Page 72 of Only Mine
“Then what did you want to talk about?”
“You know what I want.” He turns to face me fully, and the pure hunger in his expression makes me forget how to exhale. “The question is, what do you want. Because if you tell me to leave right now, I will. I’ll walk out, and on Monday, Erin takes your place, and we pretend none of this happened.”
I close my mouth, but the sheer want swelling my throat also peels apart my lips. “And if I don’t tell you to leave?”
He takes a step closer. “Then I’m going to do what I’vewanted to do since you trespassed on my property and tried to throw a skillet at me.”
My pulse thunders in my ears. “Which is?”
Another step. He’s close enough now that I have to tilt my head back to maintain eye contact. “Everything, Wrenley. I want everything.”
“That’s not fair.” My voice comes out breathier than intended. “You’re the one who hired someone else. You’re the one who?—”
“I know.” His hand comes up, fingers ghosting along my jaw. “I’m an idiot. A complete fuck. I thought if I could just get you out of my house, I could stop this.” He breaks off, thumb tracing my bottom lip. “But then you walked into my kitchen this morning in those damn shorts, and Rome put his hands on you, and I realized I’d rather set myself on fire than watch you leave.”
“Saint—”
“Tell me to go.” His other hand finds my waist, pulling me against him until I can feel every ridge of him pressing against my stomach. “Tell me this is a bad idea. Tell me you don’t feel this too.”
“I can’t.” The admission breaks free on a whisper. “I’ve tried. God, I’ve tried. But I can’t stop wanting you.”
He makes a sound low in his throat. “Thank Christ.”
Saint’s mouth crashes down on mine, and it’s nothing like I imagined. It’s desperate, consuming, a week of pent-up desire unleashed in a single kiss. I gasp against his lips, and he takes advantage, stroking me with his tongue until all I can taste is him.
My fingers tangle in his hair, tugging until he groans. He walks me backward until I hit the wall, his body caging me in.
“I’ve wanted this for so long,” he mutters against mythroat, pressing hot kisses to my pulse point. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done to me? Walking around my house, looking at me with those eyes?”
“Me?” I laugh breathlessly, arching as he finds a sensitive spot. “You’re the one who—oh god—who keeps finding excuses to touch me. Who stares at me like…”
“Like I want to lick you clean?” He pulls back, eyes dark with promise. “Because I do. I want my tongue on every inch of you. Want to find out what sounds you make when I?—”
“Stop talking.” I yank him back down. “Show me.”
Saint lifts me like I weigh nothing, my legs wrapping around his waist automatically.
He’s already moving, kissing me senseless as he navigates the small hallway. When he sets me on the bed, I try to pull him down with me, but he resists.
“Wait.” He’s breathing hard, hair messed from my fingers. “If we do this…”
“Are you seriously trying to talk me out of this now?”
“No.” He leans down, bracing his hands on either side of me. “I’m trying to tell you this can’t fix anything. Erin still starts on Monday.”
My heart sinks, but I lift my chin. “I’m well aware.”
“Are you?” He traces my cheekbone. “Because I need you to understand. I can’t offer you what a normal man can. One your age. But I don’t know what this is between us. I just know I can’t watch you leave town without...”
“Without what?”
“Without knowing what you taste like everywhere.” His eyes burn into mine. “Without hearing you come apart under me. Without having this, even if it’s just once.”
His blunt honesty should hurt. But instead, it sets me on fire. Because at least he’s not lying. At least he’s not pretending this is something it’s not.
“I’m not asking for promises,” I whisper. “I’m not even asking you to figure out what this is tonight.”
“Then what are you asking for?”
