Page 91 of Callum
“Because I know your heart.” He touched a hand to her chest, felt the thumping beneath his palm. “You are inherently good. You did not have a choice in your upbringing. And her adversity doesnotexcuse her trying to hurt others.”
A small hint of a smile touched her lips. Then she cupped his hand, which still held her cheek, and rubbed the soft pad of her thumb over his skin. “You continue to be my knight in shining armor, pulling me back when I’m right on the edge.”
“I’ll be whatever you need me to be, honey.”
His gaze caught on something on her arm, and his eyes narrowed. Were those fucking bruises? She followed his gaze, and when she saw what he was looking at, she covered her arm with her hand.
“That asshole bruised you.” It wasn’t a question. She’d been wearing a sweater earlier today, so he hadn’t seen the marks. Fuck, he wanted to murder the scumbag.
“I’m okay. And with some luck, he might leave town now. In fact, he said it was over between him and Amanda, so he might be out of my life for good.”
Callum’s jaw clicked. He’d seen the way Freddie looked at her today. Like she wasallhe saw. He wasn’t so sure getting rid of the asshole would be so easy.
He shifted his hand from her cheek to her arm, gently brushing her hand off the marks before grazing them with his thumb. Then, slowly, he leaned down and kissed the bruises, one at a time, making a vow that no man would ever hurt his woman again.
Her breath hitched. Slowly, he trailed his kisses up her shoulder, then her neck. When he reached her cheek, she sighed and tilted her head.
“Callum…” His name came out throaty and raspy, and so damn sexy, he wanted to replay it over and over again.
Her hands went to the base of his shirt and tugged it over his head, then she grazed her fingers down the planes of his chest, leaving a trail of fire in her wake.
“I’ve just been on a run, Fi. I need to shower.”
She chuckled, and the sound dug into his chest, laying its claws into his damn heart. She kissed his cheek, then his ear before whispering, “You could have been dragged through mud and I’d still want you. Every. Time.”
Her words blazed through him, decimating every other thought.
His lips crashed to hers, his tongue sweeping inside her mouth. One arm swept around her waist, while the other shoved aside the papers on the bed. Even the book thudded to the floor. Then he lay her down, his body pressing hers into the mattress. She was soft against him, and each touch felt like silk to his fingertips.
His lips left her mouth but never her skin, trailing down her chin and neck before reaching her top. She wore a button-up white shirt that fucking toyed with him. One button popped open, then another. One by one, he bared her skin, his kisses trailing down the center of her chest as he went. When he saw the bra had a front hook, he wanted to groan.
He unlatched it, freeing her perfect tits, then swooped, wrapping his lips around one tight bud. Fiona cried out, the sound slicing through him, cutting into his damn heart. He swiped his tongue over that perfect nipple, finding the other with his fingers and thrumming.
She writhed and arched below him, clenching and tugging his hair. Every movement was torture. He switched to her other breast while he reached down and undid the top button of her jeans before unzipping her.
He slipped inside her panties, and her breath stopped. At the first stroke of his finger over her clit, she arched, and the sounds she made were pure music. Perfectly tuned beats of moans and groans made just for him.
He played with her clit, his mouth never leaving her breast. She was close, exactly where he wanted her.
“Callum…I need you!”
Best damn words he’d ever heard. In under a second, he had her jeans and panties off and his own shorts and briefs removed. Then he was between her thighs, loving how she widened for him. Welcomed him.
He held her gaze as he slowly pushed inside. Stretching her. Stealing the breath from both their lungs. When he was seated deep inside her walls, he took a moment to watch the woman, almost in awe.
Beautiful. So damn beautiful. He cupped her cheek, his thumb swiping the delicate skin beside her eye.
“I love you, Fiona.” The words slipped from somewhere deep inside him, accidental yet perfectly placed. Because those words had been tormenting him. Clawing at his throat, needing to get free.
Her eyes widened, tears filling them as her heart sped up.
“I’ve loved you for a while,” he continued in her silence. “So much that you’re all I think about. You’ve become my world. Wherever you are, I need to be.”
She swallowed, a single tear slipping down her face. He caught it with his thumb and wiped it away.
“Callum…I love you so much that I can barely think about my future without thinking of the life I want to live with you. The life I crave because I craveyou.”
Each word dug deeper inside him until she was all he could feel. His head dropped and he kissed her. Drowned in her. Then he moved, lifting his hips before thrusting back inside.
