Page 118 of Burn

“We’re… uh… Rose, why don’t I show you our change room?” Colton says, pulling Rosie toward the door.

At the last minute, I feel her hands on my back as she gently shoves me forward and into Adrian. The door swings closed, and a beat of silence crackles between us as we stand, pressed together, alone.

His eyes bounce between mine, searching for the answer to the question that doesn’t need to be asked.

“Lex,” his voice is so rough and low. “I…”

I don’t need to hear him say it, not now, not again. He said it that night; it just took me a while to hear it. So, I smile at him, which stuns him back into silence. It takes a few seconds, but the corner of his mouth slowly lifts, and God damn, there must be actual sparks flying between us. That’s how powerful this feels.

I melt into him, into his rough hockey gear, allowing my eyes to close while I revel in the electricity that exists only when we’re close.

I breathe him in.

And just before I lean in to kiss him, I whisper, “Took you long enough, Liberty.”

Wait

Lex

He… stops me.

Placing both hands gently on my shoulder and holding me back, causing me to stare at him wide-eyed, mouth agape. I feel the blush explode through my cheeks, and I step back. Well, I try to. When he realizes I’m backing away, his fingers wrap around my shoulders, holding me in place with a slight gap between us.

“Just give me a minute,” his voice low and rough, thick with emotion. “I just need to… fuck.” He slams his eyes shut, and I count the beats of my thunderous heart, waiting for them to reopen. There’s nothing tough about the man before me, whose hands tremble slightly.

Patience.

Not one of my strong suits, but I try. I try to give him the space and time he needs, because he gave it to me for two months. I can navigate a few minutes while he wraps his head aroundthis. I drag my hand upward across his jersey. His body shudders. I don’t stop until my hand rests over his heart, the spot he claws at when he falls apart. His chest is padded, thick under his hockey uniform, but even that can’t disguise his frantic heartbeat. I stroke my thumb slowly across the spot, knowing he can’t feel it on his skin, but hoping it provides comfort, or proof I’m really here.

His eyes stay closed, but he releases his grip on one of my shoulders and covers my hand with his. He takes a deep,stuttered breath, and finally, his eyes flutter open, locking on mine. His tongue flicks out and trails his lip, and my gaze drops to follow the movement. It’s hesitant and slow, and God, the way it makes my mouth water with the need to kiss him.

I’m fixated on his full lips. I watch him suck in a lungful of air, before deliberately pushing it out, his mouth forming an ‘o’. “I’ve played out so many possibilities in my mind,” he says, the sound taking me by surprise. His hand is still pressed over mine, but he uses the other to cup my cheek. I lean into him, loving the way his calluses scratch at my skin. “Some of them were nightmares, the worst I’ve ever had. Some were what I imagined paradise to be like. But, Lex, the way you look right now?” Another deep breath. “Nothing came close to how you look right now.” My eyes lift back to his. “To how you’re looking at me right now.”

I study his face, needing to commit this new version of him to memory. His eyebrows are lifted slightly, his eyes shine, and his chest rises and falls so damn fast. It’s only when I’m sure — really sure — I’ll never forget that I step forward and tilt my chin. His breath hitches, and the hand on my cheek slides around, gripping the back of my neck and pulling me into him. It takes one second of our lips connecting for the hesitation to evaporate, and his body to relax. I push up onto my toes, and his hand over mine drops and wraps around my thigh, pulling me into his arms.

I cling to him, wrapping my limbs around him, and he returns the embrace. The edges of his hockey pads dig into me, but nothing could hurt more than the idea of letting go, so I tighten my hold. I push my tongue past his lips, needing more, and he groans softly into my mouth.

Fuck. Yes.

My skin burns, every nerve ending smoldering against his. His lips are salty, but deliciously so, from the sweat that coats his skin, and I lick and lave at his mouth, savoring every second. When my back connects with the wall, and he pushes into me, the buckle on his pants connects with my core, and the pleasure that ricochets through me takes me completely by surprise. The sound that escapes my mouth is high, needy, and desperately lust-filled.

God, I’ve missed him.

His lips quirk into a grin, and he pulls my bottom lip between his teeth and says, “Always so needy, my girl.”

Hisgirl.

The door behind us creaks open, and Rosie’s hair is tussled when she sticks her head out. Adrian releases my feet to the ground and steps back, adjusting himself and clearing his throat. I turn toward Rosie. Not only is her hair messier, but her lips look swollen, her cheeks are flushed, and I think her dress might be on inside out. I smirk, silently conveying to her that I know exactly what she and Colton were just up to on the other side of that door, and she chews at her bottom lip, biting back a grin.

“Think we can sneak past you two?” she asks, her voice still breathy.

Adrian moves aside. “Yeah, for sure.” He’s completely clueless.

“Hockey change room not doing it for you?” My tone is so cheeky, and she loves the attention, her smile spreading wide.

“Oh, no. It did it for me. Completely. But now I need a shower, and I refuse to step foot on those gross tiles.” She reaches behind her and tugs Colton out behind her. He looks much less confident and nervously chuckles asthey pass.

“Call ya… eventually, Liberty,” he calls over his shoulder. “Actually, you call me when things…” He doesn’t finish the thought.

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