Page 31 of Hold Me Closer
"Can we fix it, Teo?"
"I'm sure as hell going to try, butterfly."
"I miss you."
He makes a sound I've never heard—half broken groan, half laugh. "You're killing me, baby. Keep saying shit like that, and we'll be all over the news again tomorrow when I climb through your window in front of the paps stationed outside your house tonight."
"You can't. Zoya is here."
"When does she leave?"
"In the morning."
"I have practice in the morning."
"I have to be at the studio tomorrow afternoon."
"Come over here when you're done," he says. "I'll cook for you. We'll talk."
"Just talk?"
"Fuck no," he growls, making me smile. "If you walk through my door tomorrow, I'm going to put my hands all over you, butterfly. I've been waiting my whole goddamn life to make you mine. I'll wait as long as necessary for you to be ready. But until you are, I don't intend to play fair."
"Wait." I frown. "Are you saying…?"
"Yeah, baby, that's exactly what I'm saying. I waited for you."
"Teo," I whisper, shocked. "Really?"
"Yeah, really. And I don't care if you waited for me or not, Nadia. It doesn't change anything for me, all right? I won't ever hold it against you or judge you for it. After everything we've been through, none of that matters," he says.
"I waited for you, too."
"Fuck," he growls.
"I never wanted…" I swallow hard, gripping the phone tight. "It was always you for me. Even when I didn't want it to be, it was you."
"You gotta stop talking now, butterfly," he groans. "I'm in too much goddamn trouble already to climb through your window on camera."
I bite my lip, fighting a smile. I think he's just crazy enough now to do it. This Teo is a little bit wild. He doesn't keep himself carefully in control like he did when we were kids. He just…does what he wants, regardless of the rules. There's something kind of sexy about that.
"Maybe you don't have to climb through my window to get what you want," I murmur, flipping onto my back. "I'm naked right now."
He growls like a hungry beast. "Right now, butterfly? That gorgeous body is on display right now?"
"Right now," I whisper.
"Fuck. Touch your pussy for me," he pleads. "Let me hear you get yourself off."
"I already did that in the shower."
"Goddammit," he growls. "Were you thinking about me?"
"Yes."
"Did it feel good?"
"So good, Teo."
