Page 236 of Entangled

“Yep.” I don’t want to think about the other times. The way we’re going, I don’t even know if there will be more times with Beau.

Her fingers brush along the stubble at my jaw. “He misses you too.”

I hope it’s true. I doubt it’s enough. He and I both know that I need him more than he needs me.

Her touch starts soft. Hesitant. When I don’t stop her, she gets bolder. Her fingertips trail up to my lips, tracing the outline. It brings a smile back to them.

I step up the porch stairs, avoiding tripping over a collection of empty bottles.

“What are you doing, pet?” I ask in a low voice, glancing down at her.

She’s very focused on my mouth.

“Touching you,” she says absently. “Stop me if you need me to.”

Damn it. She’s too cute like this. Intent and wondering and dreamy. I never want her to stop.

I slow down as I make my way up the imperial staircase as that thought hits me hard.

Idon’tever want her to stop.

I want her touches and her giggles and her soft, serious frowns. I want to talk to her and listen to her and be around her. I want her on her knees and in my bed and following my orders on how to take my cock.

I want to love her.

“You’re so pretty,” she murmurs.

“Pretty?” Startled, I look down at her again.

I’ve been called a lot of things, butprettyisn’t usually on the list.

“Mmm.” Her fingers slide over my throat, over my rampaging pulse. “I think about your face a lot. I think about you naked alot.”

We’re almost at her room, but I slow to a glacial pace as I stare at her. She’s perfectly snuggled in my arms, the fabric of her dress flirting with my skin in hungry little brushes.

My gaze lingers on her mouth, remembering the way it looked wrapped around Beau’s cock. “Not very platonic of you.”

Whatever it is that’s coursing through me is running hot and sweet.

This is the kind of thing I always missed out on. The moment they would roll out of my arms and into Beau’s. It never used to interest me much.

It interests me a hell of a lot now.

I wonder how bad it would be if I shirked my responsibilities just to watch her sleep.

Eden sighs heavily.

“I don’t want to be just your friend anymore,” she confesses. Her hands tease along my collarbone. “Heather and Lucky and Jasper said I should tell you something.”

“Oh?”

“Yes.” She nods seriously, then takes a deep breath. “I like you. A lot. In fact, I really, truly, maybe think that I?—”

“Wait,” I say, my heart pounding. She stops. Even her hand pauses on my skin. Her eyes find mine, and I try to smooth my tone. “Can we talk about this tomorrow? I want to hear it. But I want to hear it when you’re sober.”

My control is just a burning thread to lit dynamite at this point. She’s soft and pliant and looking up at me with these sweet little take-me eyes.

If she tells me that she wants me now, I don’t think I’ll be able to stop myself.

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