Page 77 of Mine to Keep

“That was quick,” Jamison said.

Butterflies filled her gut as she eased into the warm water.

He smiled. “I can’t believe you just had a baby six weeks ago. You look amazing.”

Her stomach flipped and flopped. Her heart squeezed. She wanted to be close to him. She wanted his arms wrapped around her body, holding her tightly. Everything she feared melted away when she was in his presence.

It was best if she didn’t snuggle. That would only lead to kissing. And that would send her down a path she knew would only lead to her hurting him in the worst way.

Sneaking out in the middle of the night and disappearing for good.

“Thank you. I feel like a marshmallow.”

“You don’t look like one.”

She laughed, wrapping her arms around her belly. It shook.

He leaned over and pushed her hands away, planting his on her stomach. “Nope. Definitely not mushy like a marshmallow.”

“Oh, my God. You are so weird.”

“And you’re so sexy,” he whispered. His hot breath made her shiver. He rested his arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer. His lips were so close to hers, she could feel the heat they generated. “I want to kiss you.”

She blinked.

It wasn’t as if they hadn’t done that before, but it’d been a few weeks and she’d decided that he’d realized she came with a lot of extra baggage.

Of course, so did he.

And that was the last thing she needed.

Her thoughts were cut short when he took her mouth in a wet and wild kiss full of intent, and her body felt it to its core. A burning sensation crawled across her skin from her head to her toes. It started slow and built, and by the time it reached her belly, every inch of her was on fire.

She found herself lost in a passion she’d never thought to experience again. The last time she’d felt this way had been after her honeymoon. That was when things had changed. Life had been truly horrifying from that point on. There had been times when she thought she’d was going to die.

And times she prayed she would.

Straddling Jamison, she felt desperate to be the woman she’d once been, or at the very least, a whole person. She gripped his shoulders, digging her nails into his skin. She’d forgotten what it was like to desire a man.

Or what it was like to feel wanted by one.

And, right now, every erogenous zone in her body exploded like the Fourth of July. Even when she’d enjoyed sex, which she could barely remember, she didn’t initiate, and she didn’t allow herself to be wild and out of control like right now.

She wanted Jamison like she wanted the air that filled her lungs.

He cupped her face and pried their mouths apart. “Hey,” he whispered.

A chill crept into her heart. Fear filled her soul. Rejection was not something she could deal with. Not from Jamison.

“I’m sorry.” She tried to climb off his lap.

“Oh. Trust me. There is nothing to be sorry about.” He wrapped his arms around her waist, heaving her toward his chest. “I’m worried about going too fast.”

She raised both brows. “You’re a man, so forgive me, but that’s shocking.”

He laughed. “I’m a little gun shy for a few reasons.”

“About sex?” She nearly choked on the words.

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