Page 192 of Come Back to Me

I give him my full focus, knowing that I’ve lulled him in with the haunting, piercing notes from my oboe, combined with the violino piccolo dancing along until, finally, there’s a roar from my English horn that has his head jolting forward and his eyes widening.

“Holy shit!” he exclaims with a laugh, grin wide. “I didn’t expect that.”

I shrug. “Didn’t think you would.”

His smile looks like something I want to taste.

Because I’m apparently needy, I shuffle across the couch and straddle him before twisting to the side so I can settle in the crook between the armrest and him.

His arm curves around me like this is the thousandth time we’ve done this, and I place my ear above his chest, wanting to hear his heartbeat in time to the music.

When his lips dance over my temple, I ask myself what the hell I’m doing.

You can’t keep a man like Cody Korhonen a dirty little secret forever, nor would I want to. I just need a moment to process.

Once upon a time, my instinct would have been to yell our relationship to the world. His ‘Dear John’ changed something in me.

He wouldn’t know that, but I can feel it. An insecurity that wasn’t there before. It’s like when you twist your ankle and it’s weak for months afterward. Only, I don’t want to be weak. I want to be strong. But it’s rough.

This is the first time I’ve ever had someone to cherish, someone who gets me and my quirks, someone who isn’t Zee or Parker.

This feels real.

And it would have been wholly wonderful if it weren’t for that goddamn letter.

When the harmony shifts from a haunted tone to a more upbeat one, I take note of his heartbeat again.

The crescendo builds differently this time, slowly but surely, approaching the point where I want someone lulled into another false sense of security.

There’s a bluff and he falls for it—at least, his heart tells me he does.

Loosening up, he relaxes into the cushions, then the cacophony of all the sections combining pierces the air and has him half-sitting and taking me with him.

When, twenty seconds later, the music cuts off and a slower-building track commences, he flops back into the couch. “Holy fuck. That was like a roller coaster ride.”

I smile into his shirt. “Do you like roller coaster rides?”

“I’m a fighter pilot. Bet your ass that was how I got my kicks when I wasn’t allowed to fly!”

When he jerks me onto his lap, I yelp but straddle him. He isn’t rocking an erection. (Yet.) But this way, I can literally look into his eyes andseehis excitement.

“Damn,” he praises. “That was fire. I could totally see that being used in an action scene, couldn’t you? The good guys keep thinking they’ve made it, only for the enemies to get in their way.”

“It’d be a sad ending,” is all I say, failing at sounding cool when he dumps his can on the closest side table and presses his hands onto my hips.

“Yeah, the good guys definitely lost but what a ride. I think you should send that track for sure.” His eyes dance with excitement. “You’re really good at this, Tee. I knew you had to be. The music stuff—that’s a given.” He snags my hand and rests it on his thudding heart. “Feel that.Youdid that.”

His words are like sugar. Addictive and delicious.

Needing to taste that sweetness for myself, I dip down and press my lips to his mouth. He sighs into the kiss, letting me take charge. In the background, the volume of the current composition grows. It makes my blood rise. The adrenaline pumping from his praise as well as his appreciation.

To be understood is so. Damn. Hot.

I slip down his lap, wanting more contact.Cravingit. The second my pussy rubs over his dick, that erection I was missing earlier is back with a vengeance.

He groans against my lips then chases my tongue. It’s like a competition and there’s no winner apart from, ya know, both of us. And the way our hearts race syncs perfectly with the tempo of the track in the background. I love that I can feel his heartbeat. My fingers dig in and cling, loving that secret knowledge I have over him.

The desperate need for more overtakes me and I retreat, ignoring his growl when he chases my mouth. One second, I’m straddling his lap, the next I’m between his knees.

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