Page 59 of For Keeps. For Always.

“He’s not a ten,” I tell her.

“What?”

I turn to her. “A solid ten, you said?” She nods. “He’s a forever. Not a ten.”

She blinks, realization dawning on her.

“Then go, girl. I got this. Grab that forever.”

I take a step toward him, nerves holding me captive, sweat tickling at my spine and drying out my throat.

Brooks stands as I move out from behind the bar, and I step into his body.

He moves to kiss me, but lifting a hand, I place my fingers against his lips.

“Wait. I just need a minute. Sixty seconds to look at you.”

He gives me that, a single minute to stare at his beautiful face.

“You’re here.”

“I’m here.” He speaks against my fingers.

He’s tired. Eyes creased in both sleep and lack thereof. His dark hair is a tousled mess, and he lifts a hand subconsciously to bring order to the disheveled locks. It only works to cause more mayhem.

Dark-wash jeans hang low on his hips, the band of his Calvins on show when he stretches or moves.

“Squirrel, Ima need that kiss you promised me right about now. While I love the way you’re looking at me, I didn’t fly all this way just for you to stare.”

I exhale, a small moan escaping my lips at the promise in his words.

When I throw my arms around his neck, he lifts me effortlessly, hands fitted comfortably to my ass as our lips—after too long apart—reconnect in a carnal touch of longing.

I kiss him the way I promised I would.Frantic. My hands grab at his hair, needing to pull him as close as possible. My tongue pushes between his lips, a needy moan spilling into his mouth when I finally taste him. He lets his tongue glide against mine just as fervently as mine does his. We’re possessed and caught in an infatuation that will knowingly leave us burned, but we’re too blinded by lust to care.

He tastes like my happiest memories and my greatest heartache. He’s joy and pain and love and longing, and I want more.

I hug him tighter, and I swallow the rough growl he lets go of just as a cold spray of water hits the side of my face, and I pull away from Brooks in silent protest.

Standing at the end of the bar holding a soda gun aimed at my face, Jada smiles innocently. “I mean this in a super supportive way, but like,maybeget a room?” she suggests. “You’re gaining a nice little audience here, and look, maybe voyeurism is your style, no judgment here, but I don’t need cock and pussy making appearances in my bar.”

Brooks ducks his head to hide his smile. I clear my throat, untangling my legs from his waist and sliding down his frame.

“Apologies.”

“None needed.” Jada smirks. “Forever doesn’t come around too often.”

Brooks raises a brow quizzically, but I wave at Jada, grabbing his hand to pull him out of the bar.

“I can’t believe you’re here.” Tears wet my eyes, and I’m so overwhelmed, I can’t quite find the words to tell him what it means to me.

“I can’t believe I’m here.”

It’s warm out, the nighttime humidity clinging to my skin.

“I want to catch up, Henley. I do, but right now, I need inside you more. I jerked off to your video and jumped on the next flight out of the Philippines to taste what you promised me.”

My thighs clench. “That I want you.”

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