Page 105 of The Ruthless and the Strong

“I might love him, but I was never in love with him.”

“I understand.” If it made me a terrible man for feeling so damn fucking happy about being the only man she had ever loved, so be it. I was selfish with her. I wanted every part of her to belong to me, but especially her heart.

“Sam knows that, too.” She paused, her eyes moving to mine. “Do you want to know why he suggested a divorce?”

I shook my head, but it was obvious she thought it was her fault, and she was carrying the weight of it on those small shoulders.

“I called out your name once during sex,” she said quietly.

“Oh,” was all I could say.

“Yeah.”

“Do you think that would make me think less of you?”

“It should.”

I shook my head and placed my fingers under her chin, lifting so she looked back at me. I wanted to always look into those green eyes of hers. “It doesn't even have to be my name. You could have called out some other man’s name, and I still wouldn’t think less of you.”

“How could you say that?” Tears formed in her eyes and I leaned down and kissed her forehead.

“Because if there is one thing I’ve learned all these years, it’s that you can’t force love. You got married to Sam because your mom had expected it, and you were trying to please her. You mom probably believed with some closeness, you could have learned to love Sam, and you probably did, but you can never be forced to fall in love with someone. That’s just not possible.”

“I know. But I hurt him.”

“Then this divorce is a blessing to him. He might not see it now, but he will. Give him time before he decides he wants to be around Hunter. Perhaps it would be good to let them keep their distance for a while.”

“I know,” she said, sounding resigned.

“I’m sorry for losing my temper,” I told her. “I shouldn’t have punched him. I hope I didn’t scare you. You know that no matter what I do, I would never hurt you or Hunter. That I would cut off my own arms before I ever lay a hand on—”

She cut me off by kissing me.

I only hesitated for a half second before I kissed her back. I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulled her into me, and kissed her with everything in me. Kissed her to let her know how much I fucking needed her.

How much I couldn’t live without her.

How much I couldn’t breathe without her.

I loved her beyond obsession.

I pulled away and gave her time to catch her breath. Her eyes remained closed and, unable to help myself, I kissed her once more, this one much quicker than the first, but no less powerful.

“Thank you for standing up for me,” she said softly,her hot breath fanning across my lips. “No one has ever done that for me before.”

I moved my finger down her cheek, taking in the warmth and softness of her skin there. My finger itched to trace along every freckle on her skin, especially the scattering on her nose, to connect them like the constellations in the sky.

“Always,” I said.

She smiled and moved off my lap until she was sitting on the bed. Then she took off her shirt. I watched her, motionless. I didn’t even think I was breathing.

She was like a goddess, tempting even the strongest man into sin. I was her willing victim.

Her confidence boosted when I adjusted myself and she could see the hard-on I was sporting. She took her bra off and threw it behind her, grinning at me, before bringing her hands up to cup her breasts, offering them to me. Fuck, that was hot.

I let out a small growl then, and I pounced. She let out a small squeal when I pushed her down on the bed. I unbuttoned the black slacks she had on and pulled them down, along with her pink panties. I knelt between her legs and she wrapped her legs around my hips.

“Don’t you know better than to tempt a man about to lose control?”

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