Mellie begins to breathe harder, faster, and she reaches up to cup my face. She pulls me down for a kiss, breathing against my lips.
“More,” she gasps as my hips buck into hers, my motions becoming more hurried as my own release builds.
“Ronin!” She smashes her lips against mine once more. “Ronin—I love you.”
Those three little words gasp out of her as she comes, her legs pulling taught against me as her body shudders.
My heart clenches so hard, at first I’m almost afraid I’m having a heart attack.
Ronin, I love you.
Tears prick at the corners of my eyes as I stare down at her, still moving inside of her as she writhes against me, and my own release comes as I thrust deep into her one more time—as I come so hard, harder than I ever have in my life, hard enough to see fucking stars.
Ronin, I love you.
I tremble against her, our gazes locked as we breathe heavily, our bodies slick with sweat and pressed against each other tightly. The aftershocks of my climax make me shudder inside her.
Ronin, I love you.
One lone teardrop slips free, making its way down my heated cheek. Mellie’s hands still on my face, and a finger swipes the tear away.
“Ro, are you alright?” Her question is a whisper.
I find my voice, my words finally tumbling free, “I love you, Amelia Baker. So fucking much.”
Her eyes widen, and she kisses me, hard.
I kiss her back, then say it again, “I fucking love you so much. I love you, Mel.”
Mellie laughs, lashes lined with with silver tears. “I love you.”
I bury my face in the crook of her neck, and her hands run through my hair, soothing and comforting. I lay down next to her on my side, reaching over to brush the hair out of her face. “You’re incredible, you know that?” I say softly. “I still can’t believe that you’re actually here, in my bed.” I let out a little laugh. “You don’t even want to know how many times I’ve imagined this.”
A tired, sweet smile stretches across her face as she turns to face me, hands tucked beneath her head.
“After you left, I didn’t have much hope left that anything would happen between us. I thought that was my last shot, and I’d blown it.” I run a hand down her bare arm. “But then you came back here, and I knew as soon as I saw you sitting at my bar that night that this was it, this was my shot. It just felt…different.”
Emotion is threatening to overwhelm me now. Tears are still drying on my cheeks, and my throat feels so tight I can barely get the words out. “These last few months have only furthered that feeling, that tiny kernel of hope that you felt the same, that you wanted me this time as much as I want you. I never imagined we’d get another chance.”
“I felt it too.” Her fingers trail along my jawline, sending a chill down my spine. “Even before I got in town, something about the trip felt different.”
I pull her closer to me and kiss her, wrapping my arms around her to hold her close. She nuzzles into my side as I lay on my back, fitting against me like the missing half that’s been gone for the last four years.
And for the first time since she left, I finally feel complete.
Chapter Thirty-Six
MELLIE
May 7
My bed misses you…
Your bed, or you?
Both of us. When can we have another sleepover?
Just got off work… already on my way to you
