Page 67 of Zeppelin
I clutch his neck and instead of setting me down, he pauses. “I want to do this in my bed with you. I want it to be- oh my god.” I want to hide my face in his neck, or use his beard like a damn curtain, but I force myself not to. “Making love is a sort of sickening term, but I want it to be more than just… fucking. Even if it’s the most amazing, glorious, connected fucking that there is.”
He pauses, everything quiet in the kitchen. It makes the hum of the generator powering my small fridge in the back sound like a roar. “I don’t know, connected, glorious, amazing fucking sounds pretty sweet.” His lips twitch, giving him away.
“Zeppelin.”
He outright grins, probably the biggest smile I’ve ever seen on him. He’s sobeautiful. His eyes lock on mine, the intensity stealing my breath. “I know what you’re saying. Even if I’ve hidden it well by being an asshole, it’s always meant more to me than just the physical.”
I bury my fingers into his silky hair. Just like his lips, it surprises me every single time how soft it is.
What would it be like to touch him like this every day? To fall asleep beside him and wake up with him. I know that we won’t be able to do that except on weekends for now because he works and lives in Hart, but I’ll treasure every single minute of our time with each other.
I’m not one for making vows. I don’t even make promises most of the time because I truly believe in not breaking my word. But I vow right here and now, to cherish this man. To be kind to him, to be softer, to be his safe place, just as I know he’ll provide shelter for me. I know that our baby will never fail to be loved and protected by Zeppelin. No, he’s not perfect, but neither am I. We have growing and changing to do, but he’shere. That meanseverything.
“Ginny? Are you okay?”
My eyes fly open. I don’t even remember closing them. I stroke his cheek. My fingers trail down into his beard, combing out the long strands. “I was just thinking about you and how glad I am that you’re here.”
His face changes, cycling through worry, all the way to relief. His whole expression lights up. “I’m glad I’m here too.”
He carries me upstairs, in silence. He’s so careful, purposeful with each stride. I don’t distract him by kissing him until we’re in my room. I have no more words, so I give him my breath, my hope, and all my passion as I claim his mouth again.
Chapter 19
Zeppelin
Idon’t know how to explain all the feelings roiling and swelling inside of me. All I know is that when Jack died, I thought I had nothing more to live for. Yes, I had the club, and they always had my back, but I didn’t feel like a brother anymore. I didn’t feel like me. My soul had been torn away from me. I was heading for Mexico when I realized I didn’t want to do this alone. Even though I wanted to finish the journey me and Jack started, I couldn’t do it without Ginny. She was part of me and being away from her—even for a few days, was hell.
So I turned back.
I thought that happiness was something far off in the distance, but it’s right here, right in front of me. This woman is a massive part of my self-reclamation. She probably doesn’t know just how much joy and wonder she’s responsible for. She didn’t just bring me back from the edge. She’s already given me so much more than I knew was possible. She saw beneath my façade from the first. To her, I was never a fuckup. I was never stupid. I was never someone without potential or a future, or without a beating heart. It wasn’t a perfect journey, and it won’t be as we continue down it, but perfection isn’t real.
I’m more than thankful to have real life with her.
I don’t stop kissing her until I set her down. She immediately guides my hands to her hips, pushing them up under her shirt. The fabric is damp from her sweating outside.It’s honestly not that much colder in here, but I like being hot and sticky if it’s going to involve getting that way together.
I push her shirt up, running my hand over the curve of her hip. Her skin is smoother than silk. I splay my fingers over her abs. Her stomach is still perfectly flat. I can’t wait to hold her, to touch her like this, to glory in the miracle of watching her body change week by week, month by month.
As soon as I pull her t-shirt over her head, I kiss her again. I’m addicted to the taste of her. To her scent, to the little whimpers that she makes, to the way her body arches into mine, seeking pleasure and wanting to give it.
I undo the clasp of her bra, guiding it away from her perfect breasts.
Her nipples are hard, begging for my mouth, but as soon as I trail kisses down her throat, trying to get there, her hand flutters to my jaw and tilts my face up.
“I’m sweaty and dirty.”
I lick along my lower lip, a hot jolt of lust unspooling in my stomach as her eyes get dark watching me do it. “Mmm. I like that.”
“Are you sure? I can have a quick cold bath.”
“Why would I want you to wash off how you taste?”
“Because it’s probably gross! I’ve been sweating over weeds for hours,” she huffs. “Pointlessly, I might add.”
“We’ll take care of those damn weeds when we’re done here, although they might be waiting a while because I’ve been craving you something fierce, and now that I have you, I’m not planning on letting you go anytime soon.”
“Oh my god,” she half whimpers, half mutters, but she doesn’t stop me when I move my mouth to her breasts, kissing them both before claiming one nipple and rolling my tongue over it. She’s sweetness and salt, caramel and spice.
I can’t get enough of her. I suck her nipples as I undo the button on her cutoff shorts and slip the zipper down and shimmy them past her thighs, until they hit the floor.
