Page 54 of Truck Stop Tempest

I melted against him, my breasts smashed between us, his naked flesh searing me, his words freeing me.

He walked backward, pulling me with him until his calves hit the back of the sofa. We fell into the cushions. I settled on his lap, my bare butt on his thighs, my knees hugging his hips.

I was naked but felt no shame. Exposed, but had never felt more protected. He didn’t look at my breasts, and I could tell he wanted to, but I loved that he was trying so hard to keep the exchange from becoming sexual, even though his arousal swelled between my legs. His eyes burned with need, his cheeks flushed.

“I want you, Tuuli. All of you. Please, stay here with me,” he urged, rubbing warm, calloused fingers up and down my bare back.

He wanted me. I would never understand why, but I would never doubt his sincerity. He’d taken care of me every day for the past two weeks. Every time I woke with nightmares, he’d crawled into bed, made me breathe through the panic attacks, then held me until I fell asleep again. He’d fed me when I couldn’t get out of bed, hiding from the world, from the voices, the images that haunted me. He could’ve turned his back the second he found out who I was, but he’d never left me alone, not once.

Yes, he was quiet and brooding. Yes, he was scary and terrifying. But I couldn’t deny that Tito Moretti was also a blessing. We were brought together for reasons bigger than the both of us.

I threw my arms around his neck and squeezed, offering every ounce of gratitude, relief, and contrition I could pour into that hug. His arms tightened around me with equal fervor and didn’t loosen until I rolled my head to the side and kissed his neck.

“Thank you,” I mumbled against his warm skin.

The skin on skin was torture. Beautiful, bloody torture. “Thank you for what?”

“For not freaking. For not making me feel like a freak.” She sighed, curling tighter against me. “Thank you for not leaving me on the street when you found out who I was.”

God, she smelled like vanilla and sweet, naked skin. My entire body vibrated with need.

“I wish I had told you everything from the beginning. I was afraid and ashamed. I’ve wanted to be with you since the first day you came to the diner. You scared me. Terrified me, really. But there was something about the way you looked at me like you knew what was inside my head, like you recognized the mess. You looked at me like none of my ugliness would faze you because you’re indestructible.”

Indestructible? Not by a long shot. Brick by brick the girl in my arms was breaking me down. A crack here, a dent there, leaving my walls weak and vulnerable. I cupped those blushing cheeks, making sure her eyes were right where they needed to be. On me. “You get that I’m in this for the long haul, right?”

Her face crinkled. Her gaze dropped. But damn, when she recovered and lifted those blue beauties back to me with a nod, I couldn’t have been prouder.

When she whispered, “Please, don’t ever let me go,” something epic and painful happened in my chest, making my pulse race and my eyes blur. Part of me wanted to spill my guts, share my burdens, lighten my soul. Confess. But I feared my truths would break her, ending us before we began.

“Tito,” she murmured into my neck.

“Yeah?” I pulled a white strand of silk through my fingers.

“Make love to me.”

Jesus. H. Christ. Every muscle in my body tensed. My hard dick jerked in response. “But—”

She raised her head and pressed a finger over my lips. “I know what I said about waiting.” Her cheeks flushed and her gaze dropped to my chest. “That was mostly a lie because I didn’t want you to see my back, my mark. But I’ve wanted you from the beginning. You’re the only man I’ve ever wanted.”

“Bunny.” I dipped my head. “Look me in the eye when you ask me for things. Don’t be afraid. Don’t be ashamed. Please. I need those eyes.”

Sweet fucking Lord, when she lifted her burning gaze to mine and whispered, “Please. I need you,” I was done for. I captured her mouth, savoring the sweet softness of her lips.

When she broke the kiss and whispered, “Please,” I tucked my arms under her ass and rose from the couch, urging her legs around my waist. We hit the bedroom, I set her on her feet, and I took a long, greedy gander at her naked body.

Ethereal. Flawless.

A blinding beauty, rendering me speechless.

I couldn’t find my voice, which didn’t matter anyway because when I smiled, he sighed and stepped closer, dropping his mouth to mine, stealing my oxygen. He trembled, squeezing me tight, pinning my arms between us. We stayed that way for a long time, Tito holding me upright and in the perfect position to take what he needed. Only he was giving more than taking, offering his mouth, his body, his soul through that kiss.

When he broke away, he stared at me long and hard, eyes soft, lips parted. He brushed a thumb over my bottom lip and asked, “Is this real? Do I finally get to have you?” like I was a precious gift. Not trash. Not a tool, but a beautiful, magical gift. And I knew, no hesitation, no question, that Tito was the right man, the one I should have saved myself for.

My pulse beat violent and thunderous in my ears, the fire in my cheeks growing hotter with each boom, boom, boom.

I stood naked and exposed for excruciating moments, shivering, not from cold, but the raw emotion on Tito’s face. Or maybe I trembled from the adrenaline racing through my veins. Either way, I couldn’t wait for his body to follow through with the promise in his eyes.

My breasts ached, tightening to painful peaks.

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