Page 54 of Where We Belong

I carry her inside, keeping her wrapped securely in my embrace. “I can think of many… like my bed.”

I close the main door and press her close to my body as I take her to my room. I try to be as quiet as possible. The moment I know we’re alone and no one will hear us, I slant my mouth over hers hungrily.

Cory’s breath hitches as she melts against me. I’ve missed her so fucking much. I want to consume her, beg her to never leave again. Her absence made me acknowledge the aching loneliness inside. I already knew I had been a fool, but after having her and tasting her, I realized it was a miracle that I had survived with only the crumbs of her friendship.

She pulls back, unwinding her legs so I can set her down gently. Our eyes lock, and for a moment, I’m breathless, feeling like the luckiest man alive. This woman wants to be with me. She’s allowing me to love her.

My heart thunders inside my chest.

“What are you thinking about, Ben?” Her voice is low and soft.

“You,” I breathe the word. “I always think of you, but right now, Cory, I’m fucking starving for you.”

She makes a small sound, eyes wide and lips parted. I brush my thumb over her plump bottom lip before capturing it between my own. I plan to feast on every inch of her gorgeous body tonight.

Never before have I witnessed that kind of hunger in her gaze. It’s a primal yearning, so raw and intense that it sends a shiver down my spine. My body responds instinctively, a surge of desire making my heart race and my senses heighten.

Cory links her arms around my neck. “Ben,” she breathes.

I draw her closer, enveloping her in my embrace as the electric current between us crackles with fiery passion. At this moment, it feels as if the universe has shifted and narrowed down to just the two of us.

Every cell in my body thrums with need—an ache that’s been increasing for the past week. I tangle my hand in her hair, angling her lips to mine.

The feel of her mouth on mine is pure elation, a missing piece slotting into place. She melts against me with a soft sigh that I swallow greedily. My hands trail down the delicate arch of her back, tracing each notch of her spine and eliciting delicious tremors.

Breaking our kiss, I say, “I’m going to undress you. Slowly, I’ll peel off that sundress and whatever you’re wearing under it. My lips will trace every curve, worship every inch of your skin. After all, we have all night.” I let my words hang in the charged air between us. My voice is low and rough with desire.

I brush my thumb over her kiss-swollen bottom lip.

“Are you ready for this?” I ask hoarsely. “Because I want to take my time appreciating every part of you.”

“Yes,” she moans. Her eyes smolder, lips part, chest rising and falling rapidly. She gives the faintest nod.

With excruciating patience, I slide the sundress straps down. I press a hot, open-mouthed kiss to each before moving lower. The dress slithers down her body, a whisper of fabric, revealing her to me inch by agonizing inch. She’s bare underneath except for a scrap of lace. I groan low in my throat, hands tracing her hips, her waist. “So beautiful. I could spend hours worshiping you.”

I trail kisses back up her body until I reach her lips again, swallowing her needy whimpers. Tonight, I will show her how much I’ve craved and missed her. How empty my existence has been without her light.

I plan to take her apart, then put her back together as mine once more.

“If you plan to eat me, let me tell you, you’re a little overdressed, Mr. Farrow,” Cory’s voice is playful and seductive.

“Is that a challenge?” I quirk an eyebrow.

Cory’s lips curl into a knowing smile, her eyes dancing with mischief. “No, just a suggestion. If you want to play, you have to follow the rules. No clothes, no bites—unless you ask nicely—and all the fun.”

Letting out a throaty laugh, I say, “I like those rules. This is why you’re my favorite person.”

Slowly, deliberately, I strip down. I crawl between her legs, my body hovering above hers, and I’m enveloped by the warmth of her gaze. I brush my lips against hers once, then I kiss her forehead. I catch her mouth, parting her lips with my tongue. This time I take it slow.

My lips brush her forehead, then the corner of her mouth. Our next kiss deepens, tongues intertwining in a dance both, familiar yet new. I take my time, unrushed, letting images of our past, present, and future play like a film reel in my mind. My eyes slide shut, lost in the taste of her, the feeling of us.

I gently kiss each of her closed eyelids, whispering against her skin, “I missed you so fucking much.” My lips glide over the bridge of her nose as I confess, “So fucking much.” I hover over her mouth, my proximity eliciting a shiver. “Next time, you might have to take me with you.”

Cory’s fingers thread through my hair, anchoring me closer still. Our breaths mingle, hearts beating in sync.

“Or maybe, next time I have to travel, we video call because Bernie will know about us.”

A lump forms in my throat. A blend of anticipation and anxiety swirls within me. Cory’s one-hundred percent ready for us.

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