AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“It’s a brave thing you’re doing, Maeve. And you’ll have to do most of it on your own.”
I swallowed.
“Least I can do is show up when you need me.”
“I don’t need you,” I said too quickly, but as soon as the words left my mouth, my cheeks burned with embarrassment. What the hell was wrong with me? He was trying to be sweet, and I was letting my pride get in the way. “I just—”
“Want me bad?” he joked, lifting his brows.
I nodded, but inside, I felt like I’d chickened out. Would it be so terrible if I needed him? If he knew I needed him? Because the truth was, I sort of did. Not in a literal, burdensome way, but in some other way I didn’t know how to name.
He ran his fingers along my jawline and then down my neck so gently it was torturous. “I want you, too,” he said, curling his fingers around the top of my shirt and pulling it open so he could peek down at my breasts.
I rolled my eyes. “They’re still there.”
“Just checking,” he said, taking a good long look before lifting his smiling face and pulling me close.
“Are you dying to get out of here?” I asked, his proximity making more than my cheeks flush.
“Let’s stay a while longer,” he said, avoiding the question. “It’s bad enough your family thinks I’m using you for sex. I’d hate for them to think I’m also the type who eats and runs.”
I laughed. “I’m sure they don’t think the former. And even if they do, it’s true, isn’t it?”
“Completely,” he said, wrapping his strong hand around mine as we turned towards the front room. “Every chance I get.”
I bit back a smile.
And right before we joined the others, he gave my hand a firm squeeze. But as good as it felt, it wasn’t enough. I needed more, needed him to squeeze me harder. Needed him to tear my heart out and do something with it. Anything.
Anything would be better than feeling like he was just out of reach…
Like he always would be.
