“Is there another woman?”
“Huh?”
She faced me then, eyes sharp. “Is there?”
“No! There ain’t no other woman, Bunny. I swear.”
She studied me for a second, then shook her head.
“Part of me wished there was,” she said. “At least that way, I’d have a reason for why you keep turning me away. A real reason. Something I could justify besides this bullshit loyalty you have to my father.”
“It ain’t bullshit, Aurora.”
“Please.” She let out a short breath. “If you actually cared about my father, you wouldn’t have fucked me in the first place! I wouldn’t even be here! You just use that as an excuse to keep me at arm’s length so I’m close enough to fuck but not close enough to be with. It’s pathetic. But I’m even more pathetic for putting up with it.”
I stepped closer, frustration pushing through now.
“You think I want to put you through this?” I said. “You think I like having to sneak around with you? Having to pretend I don’t feel the way you do?”
She didn’t answer. “Marley?—”
“You are an amazing, beautiful, talented woman,” I continued. “Far better than any man like me deserves.”
I gripped her shoulders.
“I do not deserve you, Aurora. I’m twenty years too late. I’m past my prime. It’s ridiculous to even consider having any kind of future with you and I don’t know why you keep pushing it. It won’t end well.”
“Says who?” she shot back immediately breaking my hold. “Who decides that? You? Me? The universe? You don’t know what will happen in the future. I could make you so fucking happy if you let me, but you shut it down before I even get the chance!”
“I don’t deserve happy!” I yelled back. “Please, Bunny. Understand me. Don’t question this. Please. I don’t want to watch your heart break.”
She went quiet.
We both did. Then she stepped closer, placing her hand flat against my chest.
I looked away but she lightly turned my head back to meet her face, caressing me gently.
“Look at me,” she said softly, “if you’re so sure you’ll break my heart… at least let me enjoy this while I can.”
I didn’t think. My hand came up to the back of her neck and I pulled her into me, closing the distance in one motion. My mouth found hers instantly.
Hard.
Every issue I’d been holding back all day came out in that kiss.
She responded just as fast, rising into it, her hands gripping onto me like she’d been waiting for me to stop fighting this. The tension was gone, washed away in the tub and replaced with heat and need and everything I kept pretending wasn’t there.
I backed her up without breaking it, one step, then another, until her back hit the wall.
She gasped into my mouth, but didn’t pull away. Her arms wrapped around my shoulders as I lifted her, her legs coming around my waist like it was instinct.
“Marley I?—”
I kissed her again, deeper this time, trying to drown out every thought in my head. Her hand went between us, and wrapped around my dick, slipping it into her. She gasped at first before clawing at my back. I buried my face in her neck then, groaning as I nailed her to the wall.
“Fuck,” we moaned in unison.
I slowed the strokes just so I could feel her. My skin pricked with heat and electricity with every touch. She was perfect. Perfect in ways I didn’t deserve as fuck up as it sounded.
