Page 96 of Sweet Keeper

I nod.

“Yes, I love it,” I respond with honesty. “Why do you love it, though?”

I hear him sigh.

“It reminds me of home. Mom always drove to the highest point, and we sat in the car to watch the city line. Here I don’t have many things that remind me of home, but I found this place, and I enjoy it.”

There’s a trace of vulnerability on his words, mixing with nostalgia. He’s homesick. I can’t comprehend how he must feel being away from home. I’ve never been truly away from my family, but I can only imagine how much I’d miss them. Stanley had already confessed that he’s close to his family. This must be why he finds this so comforting.

“It’s beautiful, Stan.”

“Just like me, huh?” he quips.

I laugh and pinch his arm.

“Don’t ruin the moment, dumbass,” I scold him.

Stanley doesn’t take my words seriously. Instead, he guides a hand to my ribs to pinch me, but I can only feel a tickle that makes me jump away from him. A yelp mixed with laughter escapes from my lips.

Immediately, his gaze transforms into a malicious one. I’m not sure of how I was able to hide it from him before, but now that he knows, he won’t let it go. Hell, I bet that it will become a thing to mess with me.

“You’re ticklish, huh.”

I shrug to pass it off as something without relevance. In a way, it is. However, I don’t want him to think that I’m excessively ticklish—which I am—because I’m not ready to endure that kind of torture.

“If you try to tickle me, you’ll end up with a black eye,” I warn him, raising my arms. “These bad boys act on their own.”

He smirks.

“We’ll see, Bree,” Stan muses as he hugs me again. “Do you really like it?”

I smile at his insecurity, so I stand on the tip of my boots to kiss him briefly.

“Yes. I truly like it,” I assure, pressing my lips against his for a second. “Thank you for sharing this with me.”

“Anytime, Bree.” He drops a kiss on my forehead. “Do you want to stay here for a bit, or do you want to go home?”

As much as I want to jump on his bones again, I’m compelled to stay here. I want to treasure the fact that he shared this special place for him with me, and I can only do it by spending some time here. Plus, I can’t lie. I really do love the view, so much that I wished I had my camera with me to immortalize this moment.

So, instead of fetching for my phone, I make sure to remember all the details of this moment. That way, I can replay this in my mind when I feel uneasy. Because this moment right here, with his arms around me and my heart beating fast, is when I feel the most at peace.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Itake Bree to her apartment after going to Mantra. She drags me with her inside to make use of the time that we have alone. As soon as we enter her room, her mouth is on mine, kissing me vehemently. Her hands go to the back of my head as her fingers play with the strands of my hair, pulling it gently, causing a groan to emerge from me when the sensation turns satisfying.

My hands fly to her waist, lifting her from the floor, and her legs wrap around my hips. It amazes me how she’s able to read my body, what we need, and what we’re about to repeat—this time, I want to take my time with her. I want to explore her anatomy, find the sweet spots that make her shiver, and absorb all of her pure and delightful moans.

We close the door behind us, walking blindly to her bed. I vaguely remember its position from when I visited her room on Halloween, so I have no problems locating the mattress. I lay her down carefully. The last thing that I want is to knock her out accidentally. With her luck, is something that could happen.

I get rid of my shirt, taking it off and throwing it away to a corner that I’m not interested in. She’s all I care about right now.

Bree supports her weight on her elbows, gathering the view of my naked torso. She bites her lip and invites me to join her with her index finger. In an instant, I climb on top of her, my mouth frantically searching for hers. Our lips dance incandescently. There’s no calm or gentleness in the way that we kiss. It’s like we’re both poisoned, and our mouths have the antidote.

I trace her upper lip with the tip of my tongue, savoring her. Her lips taste sweet; I’m not sure if it’s due to the drink she had or if it’s something else, but I don’t care. I fucking enjoy it. I devour her mouth as if it was the most desired treat.

Breaking off the kiss, I earn a whimper from her. I ignore it, traveling down to the extension of her neck. I bite the sensitive skin in the most delicate way, and pass the zone with my tongue, easing away the sting of it. She quivers under me, her hips rising from the bed, looking for me.

“Easy,” I say, staring at her. Bree has her cheeks red, and pupils dilated. Her lips are swollen with need, inviting me to go back and give them my full attention, but there are more parts of her body that I haven’t visited and are waiting for me. “We have time for everything.”

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