Page 79 of Forever Yours

“Can I stay with you tonight?” he asked.

Again with the permission.

“I would love that.”

I was motionless as Julien undressed me, kissing every bruise he encountered as he did. Once he unbuttoned and removed my shirt, I watched with unveiled longing as he stood and took off his clothes. I ignored the tattoo on his chest, not letting it ruin what was building between us.

We were a foot apart, our eyes licking over each other’s naked bodies. His sun-kissed skin glowed under the tiny lights, each muscle defined and chiseled to that of a Greek god’s by all the time he spent running and training. His hard cock bobbed as he breathed, precum leaking from the tip. I wanted to stroke my fingers through his soft pubic hair and feel the satiny texture of his penis.

“Do you need anything? Pain meds? Water?” he asked.

“Just you. And some sleep.”

His smile lit me up. He held out a hand, and I took it. The tiny twin bed that came with the room would be a tight fit with the two of us, but we managed fine with the hospital bed and that thing was the most uncomfortable bed I had ever slept on. The hard floor would have been better.

Once he got situated, I draped myself over him until I was half lying across his body, my head nestled under his chin. His arms came around me, one hand resting around the nape of my neck so he could play with the ends of my hair. With the fairy lights above, it was like we were lying under the stars.

Julien pulled the covers over us and kissed the top of my head. “Thank you for giving me a second chance. I don’t deserve it but I’m greedy and taking it because I can’t live without you. Get some sleep, sweetheart. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

His gentle stroking at the back of my neck had my eyelids growing heavy.

“Love you,” I mumbled.

“Forever Yours,” he whispered as my eyes finally closed.

CHAPTER 22

I slowly woke to soft lips kissing my neck, and a hard body spooned to mine. I had passed the fuck out last night. For the first time sincethat night, I didn’t dream of punches, kicks, and pain because Julien had kept the nightmares away.

“What time is it?” I asked without opening my eyes.

I wasn’t ready for a new day to begin. I wanted to exist a little longer right where I was in Julien’s arms.

“Six thirty.”

“Did you just get back from your run?” I groggily asked.

I must’ve been in a sleep coma not to have noticed him get out of bed and leave.

He teased kisses over my shoulder. “No run. I’m right where I want to be.”

Reluctantly slitting my eyes open a fraction, I had a side view of the window. The sun hadn’t come up yet, but the sky was gradually brightening, harkening its imminent arrival. Maybe ten more minutes, give or take. It might not have been the same as watching it from Julien’s hilltop, but a sunrise in bed was just as good.

“If you’re up for it, I’d like to talk to you about something.”

The conversation we should have had last night but didn’t because the joy of being together again superseded everything else—not to mention I had been exhausted as hell and not up for any kind of serious discussion about the state of our relationship.

He tucked his chin to the curve of my shoulder, his breath tickling my goose-fleshed skin. With his body heat wrapped around me and the bedsheets covering us, I was warm and deliciously comfortable.

“Okay.”

The arm under my head bent, and our fingers wove together. I brought them to my lips and kissed the back of his hand.

“I never took the time to question your sudden decision not to go to Stanford and to come to CU with me. I was just so fucking happy that you did.”

My eyes shut on a sigh. I had a feeling Fallon had something to do with this.

“You gave up everything for me, and all I’ve been doing is making you miserable.”

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