Page 7 of Knot Falling in Love
“Why have you been avoiding me all these years?”
My heart is doing its best to escape my ribs, but he’s right. That’s exactly what I’ve been doing, it’s time to rip off the bandage and let the wound heal properly, or I will continue to bleed all over myself and anyone else who gets close. Okay, maybe that’s not the perfect metaphor.
“Graduation,” I look down at the tattoos on his forearm, starting at the ones at his wrist. “Your parents were taking family pictures, and you had gone off with some of the guys. When I found you, Chet Powell was saying I had a crush on you. To which you responded, ‘Gross, that’s my little sister’s best friend.’”
I look up at him, watching as he pieces things together, a smile on his face.
“Chet was a piece of shit.He was being wildly inappropriate.” He pauses, “I guess you missed the part where I broke his nose when he doubled down.”
“What?”
“I bruised my knuckles. Axel put me on detailing that week since I could barely hold a wrench, I was worried he’d send me home.” He watches me, “Is that what’s been bothering you?”
“Yes, no.” I’m not even sure anymore, but I do my best to untangle the thoughts in my head, “I just—I thought we were more. I thought we were friends.”
“Maisie,” his warm hands cup the side of my cheeks, “look at me. Please?”
I do as he says, finding that vulnerability has returned to his blue eyes as he searches my face.
“You were always one of my best friends, and I feel like I missed out on so much these last 18 years because I never told you that.”
“Elijah.”
Chapter Four
Elijah
Every part of my body is screaming for me to kiss her, to take this moment to taste her, to feel her soft body pressed against mine, but I shouldn’t. I don’t want to move too fast and scare her, especially since I’ve finally got her talking to me again.
This moment feels stolen, seeing her look at me with such hope is like uncovering a rare treasure. I’m not sure I deserve this second chance, but I will not squander it or let it slip through my fingers.
Maisie wets her lips, her eyes flittingto my mouth. Her thoughts flicker between a chaste kiss and being tangled together in my bedsheets.
“Fuck it,” I growl, leaning down and kissing her.
Her fingers grip my forearms before sliding up over my shoulders, and pulling me down into her until I have her pressed against the countertop. She yelps as I scoop her up and place her on the counter, her little black shorts riding up over her full thighs.
My palms drift along her curves and over her generous ass, tugging her to the edge as I seat my hips between her legs, staring down at her as she gasps for air.
“You’re so beautiful.”
She huffs out a breath and shakes her head, and I capture her lips in another kiss to quiet her thoughts.
There’s a hunger building inside of me as I taste her, my hands roaming over her thighs and under the hem of her T-shirt, seeking the soft warmth below. I ignore the primal instinct thrumming in my head to claim my mate. I know I can’t, at least not yet.
I need to be gentle. Above all else, I need toremind her how much I care for her and how I will always fight for her even when she doesn’t ask me to.
“We shouldn’t be doing this,” Her hand slides over my chest, fingertips tracing the dog tags under my T-shirt. The ones I wear for luck, the ones that have always led me home.
“Do you want me to stop?”
I pull away, and her legs squeeze my hips, her fists balling at the side of my waist to keep me close.
“No, don’t you fucking dare.” She pants out, shaking her head.
I bury my face against her neck, inhaling the scent of strawberry shampoo and cinnamon, pressing my lips against her soft skin.
“Tell me what you want.”My mate.“Tell me what you need.”
