Page 60 of Spreading Her Wings

Sliding the bowl across the counter to me, he winked. I pulled the bowl towards me, inhaling the sweet tomatoes with the savory aroma of the herbs. “Thank you for making me dinner.”

He watched me stir the soup, and when I pursed my lips and blew across the surface of the bowl, he emitted a quiet groan. Auston rounded the counter, curling his finger under my chin and lifting my gaze to his. “I just… I-I’m sorry, Katie.”

When he dropped his forehead to mine and sighed, I moved my hands to his cheeks. “I should be the one who’s sorry. I understand if you still want me to sign the papers.”

His hands were tight on either side of my face as he held my gaze with his. “I said I’m burning the fucking papers.” The chill in my spine made me shiver, and I dropped my shoulders.

“You’re sure you don’t want an annulment?” My voice was small, something I had never heard it described as in the past.

“Not even kind of.” His statement was sharp, and his stare was hard. “I hate that I wasn’t here while you were hurting. I haven’t been able to wipe your tears or hold you until you fell asleep. I wasn’t here to take care of you.”

My eyes stung, and I closed them. “Auston.”

His lips hovered just slightly above mine. “You’ll never hurt alone again. I promise.”

The tightness in my chest moved to my throat, squeezing until it felt like the only way to breathe was to cry. I let out a broken exhale, sucking in a desperate breath of air. “What if she doesn’t forgive us?”

“She will.” He sounded so sure of it, and when he pressed his lips to mine in a quick, soft kiss, I almost believed him.

“You saw her. You saw the way she looked at us!” The anger in my best friend’s eyes from the day before made my chest feel like it was full of pressure. “She was disgusted.”

“I don’t care.” He kissed me. “I’m never leaving you again. Kitten, it killed me that you were alone and hurting. That Iwasn’t there to hold you. Kiss you. Love you. How many times did you wrap your arms around yourself for comfort? They should’ve beenmy arms.” He punctuated each sentence with a small kiss, his face close enough to mine that when a tear dripped from my eyelash, he caught it on his cheek.

“But I’m serious, Auston. What if she doesn’t forgive us?”

He shrugged. “She doesn’t have a choice. Stop worrying about Andy. She’s going to get over it. I loveyou, Katie. I will always loveyou.”

“I love you too.”

The words had barely slipped past my lips when he ran his tongue along them and devoured my mouth. He snaked his arms around my body, and when he squeezed, I whimpered. “What’s wrong?” He stepped back from me, concern etched in his face. “Did I hurt you?”

“No, no. I’m fine.” I chewed at the inside of my cheek, licking away the light taste of iron. “Can I ask you something, though?”

“Anything.” There was no hesitation, and his serious gaze held mine hostage.

My breath was shaking, and I closed my eyes. “Sky was in your kitchen. She was wearing…” I paused to clear my throat. “Did you…?”

The sudden movement to wrap his arms around me was almost all the answer I needed. “Not a fucking thing. Katie, look at me.” He closed his hands around my cheeks as he forced my gaze up to meet his, and I couldn’t stop the tears from streaming down my cheeks. “Sky and I had a fling once upon a time. I never felt even half for her what I feel for you. I never loved her.Youare the love of my life.”

“She was wearing your shirt…”

He chuckled. “I was too drunk to drive home from the bar, so she slept on my couch. It was the first shirt she grabbed. And it looks so much better on you.”

“You promise?”

His sigh was almost discouraging. “I know I made you believe I’d be willing to let you go, that you don’t make the entire world spin around for me, but, babe, you arethe entire goddamn world. You areeverything. Never doubt that.”

I hooked my arms around his neck, meshing my lips against his. Pulling away breathlessly, I looked into his hazel eyes. “Auston, you’re the love of my life.”

“You’re my reason for living.”

He lifted me from the stool I sat on, wrapping one of my legs around his waist and running his hand up my thigh to grip my ass. I rocked my hips against him, dropping into his grasp and holding onto his arms. “I need you,” I whispered against his lips before sealing them with mine.

“Then claim me, Katie.” He tightened his grip on my ass, his voice a low growl.

My mind raced to his pleading for me to claim him at the restaurant and the way my stomach sank with nerves. Now the idea of claiming him made me feel safe and confident. I bit his bottom lip, pulling and sucking it into my mouth.

“You’re mine. My man, my love, myhusband,” I said against his pouting lips. “Mine.”

---