Page 49 of Legacy

“Be careful always fortifying those walls, Jesse King. Being a fortress might feel safe for a little while, but loneliness is worse at the end of the day.”

“I’m not lonely.”

“I’m not talking about sex.” Her throat works as she swallows. “Bea’s not the only one who deserves love.”

“And what about you?” I challenge her, stepping closer as her gravity draws me in. “You have a lot of thoughts on loneliness and sex, but you just walked out on your life. Aren’t you lonely yourself, Reagan?”

“Are you asking me if I have a boyfriend back home?”

“You don’t,” I say confidently.

“You sure?”

I step closer.Too close.I can’t help it.

“Yeah, I’m sure. Because if you did, there’s no way he wouldn’t have shown up by now.”

Her cheeks turn the prettiest shade of pink. “Why do you say that?”

“Because any man smart enough to make you his wouldn’t be dumb enough to let you go.”

Her eyes blink back her emotion.

This is why I can never actually have a woman like Reagan. She might be cut from the universe like she was made just for me, but claiming her—bringing her into this world when she has a chance at more—would be worse than what I’m doing to Bea.

Not that I can think straight at the moment. Reagan’s sharp breath fills her chest. Heat blushes her skin, and her nipples peak under the thin fabric at her bust. Andeven if I can’t have her, I need to breathe her in for a second.

I need just enough air in my lungs to survive when she leaves, and I go back under.

“Jesse—”

My name on her lips is the final straw because I can’t handle what crawls up inside me when I hear it. I grab the back of her head and thread my fingers through her silky, blonde hair, dipping down to claim her lips before she can finish her thought.

She tastes like the earth warming at the beginning of summer. Like morning breaking through an endless night. Too bad this is Vegas, and anything left out in the sun too long is bound to burn.

14

Reagan

The way Jesse claimsmy lips isn’t sweet. There’s nothing polite about it. One moment, I’m staring into his eyes, and the next, his mouth brutally lands on mine.

His kiss is firm.

One of his hands digs into my hair while the other snakes my waist, pulling me against his hard body. The full plane of his strong muscles presses flush with my body, and my knees buckle. But I don’t fall as he grips me tighter, lifting me so my toes barely graze the floor.

A growl hums through his chest, and I catch myself grabbing his leather cut to pull him closer. I lose this battle between responsibility and desire. Naive enough to let myself enjoy this sliver of pleasure, knowing heartache is knocking just on the other side.

Jesse’s hand drifts down to my ass, unapologetically. His fingers sink into my skin as he tightens my bodyagainst him. The hard outline of his cock rubs me through his clothes.

He doesn’t just kiss me—he wipes my brain cells from existence.

I skate my fingers up, brushing them against his strong jaw as he tips my head back to kiss me deeper. I slip my hands to his throat, capturing every vibration of his hum. Feeling the tenor of his growl. My arms wrap around his shoulders, and my core throbs.

Jesse lifts, but just before I wind my legs around him, he freezes. Our lips still. My feet dangle.

The hands making me float slowly and carefully set me back down, returning me to earth as he pulls his mouth away.

His forehead hovers over mine, blue eyes blinking wildly, like he’s trying to decide something. The lust-filled haze starts to fade, and I sense doubt creeping in.

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