Page 77 of The Lake House

“Mmm, you’re so beautiful.” His hand caresses my breast, and he sucks in a deep breath. “Fuck, Giules… I want you again.” He leans down and places a kiss on my nipple and then takes it into his mouth, gently suckling.

It feels so good. My hand reaches up and lands on his head, begging him to continue.

But he pulls back. “Fuck, I’d better stop before we have a repeat of last night…”

God, what I would give for that.

He sighs deeply and then says. “I hate to run, but I have to. You stay and take all the time in the world you need to get up. There should be a brand new toothbrush still in its wrapping in the medicine cabinet if you want, or you can use mine. It’s the blue one, not the pink one, with unicorns on it.” He chuckles.

I laugh lightly. “I won’t stay long… I also have to be at work in a couple of hours.”

“Take your time, babe. I’ll call you tonight. Probably sooner because I’m going to miss you, sweets.” He kisses me quickly on the forehead, then exits the bedroom. Moments later, I hear him grabbing his keys and heading out the door.

Fuck, he makes me feel like I’m on cloud nine and I never want to come back down to Earth. I throw myself back, landing softly against the soft cotton sheets. I don’t even bother covering my naked body anymore as the realization hits me hard.

I’msofalling in love with this man. I’m so fucking close to falling over the edge and falling helplessly in love with him, but I hate that I am. I know things are going good now, great even. Everything with him is great. And the fact that sex was amazingly mind-blowing is just a goddamn bonus, but fuck. What if it all ends? What if this all comes crashing down before it ever really begins?

Can I do that? Can I go through the hurt and pain once more? I feel like if I fall in love with Declan and for some reason we don’t work out, I’ll be devastated once more.

I can’t go through what I went through with Todd. For my heart to break again? I don’t know if I could take it. It’s being held together with tape, but with Declan, it was slowly glueing itself back together once more.

If this dies, if we end, how is my heart going to endure it?

It’s simple.

I can’t.

I can’t do it.

I can’t fall in love with him.

There’s no way I can do it. I have to stick to my guns because what if this feeling of euphoria doesn’t last? What if, before I know it, my fairy tale will be gone? What if the clock strikes twelve at midnight and all the magic disappears?

I can’t fall in love with him, but how can I stop this feeling when I’ve already gone over the edge and am falling as we speak?

ChapterTwenty-Seven

DECLAN

Iknow it had been a few months since I last had sex, but never had it felt like that before. Last night was incredible. Holding that woman in my arms, giving her everything within me, letting her feel how deeply I care about her… it’s just something that doesn’t compare to anything else.

I hated leaving Giuliana this morning, but unfortunately, I hadn’t planned on her being there with me overnight. Honestly, I hadn’t thought about it until I asked her at that very moment. But as the words left my lips, I knew I wanted it more than anything else.

Sure, maybe I should have asked her differently, because at first I know she could have taken it the wrong way. But honestly, I wasn’t even intending it to mean for us to actually sleep together. I really just didn’t want to let her go and wanted her to spend the night wrapped up in my arms.

But once she told me that’s exactly what she wanted, I couldn’t control my actions if I tried. Of course I had fantasized about us having sex, but I never imagined it would have happened last night or felt the way it did. I wasn’t expecting her to be so warm and soft… so tight…

Mmmm… the thought alone is giving me chills just thinking about me engulfed inside of her tightness.

Shaking my head, I know I need to get some work done. It’s hard to concentrate right now; I really just want to go back home and lie in bed with her, but with Roger about to leave for his honeymoon, I need to make sure things get done.

I gulp down some coffee, check my emails, go through my calendar invites and appointments, make a few phone calls, and before I know it, it’s time to go. I was so wrapped up in my day that I didn’t even stop for lunch.

As that thought hits my head, my stomach growls.

Shit, I need food. Fuel is much needed after the amazing night I have had.

A smile pulls on my face, but before I can get worked up in my thoughts, I close up everything and head for my car. Maybe I should pick up something for dinner after I pick up Lily from daycare. She’s so excited that come September, she’ll be in the big kids’ program.

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