Page 7 of Keegan's Promise

I’ve spent most of my life taking care of Elodie, protecting her from our alcoholic father. I raised her when he couldn’t, because he couldn’t get out of his own way long enough to love the daughter who once idolized him. He put us through hell. Sometimes, that shit still haunts me.

What haunts Landry? What monsters has she faced?

Whatever they are, they won’t bother her again. I’ll handle them for her, making sure she wants for nothing, like I did for Elodie.

“Almost there, sweetness,” I murmur, brushing my lips across her temple as the elevator jolts into motion and she trembles against me again.

“Okay,” she whispers, pressing her face against my throat.

She’s so soft in my arms, so fucking sweet. I feel every curve pressed against me, turning my dick to steel. There’s something beautiful about the way her softness yields against me, cradling me everywhere our bodies touch. The feel of her against me is electric, sending currents straight to my cock.

I nuzzle her throat, breathing her in. Trying like hell not to press her up against the elevator wall to lick that scent from her skin…all the way down to her pussy. I already know that peaches and cream scent will be stronger there. So fucking delicious and wet for me.

“Fuck,” I groan against her throat, my hands flexing involuntarily against her waist. “You smell so fucking good.”

“So do you.”

My lips curve before I press a sweet kiss to her racing pulse. I flick that same spot with my tongue, chuckling when her heart races even faster.

She’s responsive as hell.

“Are you nervous?” I ask.

“N-No.”

The elevator shudders to a stop, and she startles, making me chuckle again. I lift my head, meeting her wide-eyed gaze.

“We don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do, sweetness. If you’d rather go back downstairs, we can do that.”

“No!” she says quickly, shaking her head. “I want to go with you, Keegan. I’m just…” Her shoulders bounce in an adorable shrug. “I’ve just never done this before.”

I grin, lacing our fingers together as we step out into the hall, but my fucking heart is pounding. I’m guessing bythis, she doesn’t mean she’s never met a man at a tattoo convention, let him ink her, and then take her back to his room. I’m guessing she means any of this. Landry is a virgin.

Why the fuck does that make me nervous?

Maybe because this isn’t something I do, either. I don’t pick up random women and invite them back to my hotel room. I haven’t even been on a goddamn date in years. And I don’t want to hurt her. I want to fucking worship her, give her a million reasons to decide she wants to stay right here with me. I’ve only got two days to convince her before the convention ends, and I fly back to Silver Spoon Falls.

I want her on that plane with me.

We step off the elevator into the hall. Landry peeks around her like a shy little flower, taking it all in. Has she never been in a hotel like this before? Fuck. Probably not.

I watch her from the corner of my eye as we stroll toward my room. She glances at the stairwell, not like she’s ready to sprint away, but almost like she’s trying to memorize where it is.

Christ. What’s she running from?

Now isn’t the time to ask, but I want to do it. I need her trust first, need her to believe that I’ll protect her. We aren’t there just yet. Letting me ink her was one thing. But giving up her secrets? That’s a whole new ballgame. One I’m guessing I’m going to have to work my ass off to win. She’s too jumpy, too afraid.

We draw to a stop outside my room. I gently tip her chin up, searching her gaze. She stares right at me, those green eyes wide…full of certainty. I see the nerves in her gaze, too. But she isn’t second-guessing herself.

She’s a brave little flower.

I smile, brushing my lips across hers as I pull the keycard from my pocket.

“Keegan,” she whispers.

I groan, fumbling to get the damn door unlocked when all of my attention is on her and the way she says my name. The way she whimpers and presses up against me, her lips slightly parted like she’s begging for me to kiss her again.

The door clicks as I sink into her, growling at the way she trembles against me and whimpers again. My tongue flicks hers, teasing it out to play. She kisses me like she’s never been kissed before, and something about that is so fucking sexy to me.

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