My footsteps were light as I crossed the floor. With every step, I felt a buzzing beneath my skin, begging me to touch her. I was only a few feet away when she stiffened, her fingers pausing at the end of her braid. With the smallest crook of her head, her eyes found mine in the dark.
“Waiting for me, Cass?”
Agonizing moments passed as I waited for her answer. She was torturing me, dragging this out to the point of excruciating pain. All I wanted was to pull her into my arms and remind her who she belonged to.
“You haven’t been around,” she finally whispered.
“You told me to go.”
As I took a step forward, I saw the tears swimming in her eyes, and they tore me to shreds.
“You were going to leave me anyway.” She swiped the tears from her cheek, then shoved her hands behind her back, as if she was trying to prevent herself from coming to me.
“So, you pushed me away before I could hurt you.” I took another step forward, then another until I was almost flush against her body. “I thought you didn’t want me anymore.”
“I—I remembered the accident,” she croaked out. “And when I woke up, you weren’t there.”
I knew something had happened. Things were going good between us. Well, as good as they could be when I was unwilling to fully commit to her. But that was all over. I was done running from her.
My fingers were just inches from her soft skin, but I held back. Until I heard that she still wanted me, that she would stick with me through my career, I couldn’t touch her. It would be too hard to walk away.
“I was stupid. For all those months, I could have really had something with you, but I blew it. I’m an idiot, Cass. I thought I couldn’t have it both ways—my career and be with someone.”
“And now?”
“Now, I know I can’t fight if I don’t have you by my side. I don’t want to. I can’t concentrate without you. I can’t wrap my head around ever stepping back in that ring if it means it’ll take me further from you.”
“I would never ask you to leave something you love,” she said breathlessly, her chest heaving as I slid my hand around her waist, tugging her closer.
“But would you stick with me? Would you go on the road with me and stick by my side, good or bad?”
Dipping my head, I trailed my nose along the column of her throat, feeling her heart pounding under her skin. She wasn’t immune to me. She wanted me just as much. My lips skimmedover her soft skin, tasting what was still to come. Just another minute and I’d have her right where I wanted her.
Her breath hitched as I slid my hand up her side, just below her breast, teasing her with my touch. I loved how her body trembled whenever I was close to her, how she unknowingly pressed her breasts against me and begged me for more.
No other woman tried so hard to deny themselves around me. They all wanted whatever I would offer them, but Cassidy was different. Despite wanting me, she fought the need while her body begged for more.
It was a dance we played. One that I always won.
“I’ll always stay by your side. I love you.”
I crushed my lips to hers, no longer able to hold back. Those three little words were something I had needed from the start, but had no clue would mean anything to me.
“Fuck, I love you, Cassidy.”
“Really?”
I couldn’t tear my lips from hers, not when every kiss felt like it was bringing me home. “I need you.”
Her fingers worked my zipper, struggling to pull it down over my cock straining against it. But finally, her hand slid inside, gripping me as her thumb slid over the slick crown.
There was no way I could let her touch me like that. I would blow in five seconds, and tonight, I wanted something we’d never had before. I wanted all of her, every inch of her body and every beat of her heart. It was all mine.
Lifting her in my arms, I carried her back to the bedroom—to our room—and laid her on the bed, crawling over her body. My lips sealed over hers and I slowly kissed her, tangling my tongue with hers. I’d never truly taken the time to make love to her, to show her how much I needed her, but after all this time apart, I’d never let another moment go by without her knowing just how damn much I had fallen for her.
Pulling her upright, I slowly pulled her shirt over her head, tossing it aside as I took a moment to get my fill of her beautiful body. To think that all this time, I hadn’t realized what was in front of me. I could have kicked my own ass.
“So fucking beautiful,” I murmured as I took her mouth once again.
