Page 49 of The Lies We Told Ourselves

“I’ve got you, baby.”

Reece picked up her pace. The lazy roll of her hips took on an edge of desperation as she chased the next orgasm she was already so close to catching.

We were both covered in a sheen of sweat as we moved together. Nothing but a wave of carnal motion. My heart pounded in my chest so hard that I was sure she must have been able to hear it. To hear how it beat only for her.

A thought surged to the front of my mind, a declaration I had no business in making. Not yet. Not now. Reece and I had barely gotten to know each other, and I’d be out of my mind to blurt out those three little words right now.

Three little words I’d never said to anyone before.

There’d never been any other person who had gotten anywhere close to my heart before.

Not like she had.

The impossible girl I’d saved on the side of the road.

But there was no time to say any whispered words as we both careened over the edge, crying out each other’s names as we clung together tightly.

I watched in fascination, cataloging all the changes in her expression as she gave herself over to the euphoria sweeping through her body. And then, when I couldn’t take it anymore, my eyes closed, and I swept right along with her.

It was almost more pleasure than my body could handle, and it changed something inside. Something essential. Something primal.

I didn’t think I’d ever be able to let Reece go now.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

REECE

The food smelled incredible, but it did nothing to stop that nervous need to pace the kitchen or maybe throw up a bit.

Nope, I was not going to sit down to dinner with Booker and his family with the smell of puke on my breath.

Ugh, why did that make me want to throw up even more?

I looked up and caught sight of Booker leaning against the kitchen door frame, watching me with a soft smile on his face.

“You’re cute when you’re panicking,” he said.

“I’m not sure that’s the compliment you think it is. In fact, some people might even think it was a bit of a red flag.” I tossed the dishcloth I’d been twisting into knots into the sink and tried to look far more confident than I felt.

If there was one thing I knew about Booker, it was that he didn’t even remotely resemble a red flag. He might be the kindest and most honorable man I’d ever met.

And I wasn’t entirely sure what that said about my life choices up until this point. Not to downplay how amazing the man in front of me was. But really, why hadn’t I allowed myselfto be surrounded by good people before? Why did I put up with people who were content to make me feel less about myself?

Yikes, this really wasn’t where I needed my mind to be going when I was about to stand in front of Booker’s family and friends as his…girlfriend? Were we even ready to put a label like that on this?

Oh hell, now I’d gone and given myself a whole other thing to freak out about.

The sensation of Booker gently pinched my chin as he tipped back my head brought me back to my senses, and I stared up into his beautiful eyes.

There was nothing about this man that didn’t mesmerize me.

“Stop it. You’re perfect, and they’ll love you. You’ve met most of them already, anyway. You have nothing to worry about. If this is because you’re not ready to be around so many people, we can cancel. No one will mind.”

I leaned into his solid chest, taking a moment to soak in the feeling of safety that Booker’s presence seemed to give me now. He wrapped his arms around me and tucked my head under his chin.

Damn, he gave the best hugs.

“I know what you’re doing,” I whispered. “And you’re not using me as an excuse to get out of this.”

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