a man’s body against mine had faded away alongtime ago. It was still sexy, of course, but there was no zing of“oh, wow, this is a man!”

Tonight, though, Alex’s naked body settling on top of mine gave me a rush I couldn’t even describe. Not because he was a man—because he was Alex. Because this man I loved more intensely than I’d ever thought possible was here. Kissing me. Holding me.Hardfor me.

When he went for my neck, I tilted my head back into the pillow and dragged my nails across his shoulders. “Oh my God…”

He shivered in my arms, then murmured, “I’m so sorry, Connor. About earlier. I’m so?—”

---