Page 78 of Forever Yours

“This is our music. It plays only for you.”

Jesus, this beautiful man and the beautiful things that came out of his beautiful mouth.

With his hand covering mine on his chest, we slow danced cheek to cheek to the beat of his heart.

“I’m so sorry, Elijah. I’m sorry for taking you for granted. I’m sorry for taking your love for granted. I’m sorry for not being there for you like you always are for me. I’m sorry for causing you pain and making you doubt my love for you. I’m sorry that I let what happened to Liz come between us. I could spout off every iteration of I’m sorry and it still wouldn’t be enough.”

The fissures that had splintered and cracked my broken heart slowly mended themselves together using his words as the thread.

He continued, “Actions speak louder than words, and I am going to show you every damn second of every damn minute of every goddamn day how much I love you.”

Dammit, I was crying again.

“Julien.”

He kissed my lips. “I’ve been a complete mess without you, and I just need to hold you right now. Just let me love you, Angel.”

I nodded. There was no way in hell I could deny him that because it was what I needed as well. That connection and closeness. His scent and his arms wrapped around me like a comforting blanket.

How could I have thought, for even a second, that I would be able to walk away from this man?

Julien left me briefly to turn off the overhead lights. I couldn’t see anything in the pitch black that followed but I could hear him moving around. There was a click, and the fairy lights turned on. Utterly magical.

Julien came back and took my hand, guiding me over to the bed. He kneeled down and undid the laces to my shoes, then slipped them and my socks off, like a reverse Prince Charming and Cinderella. Those startling silver-gray eyes looked up at me and were filled with so much devotion and love, it took my damn breath away.

“May I touch you?”

He was asking for my permission and flipping our roles. Julien was usually the dominant one, and I was the submissive. There had been times when that switched, and I was the aggressor in our dynamic, but those times were seldom. He had such a huge personality, confident and cocky, that taking control came naturally for him. But I loved the times when he let those walls fall away and showed me his vulnerability.

“Touch me.”

I peered over at the door. Ash could walk in at any moment.

Like he could read my mind, Julien said, “He’s staying with Mei tonight.”

With a slowness that drove me crazy with want, Julien slid his fingers underneath the waistband of my sweatpants but didn’t pull them down. Instead, his hands wrapped around my waist and moved down to cup my ass. My cock was already hard, and he hadn’t even done anything. It was like Pavlov’s dog, and his touch was the bell.

“I’m terrified that I’ll hurt you.”

I snaked my fingers through his hair. “The bruising looks worse than it feels. You won’t hurt me.”

“I want to kill him for what he did. I should have been there. I’m sofucking sorry.”

He buried his face in my stomach and cried. It was one of the most heart-wrenching things I ever saw.

“Baby, I promise I’m okay.”

On his knees, he held me close, not letting me go.

“I’m a mess.”

“I like you messy.”

His shoulders shook with his watery chuckle. He turned his face and kissed my hip bone.

“I know we need to talk, but I need you more.” He kissed my stomach and my navel.

Desire clouded my brain. I wanted his dick shoved so far up inside me, his body brutally pounding into mine, claiming me as his, that I felt him for days to come. The make-up sex would be fantastic and life-altering, but I was exhausted, and my body was still sore.

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