My hand roams to his neck, forcing him to look me in the eyes.
“Listen to me, Cull. The only thing that pushed me to that bridge was myself.Imade that choice. Not because of anything you or anyone else did or didn’t do. I let my mind get too loud, and instead of fighting, I gave in.”
I lean my forehead against his. “I don’t want to leave you,” I whisper. “I never did. At the time, it felt like the only way to fix everything. All I could think about was giving you the life Ithought you deserved, but I ended up denying myself the one I needed.”
“I’ve missed you,” he whispers back. Then he kisses me gently. Reverently.
I pull back from the kiss but keep our foreheads pressed together. “I’m sorry for how I acted the other day. I was pissed about the letter… and maybe a little insecure when I saw you and Hadley holding hands. Sometimes it’s easier to push you away than face my fears.”
He sits up straighter, eyebrows lifting in surprise.
I think for a moment before I explain. “It was the first time I’d seen you two together since you broke up. It felt like a gut punch. It just reminded me of a time when being with you was nothing more than a pipe dream.”
A wicked look comes over Cullen’s face as he slowly pushes me back onto the bed, hovering above me. That sexy smirk I’ve missed so much lights up his face, his lopsided dimple popping on his cheek. “Then maybe I should reacquaint you with that pipe you used to dream about.”
I snort. “The cheesy dick jokes aren’t going anywhere, are they?”
He grins wide. “Even when we’re old with saggy balls, I’ll still be making dick jokes." He shrugs. "It’s a personality trait.”
I stare into his green eyes, a lifetime flashing in them. “We’re going to grow old together,” I say softly—confidently.
“Yeah, Hud. We are.”
Then he kisses me like I’m the air he needs to survive. His mouth trails down my jaw, lips skimming across my skin to my neck. His hands slip under my shirt, gripping my hips like he’s attaching himself to me. His fingers scorch my skin, but it’s the kind of fire I’d gladly burn in forever.
“I need you, baby,” he rasps into my neck.
His evergreen scent fills my nose, sealing some of the cracks I created in my heart.
“Take me.”
His mouth latches onto my skin, the throb on my neck letting me know it’ll bruise. It sends a jolt straight to my dick, bringing it to life for the first time in weeks. I’m already panting, cock hard and aching for his touch.
His chest brushes against my injured arm, reality slamming back in for a moment.
“Cull, I hate to kill the vibe, but it’s a process getting undressed with this sling.”
“Oh, shit. I forgot all about your arm. Are you okay with this? We can hold off if you want.” He fires off questions one right after another, his face full of concern.
I yank him down to my lips with my good arm. “If you’re not inside me in the next five minutes, I’m going to self-combust,” I growl.
He smirks again, helping me sit up. Carefully, he removes my sling, then my button-up shirt. He helps me back into the sling and starts kissing a path down my stomach. I clench my muscles, the feather-soft sensation both familiar and foreign.
It feels like a lifetime since I’ve had Cullen’s lips on my body. The thought that I almost left this behind hits me like a wrecking ball, but I don’t allow it to take root.
I’m working on staying in the light. And that’s what Cull is—my light.
Cullen pops the button on my shorts and drags them down my thighs. He takes my boxers with them, my cock springing free in front of his face.
“Hello, old friend,” he croons, then licks a searing wet line up the underside of my length.
I gasp and laugh at the same time. “You’re ridiculous.”
“Undeniably.”
He takes me deep, all the way to the back of his throat, gagging when his nose brushes my pelvis.
“Damn, I missed this,” I admit, threading my fingers through his dark hair. I tug lightly as he teases me, bobbing up and down, and swirling his tongue around my tip.
