Page 40 of Ink Wars

“Leah,” he shouts, and my heart slams against my chest.

He lays his head on my stomach as we both try to catch our breath. After a few minutes, he stands up. He allows my legs to drop as he moves up my body and presses his lips to mine. This kiss is slow and soft, almost like an apology.

I run my hands up and down his solid back as he keeps his cupping my face.

When he pulls back, he stares down at me. “I don’t like sharing this either and now that I’ve had you, I don’t want anyone else to have you.”

I smile, moving my fingers into his soft hair. “No one has me, Corbin.”

“What about me?” he asks, rubbing his thumbs on my cheeks.

“What about you?”

He searches my eyes and I see uncertainty in them. Something I’ve never seen before.

“Do I have you?”

I tilt my head slightly and move my hands to his face. “Is that what you want?”

Part of me is hoping he says yes and part of me is wishing he’ll say no. I don’t know what I want here but I know I don’t want to be hurt and Corbin can hurt me.

No, he can destroy me.

“Yeah, princess, it’s what I want,” he whispers.

A laugh slips out of me and I quickly press my lips tightly together. His eyebrows dip as he searches my face.

“You hated me,” I say.

“I wanted you and now I have you,” he quickly replies.

That makes me close my eyes as I really think about it.

Has it always been want, and we just turned it to hate?

“Leah,” he whispers, and I slowly open my eyes. “Stop overthinking.”

“I’m not,” I say.

He chuckles and kisses my nose before standing and getting rid of the condom. I watch his spectacular body as he moves around the room. The soft light of the lamp shining on him, causing the devil I thought he was to appear angelic.

Maybe it was want this whole time.

I do something I never do and stop thinking. I do what feels good, what feels exciting. I do what I never in my life thought I’d do.

“Corbin,” I whisper, and he turns to look at me. “You have me.”

Chapter 12

Corbin

We finally decided to give this a try. A real try. I never thought I’d find everything I was looking for in the girl that I once considered my enemy. Yet, here we are and I’ve never felt such happiness in my life.

Leah moves in my arms, and I look down at her as her sleepy eyes crack open. “Why are you always up before me?” she asks with sleep thick in her voice.

“I like the view,” I say, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. “Plus, I was thinking. Today before we go into work we should work on the design and maybe after work, we can go out with our friends.”

She sits up, pulling out of my hold, keeping the blanket tight against her. “You don’t need to push me off on my friends if you want to be with yours. I’m not holding you captive.”

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