Page 68 of Stepson

“I love you so fucking much, Bentley,” he whispers. “You have no idea.”

My eyes feel like they’re led, and I’m barely able to keep them open as a smile spreads across my lips.

“Mmm, I have a pretty good idea.” I’m finally able to roll onto my back beneath him, staring up into his perfect gaze as I cup his jaw. “I like this,” I comment as I run my thumb along his jaw and the stubble that lines it.

He chuckles. “I haven’t really thought about shaving.”

“I like it. Keep it.”

“Yeah?”

I nod as he leans down and lightly kisses my lips.

“Let’s take a shower and then order some food. I’m fucking spent after that.”

I giggle, knowing exactly what he means.

Chapter thirty-five

Gabe

Watching Bentley chow down on chicken lo mein noodles while wearing nothing but my black tee shirt, makes my fucking heart swell. She looks so completely relaxed, and I can’t stop looking at her. Her eyes are glued to the TV while mine are glued to her.

There is something about her that makes me want to be the man I’ve always wanted to be. Not the guy everyone thinks I am; a convict and criminal with no future ahead of him now. Bentley has a way of making me feel like I can do whatever I put my mind to, and she doesn't even have to say it.

And the best part? She’s in love with me just as much as I’m in love with her.

I reach out and grab her foot, placing it in my lap as I begin to rub it. She lets out a small moan and finally looks over at me with a sweet smile. I can't wait until the day we can do this every night. She’s my queen and I'll treat her as one.

"You going to share any of that?" I tease.

With a mischievous smirk, she pulls her foot from my lap and crawls over to me, straddling my lap. My hands instinctively claw at her flesh beneath my shirt. I have this need to always touch her and not just any touch will do. No, I need to feel flesh on flesh. I need to feel her warmth and the way her body quivers beneath my touch. She’s intoxicating, and I’ll never be able to get enough.

She twirls a small amount of noodles around the fork before feeding me, but before I get a few chomps in, she leans forward and kisses the side of my mouth.

"Mmm, I don't know what tastes better," I say against her lips before she sits back and looks down at me.

Our gazes lock for several long seconds as I swallow the contents in my mouth and tackle her onto her back. The take out plate of noodles goes flying, scattering on the motel floor as I pin her to the bed. Her chest rises and falls as excitement twinkles in her eyes. Fuck, what is she doing to me? We can't even get through a meal without me wanting to claim her body over and over.

My heart is so full for this woman. Nothing can stop me from loving this woman. Ever. I bring my hand up and cup her cheek before I run my thumb along her bottom lip. Her damp brunette hair sprawls across the comforter, and I’m mesmerized by her. She’s so fucking gorgeous it almost hurts to look at her. And she’s all mine.

I grab the back of her thigh, lifting her leg so my dick can press against her sweet pussy. Even though my gray sweats block ourcontact, her bare thighs press into my ribs, giving me the skin on skin contact I desperately want.

“I’m sorry I never called you.”

Her eyes twitch as she stares up at me; an emotion I haven’t seen before flashes through her eyes.

“I don’t blame you for not,” she whispers.

“I know you don’t, but you should know how badly I wanted to. If things went differently, I’d have made you my girl, Bentley. You were all I thought about for those seven years I sat behind bars.”

She swallows, staring intently up at me before she reaches up and runs her fingers across the stubble I now know she likes. It’s a simple gesture, but one that speaks volumes.

“I thought about you, too.”

I chuckle. “Yeah, you probably thought about all the ways you wanted to punch me out. I’d be pissed if I were in your shoes, waiting for someone to call me after a night like that.”

She shakes her head. “I never hated you, Gabe. Was I sad? Absolutely. But I never hated you for one minute.”