Page 91 of Casita Casanova
My breath catches in my throat. My heart at once soars and falls, the sadness in his voice in direct contradiction with his desire for me. The fact that he doesn’t know what it feels like to be truly happy resonates with me—it wasn’t too long ago that I upended my own life in pursuit of that myself.
But even more than his lack of happiness, his desire resonates with my own. Deep, carnal,undeniable.
The intensity in his eyes weakens my knees.
“I won’t be here much longer.”
My heart skips a beat.
“I’m not staying for six months, Maryn. I can’t. I need you to know that.”
I nod, trying to ignore the way this news makes my stomach sink and my heart ached.
“I have to go home. I have to take my place at the helm.”
Searching his gaze, I wait for more. He’s given me little pieces here and there, but still hasn’t divulged the whole story. Maybe he’s about to.
I try to hold back, but can’t fight the burning question. “When?”
Cas drops his eyes, “Tomorrow.”
I rock back from that one, simple word.
He looks up again quickly, scanning my face. “The thought of leaving you, knowing he can so easily come back here and break you—”
I gasp, shaking my head quickly. “He can’t break me, Cassius.”
His eyes close while he takes a deep breath, then they open again, softer now as they flick back and forth between mine. I want to tell him that Eddie can’t break me because Cas has fixed me, but that’s not really the truth, is it?
With his playfulness and that irresistible charm, Cas showed me the way. He helped me take that next step, held my hand while I walked bravely into the unknown.
He showed me again what happiness felt like. He even forced me tochoosethat happiness, to choose myself.
But he didn’tfixme.
Because I wasn’tbroken.
I reach my hand out, but he flinches, so I drop it back to my side. He’s dangerous in this moment, still a coiled mass of anger and adrenaline.
He needs me, but I have to wait for him to come to me.
He lets his gaze rove over me slowly, leaving a trail of heat behind that ignites my blood and clenches my thighs together. When his eyes meet mine again, darkened with want, my pulse races. My stomach tightens. I close my eyes until the need for him lessens to a more tolerable level.
“Maryn.” My name on his lips is a desperate plea. “I need you.”
I open my eyes and his eyes flick back and forth between mine, searching, then he leans forward, brushing a soft kiss against my lips.
“Meet me halfway.”
He doesn’t have to tell me twice.
Reaching up quickly, I circle my arms around his neck, then push up on my toes to press my lips against his. The current of desire that passes between us is immediate and electric. It moves through my body with determination and speed, setting my veins on fire and tightening my belly. His hands rove over my back, my neck, my waist, my ass, touching me everywhere all at once, claiming me like no one has before. He sets my skin aflame with each caress, sends desire pooling deep into my core with each thrust of his tongue, pulls kisses from me so deep I can feel them all the way down into my toes. He growls, and the vibration reverberates through my heated body, tightening the ball of desire in my belly.
Breaking the kiss, Cas tightens his hands on my waist and lifts me up onto the counter, then moves to stand between my legs. He grips my ass and pulls me forward until our bodies are pressed tightly together, then he wraps my legs around his waist. I run my hands over his chest, then down the ridges of his abdomen, enjoying the way his skin jumps and his muscles flex beneath my palms. I lean forward, placing a trail of kisses along his collar bone, licking the sweat from his skin with a hunger I have never felt before.
When I look up, his eyes are closed, his head tilted back slightly. His breathing is heavy. Like just my touch alone is driving him wild.
I’ve never had a man react to me this way.
